Baseball splits four-game series, moves to 5-3 on season
A combination of solid starting pitching and timely hitting proved to be key for the Central Michigan University baseball team this weekend.
“I think we’re going to play better,” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “I thought we did some good things.”
Seniors Nick Regnier and Pat Mackenzie led all Chippewas this weekend with eight hits while redshirt freshman pitcher Braxton Markle and sophomore Nick Deeg both picked up wins on the mound.
“Those guys ( Regnier and Mackenzie) have been pretty consistent for us,” Jaksa said. “We need to get a little better in the middle of our lineup to be able to score runs like we want to do. We have to be better scoring with two outs. We will get better doing that.”
Friday: CMU 6, Stetson 5
The Chippewas and Hatters were tied at one in the top of the fifth inning with two-outs when the bats came alive for CMU.
Junior Ryan Heeke singled, scoring junior Luke Regnier.
Senior Nick Regnier followed Heeke's hit up with an RBI single to right center field scoring Heeke and Luke Regnier making it a 4-1 game after five innings.
CMU extended its lead 6-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Stetson scored three runs in the ninth inning before recording an out. Tim Black came in to relieve Sean Renzi for CMU on the mound after two batters reached base.
Black held off the Stetson rally striking out the final batter with a man on third base for Stetson.
Five Chippewas finished with two hits including senior Pat Mackenzie, senior Tyler Huntey, Logan Regnier, freshman Zach McKinstry and Heeke.
Nick Regnier and Huntey each had two runs batted in while Borglin walked four times in five at-bats.
Saturday Game 1: CMU 8, Stetson 6
Regnier led CMU with four hits, but Heeke broke the game open in the ninth inning propelling the Chippewas to victory.
“We got some big hits. There are a few guys that are going to be better producing runs as we move deeper into the season,” Jaksa said.
With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Heeke singled scoring redshirt freshman C. Bradley from second base. Luke Regnier scored later in the inning on a wild pitch, giving CMU an 8-6 lead.
Adam Aldred started for CMU going 5.1 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits. Markle picked up the win.
The Chippewas finished with 13 hits.
Saturday Game 2: Stetson 13, CMU 6
Compared to the first two games of the series, the Chippewas’ bats were fairly quiet finishing with seven hits.
“This was probably the only game all weekend we did not finish and play well,” Jaksa said. “We got in our own way."
Sophomore Jordan Grosjean struggled on the mound in taking the loss for CMU going 4 and two thirds innings giving up six earned runs on ten hits.
Stetson had a 4-0 lead heading into the top of the third inning and outscored CMU 10-2 in the final six innings.
Sunday: Stetson 6, CMU 5
A walk-off single down the line in the bottom of the ninth won the final game of the weekend for the Hatters 6-5.
“Today was an unfortunate ending to the game. The ball was foul, they called it fair," Jaksa said.
The Chippewas led 4-0 before Stetson scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
CMU tied it at five in the top of the seventh after McKinstry singled to left center field scoring freshman Daniel Jipping.
Nick Regnier and Jipping led the Chippewas with two hits each.
Freshman Pat Leatherman started on the mound for CMU going five innings giving up five earned runs on eight hits.
“I was really happy with Pat’s (Leatherman) progress today,” Jaksa said. “He threw his changeup much better. He picked a guy off at first and mixed in a slide step here and there.”
CMU (6-3) will travel to San Marcos, Texas next weekend for a four-game series with Texas State Universtity beginning at noon on Feb. 27.
