Walk-off win memories linger for Clash at Comerica rematch
Despite winning three of their last 13 games, the Central Michigan baseball team has a chance at bragging rights on Wednesday, under the lights at Comerica Park.
CMU plays Michigan State at 7:05 p.m. in the sixth annual Clash at Comerica in downtown Detroit.
"I know (our players) like it," said Head Coach Steve Jaksa. "I think it's good for college baseball in the state of Michigan. With regard to the people in that part of the state, they haven't seen us very much, so now they get a chance to see us play at Comerica. It's kind of a special thing to be able to do that."
The matchup
CMU is 7-25 in 2016 and 2-4 in the MAC, already having more losses in 2016 than in 2015. The Chippewas haven't won a series all season.
MSU is 20-5, 4-0 in the Big 10 and 13-1 at neutral sites this season. The Spartans have two games remaining this season at a neutral site, both at Comerica Park against CMU on Wednesday and Eastern Michigan on May 11.
"We've played a lot of games since (last year's Clash at Comerica)," Jaksa said. "I think (last year's walk-off rally) will be something we remind them of as we go into Wednesday, but I don't think that'll have a lot of bearing. I think the guys will be ready to play because the fact you get to play (at Comerica Park). I think the biggest thing is bragging rights will come (to) whoever wins on Wednesday night."
In the first meeting between CMU and MSU this season, the Spartans won 4-1 in East Lansing. Of the four runs given up that day, only one run was earned. Sophomore pitcher Colton Bradley started that game — his only start of the season thus far.
"You always hope to play good defense at any point in the season," Jaksa said. "We want to continue to do that. I don't know who they're starting, but hopefully we'll keep a low score on our end and we'll just take it from there. We're going to be ready to play and it's going to be a good atmosphere for our guys."
The Chippewas won the Mid-American Conference regular season championship last year with a 35-22 overall record and a 20-7 MAC record. The Spartans were 34-23 last year and haven’t won a Big 10 regular season championship since 2011.
The Spartans have nine players — eight players that regularly play — with a batting average of over .300. The Chippewas have three players averaging .300 or higher and only one of those three is a regularly starting player — sophomore shortstop Zach McKinstry.
The Spartans are also beating the Chippewas in overall batting average as the Spartans are batting .315 while the Chippewas are batting .235.
History of the Clash
Wednesday will mark the sixth time the two opponents have played at Comerica Park, with CMU winning three of the five games.
The series started in 2011 as the first college baseball game to be played at Comerica Park, with the Spartans winning 3-1. MSU scored all three of its runs in the first inning.
The last time the Spartans defeated the Chippewas at Comerica was in 2012. MSU won 5-2 thanks to a one-run pitching performance from current minor league pitcher Mick VanVossen.
The 2013 game was suspended in the fifth inning due to rain with MSU leading 1-0. Play was resumed on May 14 in Mount Pleasant, with CMU coming back to win 5-4.
The Chippewas won their first complete game at Comerica Park in 2014, topping MSU 7-4.
Last year, CMU's bottom-of-the-ninth-inning rally propelled the Chippewas over the Spartans 8-7, thanks to a walk-off hit by senior third baseman Morgan Oliver.
The Chippewas were down 7-0 going into the bottom of the eight and down 7-2 to start the ninth. Oliver led off with a double. Former Chippewa second baseman Pat MacKenzie drove in a run after a groundout. Catcher Robert Greenman knocked in two runs after a single. After two more Chippewas got on base, Daniel Jipping hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the tying run.
It was 7-7 when Oliver came to the plate for the second time that inning. A base hit through the right side of the infield drove in the game-winning run and the Chippewas went home victorious.
