Baseball uses fast start to beat Western Michigan in series opener


To remain a contender for a division title, not only does a team have to compete with the best, it must beat those inferior to them.

For a Central Michigan baseball team within striking distance of the top spot in the Mid-American Conference West Division, that meant coming out Friday against last place rival Western Michigan and getting on the board quickly.

And that is exactly what it did, as CMU scored the first 11 runs of the game en route to a 12-7 series opening win in front of 276 at Theunissen Stadium.

After getting a loss and no decision in his last two starts, senior right-hander Jesse Hernandez got back on the winning track while giving up six runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings pitched.

"We jumped on them early," said coach Steve Jaksa. "Jesse wasn't as sharp today the whole way through - he kind of fought his way through it - but he still had plenty good-enough stuff and we gave him a lot of runs."

CMU (28-19, 15-7 MAC) got the bats going right away against Western Michigan starting pitcher Casey Webber, who lasted just 3 1/3 innings. The Chippewas put together five first-inning hits and drew a pair of walks to open up a 5-0 lead and take control of the game early.

The scoring continued in the fourth as sophomore Nate Theunissen drilled a two-run double to left field. That forced Broncos' skipper Randy Ford to replace Webber, whose pitch count had reached 103.

"It's always important to get a big lead and give Jesse some breathing room," said Theunissen, who finished the game 4-for-4 with three RBIs. "I was rested - got the week off - and came back seeing the ball real well."

The Chippewas would add four more runs on a pair of two-run hits by juniors Robbie Harman and Matt Faiman (3-for-5, two RBIs) in the inning to bloom their lead out to 11-0.

WMU got on the board in the fifth inning following a two-run single by Grant Simotes. The Broncos would add three more in the sixth, but CMU's lead was too big to make up in the end.

"There's a certain attitude about playing every day and having good at-bats all the time," Jaksa said. "Days like this, the team you're playing is not going to stop or quit playing. If we get good pitching and play solid defense, like we did today, that puts you in a position to win."

Senior Billy Anderson and sophomore Scott Phillion each collected two hits.

Second baseman Zach Thoma went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for WMU (12-36, 5-17 MAC).

CMU looks to continue its goal of sweeping the series at 2 p.m. Saturday when junior Bryce Morrow (3-2, 5.40 ERA) gets the start.

"We want to take this weekend and hopefully sweep so we are at the top again," Theunissen said.

The Chippewas remain a game behind Ball State for first place in the West Division. The Cardinals used a three-run ninth inning Friday to come from behind and beat Northern Illinois 7-6.

Toledo, at 15-7, remains tied with CMU for second place after beating Eastern Michigan 6-3 in Ypsilanti.

"We believe that if we just take care of our own business the things around it will take care of itself," Jaksa said. "We can't control anything Ball State and Toledo do, we can only control how we get ready to play Western Michigan. And, hopefully, somebody else can take care of somebody else"

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