Pitching staff improving as postseason nears
Central Michigan University sophomore pitcher Nick Deeg has been the anchor of the Chippewas’ starting staff this season.
Deeg (6-3, 2.89) has been pitching so well this season that Head Coach Steve Jaksa expects consistency each time Deeg takes the mound.
He struggled in his last start Friday against the University at Buffalo giving up nine earned runs on 10 hits in only 3.1 innings of work.
When the ace of the staff struggles others have to step in and pick up the slack.
Junior pitcher Sean Renzi was a reliever but has found a new role as a Chippewa starter since junior Jason Gamble and freshman Pat Leatherman were injured.
Renzi (2-1, 2.27) had never started a game in his career at the start of the season. He won both including his outing on Saturday and against UB throwing six innings giving up just one hit and no runs.
By the sixth inning, Renzi had not allowed a hit.
The numbers that make Renzi even more impressive are his 35 strikeouts in only 31 innings of work. That’s an average of more than one strikeout per inning.
Junior pitcher Adam Aldred (3-1, 2.96) has been getting better with each start.
Aldred had arguably the best start of the season for any starter on Sunday for CMU.
The Woodlands, Texas native threw a complete game giving up two hits and one run.
With pitching performances like his complete game allows the offense to relax and feel more comfortable at the plate. A lineup full of mentally loose batters is music to a pitchers ears.
Most often CMU’s pitching success can lead to runs in bunches and CMU helped Aldred out on Sunday by scoring six unanswered runs leading to the series clinching 6-2 victory.
Pitching injuries happen and the season always goes on. The answer to those injuries is how others respond to the opportunity given to show what they can do on the mound.
