Baseball wins first MAC Tournament title since 1995
Junior right-handed pitcher Jordan Patty delivers a pitch against Miami (Ohio) on May 18 at Theunissen Stadium.
A dominant pitching performance from sophomore right-hander Jordan Patty put the Central Michigan baseball team in the driver's seat at the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
The No. 1 seed Chippewas (46-12) won their first title since 1995 and therefore clinched their first bid for the NCAA Tournament the same year. CMU won the tournament and its 18th straight game with a 6-0 victory over No. 2 seed Ball State on May 25 at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
Its championship was the second win in as many days for CMU over the Cardinals (38-19).
Patty (W, 4-2), a native of Midland, was strong from the outset. He only had one scare in the third inning when he stranded runners on the corners with just one out.
He did not allow a run on four hits with three walks. He also dispatched six strikeouts over eight, strong innings, the longest outing of his career.
Sophomore catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell opened the scoring and put the Chippewas ahead for good with one swing in the first inning. He powered an offering from Pachmayer to straight-away center field for a two-out, 2-run home run.
Senior first baseman Evan Kratt pushed senior second baseman Jason Sullivan across the plate with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to extend the CMU lead.
Sullivan scored his second run of the game in the seventh inning when sophomore right fielder Chase Rollin singled to right field to cap the Chippewa scoring.
Junior reliever Grant Frazer finished the game with one inning and struck out the side in doing so.
The Chippewas secured the MAC Tournament in head coach Jordan Bischel's first season and did so with a change in mindset and attitude.
His first season saw the team have more fun in the dugout and pregame, a significant change from last year to this.
Now, the Chippewas have their first opportunity to take their brand of baseball to the national stage as they make their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 24 years.
CMU will await its NCAA Tournament fate as the Selection Show is set to take place on May 27 at 12 p.m. The show will be televised on ESPNU.
