Strong Pitching gives CMU the sweep over Miami (OH)
Central Michigan baseball completed the sweep over Miami (OH) with a 5-1 win at Theunissen Stadium.
This win moves CMU to 3-0 in MAC play and to 13-14 overall.
“One weekend makes you feel good but you have to get ready for next week we have seven weeks to go,” head coach Steve Jaksa said. "I thought we played hard and I thought we played very well offensively and defensively."
The Chippewas were led by the pitching of sophomore right-hander Pat Leatherman. Leatherman pitched seven innings with no earned runs and struck out ten batters.
“He gave up two ground ball singles in the first but after that he settled in,” Jaksa said. “He competes and after the first he settled in well for us."
CMU started the game out strong with three runs in the first inning. Senior Robert Greenman drove in the first run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Junior Nick Stokowski followed with a two run single to give the Chippewas the early 3-0 lead.
“Stokowski had a big two out knock off a 0-2 count to bring in two runs for us in the first,” Jaksa said.
CMU tacked on another run in the second with a RBI double by sophomore Daniel Robinson to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Chippewas added another run in the fourth with a RBI single by Robinson to give the Chippewas a 5-run lead.
That’s all the scoring the Chippewas needed behind the arm of Leatherman. Freshman Jake Raether came in for relief in the eighth and finished the game strong for CMU.
Raether closed out the game giving up one run and striking out one batter.
“Jake (Raether) threw really well for us, he only let in the one run,” Jaksa said.
The top Chippewas batters were Robinson and Stokowski, both tallying up two hits and two RBI as well. Greenman also had two hits on the day and brought in one RBI.
“We want to keep the momentum going and you do that by how you play and playing to win every game you play” Jaksa said
CMU returns to play Wednesday, April 5th when they take on the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies at Theunissen Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 pm.
