COLUMN: Expectations high for baseball this season
The Ohio bench celebrates after a multi-run inning against Central Michigan Friday. The Bobcats defeated the Chippewas in the first game of the weekend series, 6-4.
Baseball will do more than just compete in a talent-filled Mid-American Conference.
Expectations are higher and the Chippewas have more depth.
Depth can help make those expectations become reality.
With the lineup and pitching staff Central Michigan University will be putting on the field this season, a MAC Championship will be in the conversation for the Chippewas.
CMU was picked in the preseason poll to finish second in the MAC West with 55 points (two first place votes) behind Ball State who received 67 points (eight first place votes).
Kent State was picked to finish first in the MAC East and first overall in the conference.
This could be the year the Chippewas make a legititmate run at the MAC Tournament Championship.
Freshman pitchers Nick Deeg, junior Jason Gamble, junior Adam Aldred and freshman Pat Leatherman make up the starting pitching staff for the Chippewas.
A combined earned run average of 3.00 and a combined record of 9-4 through 24 games is a tell-tail sign the best is yet to come for this balanced starting staff.
Once the starters leave the mound, you need a bullpen that can come in, shut a team down offensively and close out the game.
The Chippewas have a deep bullpen with a combined opponent's batting average of just .241 led by freshman reliever Braxton Markle, freshman reliever Sean Martens, senior closer Tim Black and junior Sean Renzi.
Black is a solid closer with seven saves on the season and an earned run average of 2.92 leading all CMU pitchers in appearances with 10.
Markle has an earned run average of zero. He has not allowed a run in seven innings out of the pen.
There are multiple factors that make this lineup work.
Looking at this group of Chippewas I see speed at the top with senior second baseman Pat MacKenzie and junior right fielder Logan Regnier.
There is power at the bottom with senior first baseman Cody Leichman and junior third baseman Joe Houlihan.
MacKenzie and Regnier are always a threat on the bases but can also hit. Both are one and two in batting average for CMU.
A standout player for the Chippewas is freshman shortstop Zach McKinstry. He has speed, power and a complete set of defensive skills.
McKinstry leads the Chippewas in hits this season and has started all 24 games.
Players like junior left fielder Ryan Heeke, freshman utility player Daniel Jipping and junior first baseman Zack Fields give the Chippewas depth off the bench, allowing for flexible lineup adjustments game-to-game.
Senior leadership from Leichman, center fielder Nick Regnier and catcher Tyler Huntey only add to the depth of this balanced attack on offense.
The Chippewas will finish first in the MAC West but second in the conference behind 2014 MAC Champion Kent State.
