Rick Dodridge walked off the mound in the seventh inning of last Wednesday’s game after putting his team in a position to beat Michigan.

The freshman left-hander allowed just five hits in 6 2/3 innings against one of CMU’s Big Ten in-state rivals.

Dodridge gave way to a fellow freshman – right-hander Zach Cooper – who did not allow a hit in his two innings on the mound. Central went on to win 10-2 in Ann Arbor.

Since the team’s return to Mount Pleasant on March 18, the pair, along with fellow freshman left-hander Trent Howard, have solidified a spot on the baseball team’s pitching staff.

“I think all three of them are a work in progress,” said coach Steve Jaksa. “But every time they go out they learn and it’s a new experience for them. Each of them competes and you can’t be an effective pitcher if they don’t compete.”

Dodridge was able to push aside his inexperience during his last outing.

“I knew I had to keep the ball down and that would get a lot of ground balls,” he said of his approach. “And I did.”

He goes for his third win today as the team’s midweek starter.

For Howard and Cooper, their paths crossed as each worked for the same rotation spot.

As Howard was recovering from a sore shoulder in the fall, Cooper was named the team’s third weekend starter.

Cooper allowed 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings in CMU’s first conference series against Ohio. He has not started a game since the loss.

“It was purely a performance thing,” Jaksa said. “I thought Cooper would bear better when relieving.”

Howard replaced Cooper as the third weekend starter in time for the series finale against Buffalo on March 28.

He lasted six innings, giving up three runs on just three hits and struck out six. He threw well but earned a no-decision after the Chippewas were held scoreless.

Ironically, Cooper earned the win. He blanked Buffalo in two innings of relief after Central scored seven in the eighth inning.

Howard is 1-1 in two starts since the Buffalo game, recently allowing five hits and two runs in five innings Sunday against Miami.

In four bullpen appearances, Cooper has allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings and earned two wins.

“There’s a comfort with him coming in in different situations,” Jaksa said. “He’s coming in with the game on the line or else he wouldn’t have those wins.”

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E-mail the author: Dave Jones