CMU 14, EMU 2: Tomorrow’s winner earns MAC West title

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A Mid-American Conference West title is still in reach.

A loss against Eastern Michigan (34-19 overall, 16-10 MAC) would have ended the Central Michigan baseball team’s hope of a conference title.

Instead, CMU (28-25 overall, 16-9 MAC) moved into first by a half game with a 14-2 victory on Friday at Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti.

With the win, Saturday’s game at 1 becomes a winner-take-all.

The Chippewas held a 6-3 leading entering the seventh inning, but destroyed any sort of EMU comeback with a seven-run seventh.

Senior Brendan Emmett led off the inning with a walk. Junior catcher William Arnold singled, and then senior infielder Tom Howard was hit by a pitch.

This setup a bases-loaded, no-out scenario for CMU.

Sophomore Jordan Dean sacrificed and Arnold scored on a passed ball. Howard also scored on a single by junior Nate Theunissen.

The Chippewas batted though the lineup, even sending Emmett and Arnold up to the plate twice in the inning.

CMU outhit the Eagles 15-6 in route to the win.

Junior Zach Cooper pitched eight strong innings to receive the win, allowing two runs (one earned), and six hits. The win improved his record to 5-3.