Baseball tops Kansas, improves to 11-5 on season
In many cases, good pitching leads to good hitting.
The Central Michigan University baseball team had both working in its 8-2 win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday. CMU improved to 11-5 on the season, outhitting KSU 14-6.
“My mindset is if we can get a lineup together that really competes one through nine and has good at-bats it’s going to be hard for other teams to work through that lineup,” said Head coach Steve Jaksa.
On the mound, CMU junior Adam Aldred picked up the win pitching five and one third innings giving up two runs, one earned, on six hits and striking out three batters.
“I was pleased with Adam today,” Jaksa said. “This was probably overall his best outing of the year. He would tell you there’s probably some consistency things he wants to improve upon. He really competed out there and that’s all I can ask for.”
Freshman shortstop Zach McKinstry, a Novi native, continues to impress both in the field and in the batters box.
McKinstry led the Chippewas with three hits while drawing one walk.
Senior catcher Tyler Huntey and senior second baseman Pat MacKenzie had two hits each. MacKenzie finished with two runs batted in.
CMU scored the first two runs of the game in the third inning. Junior first baseman Zack Fields doubled to left field scoring MacKeznie from third base. Fields got his first start of the season. He made the most of it finishing with two hits.
“Zack was a part of that team puzzle today,” Jaksa said. “It was good to see him contribute in his first start.”
Sophomore left fielder Alex Borglin followed with a ground out to first base scoring McKinstry.
In the fourth inning, the Chippewas continued to heat up at the plate finishing with three runs on four hits in the inning. Huntey advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a throwing error by the Jayhawks' catcher.
Huntey and MacKenzie each had two hits. MacKenzie finished with two runs batted in as well.
Three batters later, MacKenzie singled to center field scoring junior right fielder Logan Regnier and junior third baseman Joe Houlihan making it 5-0 CMU lead.
The Jayhawks added a run in the fifth and sixth innings cutting into the lead 5-2.
The Chippewas scored their final three runs of the game in the ninth inning on Tuesday.
Fields singled to center field scoring MacKenzie making it a 6-2 CMU lead.
The CMU bullpen was able to hold the lead for four innings, led by freshman Sean Martens who pitched two and one thirds innings without allowing a hit.
“Sean did a great job with probably only one batter he would have liked to have back,” Jaksa said. “We wanted Jimmy (McNamara) to throw to the No. 5 hitter, which was a left-hander. That’s kind of the role we think he can be really good in. It’s a really important role.”
Senior Tim Black closed it out in the ninth inning, recording his seventh save of the season.
“Tim is consistent,” Jaksa said. “He is a competitor and he likes the ball in any situation. He is just very good at understanding at what he is trying to do out there."
Next up?
CMU travels to Terre Haute, Ind. for a four game-series beginning Thursday against Indiana State at 3 p.m.
Sophomore pitcher Jordan Grosjean (0-1) will get the start on Thursday while freshman pitcher Nick Deeg (2-1) will start Friday.
The Chippewas will play Rutgers at noon on Friday and Sunday.
