Baseball completes sweep of Western Michigan, remains one game out of first


An increase of five miles per hour may not seem like much when driving, but it makes a big difference in baseball.

Through five innings Sunday, Western Michigan starting pitcher Eric Heckaman held the Central Michigan baseball team scoreless.

The Chippewas were able to make an adjustment in the sixth and scored six runs en route to a 6-2 win and series sweep of the Broncos in front of 639 at Theunissen Stadium. The win extends CMU's winning streak to six games.

"The guy (Heckaman) changed his game plan on us," said coach Steve Jaksa. "He threw a lot more fastballs then we thought and what the scouting report said. We had him at like 84-87 (mph) and we were guessing he was probably up to 88-89."

That change in speed allowed WMU to get ahead early. The Broncos loaded the bases in the second inning and got a two-run single from Jimmy Martinez to take a 2-0 lead.

They looked to continue the scoring after a single by Grant Simotes loaded the bases, but CMU starter Zach Cooper got an inning-ending strike out that proved to settle the sophomore right-hander down. Cooper would go on to no runs and one hit over the next 4 1/3 innings.

"I just wasn’t able to see the glove (early on)," said Cooper, who improved his record to 3-2 on the season. "I kind of settled in after the second and started to see the glove earlier. I was able to hit my spots and go from there."

After recording just two hits through four innings, Jaksa held a meeting with his team on the steps of the dugout in the middle of the fifth. While the Chippewas came out swinging - the first two outs were registered via ground balls - and junior Matt Faiman connected on a single, the inning ended after he was caught trying to steal second on the ensuing batter.

The drought ended in the sixth after senior James Teas (2-for4, one RBI), sophomore Nate Theunissen (2-for-3, one run) and senior Dale Cornstubble put together a string of singles to get CMU on the board. Heckaman was pulled for reliever Troy Forton, and the Chippewas went on the attack.

"A combination of him getting tired and (us) sitting on the fastball started to make a difference, and then we were able to get him out of the ballgame," Jaksa said. "Finally we were able to get into their bullpen and we did a really nice job once we did that. We just had to find the barrel on it and get a few hits."

Senior Billy Anderson knocked a double down the right field line to tie the game and senior Ricky Clark hit a two-run single to give CMU a 4-2 lead.

Anderson, who was moved to sixth in the batting order recently after struggling offensively, went 2-for-4.

Clark scored on a throwing error after a single by junior Robbie Harman, who scored on a single by Faiman.

WMU (12-38, 5-19 Mid-American Conference) threatened in the ninth inning after drawing three walks against reliever Trent Howard. With the tying run at the plate, Howard got the Broncos’ hitter to strike out to end the game.

Despite the win, CMU (30-19, 17-7 MAC) remains in the same position it began the weekend after West Division leader Ball State (18-6) completed a series sweep of Northern Illinois. In addition, Toledo (17-7) maintains a second place tie with the Chippewas after sweeping Eastern Michigan.

"All you can do is play and win the game that you’re scheduled to play," Jaksa said. "That’s what they (Ball State) were doing and that’s what Toledo’s doing. They play each other next weekend and we play Eastern.

"We just got to take care of our business. Somebody’s going to give next weekend in their series."

As a tuneup for the series with EMU, CMU will play Michigan State at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday at Theunissen Stadium in its final non-conference game.

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