Gamble pitches complete game shutout, baseball wins series with Ohio
Ohio University came to Mount Pleasant on Friday with the 12th-highest scoring offense in the nation, but Central Michigan University baseball had the Bobcat offense dumbfounded by Sunday.
“I’m really proud of how our club battled back the last two days after a really tough loss on Friday,” said Head Coach Steve Jaksa.
Junior pitcher Jason Gamble pitched a complete game shutout, allowing six hits, one walk and zero runs over nine innings to tilt the series in favor of the maroon and gold.
Ohio averaged 7.7 runs per game before the weekend, but was held to nine total runs over the three-game series.
Sunday
Gamble (3-1, 1.91 ERA) was the key in Sunday’s 4-0 win, picking up his first career complete game.
“Gambie threw a great game,” Jaksa said. “For a guy going from being a reliever for two years to being a starter, now he throws a complete game shutout, that’s tremendous. I told him I want a no-hitter/perfect game next time.”
The Wixom native didn’t have to do any pleading with Jaksa to come back out in the ninth inning to finish off the game, even though there were Chippewas warming up in the bullpen.
“I actually just walked to the dugout and sat down,” Gamble said. “I was waiting for somebody to tell me something and nobody told me anything, so I just assumed I was back out there.”
After allowing his first walk of the game in the ninth inning and taking a ball off his leg with one out, Gamble was in danger of losing the shutout. With runners on first and third, Gamble got the game-ending double play.
“When (Associate Head Coach Jeff Opalewski) came out there, he said ‘It doesn’t matter what happens, just get your double play, let’s win the game and go home,’” Gamble said. “I didn’t want to make him mad, so I just did it.”
Saturday
Freshman pitcher Pat Leatherman (3-0, 3.00 ERA) was greeted by hugs from teammates as he walked off the field in the sixth inning in his first career start at Theunissen Stadium.
The Jenison native allowed five hits and three runs over 5.1 innings as CMU defeated Ohio 9-3.
Junior outfielder Logan Regnier started the scoring with a two-run triple in the third inning, his fifth triple of the season. The Novi native was 3-for-3 Saturday with 3 RBI’s and two runs.
Canton freshman designated hitter Daniel Jipping and Stanwood senior catcher Tyler Huntey had home runs Saturday.
Friday
A double from Regnier, followed by an error and a bunt single put CMU in prime position Friday to make a comeback with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, down 6-4.
But the three runners would be stranded, giving the Chippewas 13 total runners left on base and Ohio the victory Friday.
Ohio broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth inning with a two-run double to the warning track just past the outstretched arm of Mount Pleasant junior outfielder Ryan Heeke, who collided with the wall.
The Bobcats would add one more later in the fifth, in what would be the only multi-run inning for either team.
Lake Orion sophomore pitcher Nick Deeg took the loss for CMU (3-2, 2.50 ERA).
