Baseball takes on Ball State in three-game series
After falling short to Michigan in a mid-week duel, Central Michigan baseball is back on the road. This time to Muncie, Indiana.
The Chippewas (7-17-1) take on Ball State (13-11) for a three-game series with games from March 30 to April 2 at Ball Baseball Diamond.
The two teams open Friday at 3 p.m. and play at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
CMU head coach Steve Jaksa is sending junior right-handed pitcher Pat Leatherman (1-2, 3.60 ERA) to the mound for game one on Friday against sophomore right-hander John Baker, who is 3-2 with a 3.89 ERA.
Game two features junior right-hander Michael Brettell (2-3, 5.15 ERA) battling with freshman right-hander Kyle Nicolas (2-3, 4.20 ERA). Jaksa is starting sophomore left-hander Tyler Hankins (1-3, 5.24 ERA) for Sunday’s series finale against an unnamed starter for the Cardinals.
The Chippewas most recently fell to Michigan 8-5 on March 28. On March 26, Ball State earned a 13-5 win over Valparaiso. Both teams are 2-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
“We had opportunity after opportunity and just did not take advantage,” Jaksa said. “And that gave them hope. I just felt we just didn’t grab them by the throat.”
The Chippewas are led by redshirt freshman catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell, who has played in 20 games. He leads the program with a .351 batting average, along with two doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs.
“He’s going to hit and will continue to hit,” Jaksa said. “He’s been pretty steady when he’s been able to play. He’s proven to us that he can do it.”
Junior infielder Jason Sullivan guides CMU in the RBI column with 16, but struggles at the plate with a below-average batting percentage. He has struck out a team-high 25 times.
The Cardinals are led by redshirt senior outfielder Jeff Riedel, who is fifth in the MAC with a .355 batting average. Riedel’s teammate, redshirt junior catcher Griffin Hulecki, is 11th in the league. Hulecki is swinging .325 at the plate for Ball State.
Senior outfielder Colin Brockhouse is the MAC leader in runs batted in with 19 RBIs. He is tied with Kent State senior catcher Brad Hamilton for the league lead in home runs with six.
Up Next
Central Michigan is scheduled to take on NAIA Clearly at 3:05 p.m. on April 4 at Theunissen Stadium. The following weekend, CMU hosts Kent State for a heated MAC series.
“We have figured a few things out,” Jaksa said. “We’re not a finished product, but it will be good to get a couple more pieces of the puzzles put together.”
