The Central Michigan baseball team (5-23) took multiple games into the middle innings in a scoreless tie, yet No. 21 Missouri State (22-5) found ways to score in bunches and sweep the three game series.

Thursday

CMU’s first game with the Bears was scoreless up until the eighth inning, when Missouri State scored twice. The Chippewas could not respond in the ninth and fell to the Bears 2-0.

Senior pitcher Sean Renzi (2-3, 5.72 ERA) started for the Chippewas. Most of his work so far this season has come from the bullpen, but started his third game of the season on Thursday. He went seven innings and gave up one run on five hits and four walks. He also struck out seven.

Renzi gave up a single to start the eighth and was then replaced by senior reliever Jimmy McNamara, who got the first out of the inning before being replaced by junior reliever Jordan Grosjean.

Grosjean (1-1, 3.42 ERA) gave up an RBI triple to the first batter he faced, an RBI single to the second batter and another single to the third batter. He was replaced by senior infielder Morgan Oliver, who made his second relief appearance of the season.

CMU had four hits all game. Two of those hits came from sophomore shortstop Zach McKinstry. Missouri State’s starting pitcher Jordan Knutson gave up those four hits, but also struck out 10 batters in 7 2/3 innings of work.

Friday

After a pitcher’s duel in game one, the Bears jumped out to an early lead and kept it the whole game, beating the Chippewas 9-1.

CMU was limited to five hits on Friday after having four on Thursday. McKinstry had two more of those five hits, while junior first baseman Alex Borglin had two of the other three.

Senior pitcher Nick Deeg (1-6, 7.28 ERA) had his second consecutive start of giving up eight runs, although two of them were unearned. He walked five and gave up five hits in four innings of work.

"I thought (Deeg) threw a little bit more aggressive (on Friday)," said Head Coach Steve Jaksa. "The results didn't show that he pitched better. We didn't play great behind him."

Missouri State scored five runs in the first after three hits and an error, one of those hits being a grand slam.

CMU scored its one run in the ninth inning after a Borglin RBI single with two outs. CMU matched its loss total from a season ago with 29 games to go in the regular season.

Saturday

The first half of this game was another pitcher’s duel, but the Bears came out on top 7-1 for their third straight win to sweep the Chippewas out of Springfield.

The game was scoreless up until the fifth inning, as Missouri State scored on an RBI single. The Bears put up two more runs in the sixth after a sacrifice fly and another RBI single.

The Bears scored all of their runs off RBI singles and sacrifice flies. CMU scored its one run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by junior catcher Robert Greenman.

CMU freshman starting pitcher Pat Leatherman (0-3) went five innings giving up three runs on five hits and three walks. His first hit was given up in the fourth inning on a leadoff triple.

"You play to win the game that you have in front of you," Jaksa said. "We're going to gather all the information that we can from these games just like we always do. Make a decision on who's going to start the next games. It's important that we continue to focus on the game that's coming up, playing to win those games and to gain some confidence."

The Chippewas will look to break a five-game losing streak at home on Tuesday as they play Saginaw Valley State at 3:05 p.m.