CMU wins non conference matchup with Oakland
After over two hours of rain delay and a scare in the ninth inning, the Central Michigan baseball team defeated Oakland by a score of 9-7 this afternoon at Theunissen Stadium.
The Chippewas improved their record to 14-14 after this win. They are still 3-0 in Mid-American Conference play.
"We played a pretty good game," head coach Steve Jaksa said. "The last inning was a little unfortunate but you have to give Oakland credit."
CMU scored at the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning when a wild pitch was thrown to Jason Sullivan.
Zach Gilles was walked and advanced off of a error by the pitched who tried to throw him out at first base. Blake Cleveland was walked and Alex Borglin was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Gilles scored on a wild pitch.
CMU added a run from a RBI single from Daniel Robinson. Robinson's hit loaded the bases once again for the Chippewas. Evan Kratt singled to third base, advancing the runners and scoring another run to lead 3-0.
As the rain kept pouring on, CMU also kept pouring on the runs. Nick Stokowski hit a two-RBI single up the middle to extend the Chippewas' lead to five. Then, Kratt scored on a error after a failed pickoff attempt to take a six-run lead.
After the Chippewas' rally in the bottom of the third inning, the game entered a rain delay.
Jaksa said the players weren't affected by the delay because they were working on the field the whole time.
After drying up the dirt in the infield, head coach Steve Jaksa decided to make a pitching change before entering the fourth inning. Freshman right-handed pitcher Zach Kohn replaced starting pitcher Michael Brettell. He only let up one hit, throwing four strikeouts and facing 10 batters in three innings pitched.
Kohn started his outing with two straight strikeouts and three more in the fifth inning. He finished throwing three and two-third innings with five strikeouts, let in two runs and faced 15 batters.
CMU added a run when Robinson reached on a single and Daniel Jipping hit a high fly ball off of the wall for a triple. Kratt singled to center and Jipping scored. CMU kept hitting and added one more run in the seventh inning.
After Kohn started slowing down, the freshman left-hander Jake Raether came in for Kohn. Rather came out with a wild pitch and a walk against the first batter he faced. Raether pitched one and one third innings and recorded two strikeouts.
Cam Brown started the last inning for the Chippewas. He recorded one strikeout and let in three runs. Brown was replaced by Colton Bradley came in to finish the inning after one out.
Oakland scored two runs in the seventh inning thanks to an error and two singles from Oakland batters. They were not able to complete the comeback in the final two innings after loading the bases and scoring two more runs.
CMU travels to Athens, Ohio to take on Ohio in a conference matchup at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7.
