Ninth inning heroics advance Chippewas to MAC championship


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Sean Proctor/Photo EditorJunior outfielder Matt Faiman runs toward home after a line drive shot by senior James Teas down the third base line Saturday afternoon during the Chippewas first game against Bowling Green. Faiman, who led off the ninth inning with a single, scored the first of 4 runs to come back and defeat the Falcons 9-8.

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Ricky Clark told his team all week to keep believing in themselves as they advanced through the Mid-American Conference tournament.

The senior second baseman’s wishes rang true more than ever Saturday, as his walk-off single capped off a four-run ninth inning for the Central Michigan baseball team as it advanced to the MAC championship with a 9-8 win against Bowling Green at V.A. Memorial Stadium.

CMU (36-21) will play the winner of the second tournament semi-final game between Eastern Michigan and Kent State.

"What needs to be said is the belief of the guys and what they were trying to accomplish," said coach Steve Jaksa. "You can never write a script (until) you know how it's going to end."

The Chippewas went to bat in the ninth inning trailing 8-5 after Bowling Green appeared to take control of the game by scoring eight unanswered runs.

The rally began at the top of the order, as lead off hitter Matt Faiman reached base on an infield single. Junior Brendan Emmett (1-for-3, two runs scored) would follow up with a single to right field, forcing the Falcons to switch pitchers.

But a new hurler wouldn't phase the CMU offense as senior James Teas singled down the third-base line to cut the lead to 8-6. After sophomore Nate Theunissen (1-for-2, RBI, run scored) drew a walk to load the bases, senior Dale Cornstubble connected on a single that dropped just in front of center fielder T.J. Blanton to bring the Chippewas within a run.

"All you can do is try, play with your heart and do the best you can," Jaksa said. "Every guy went out there and put together a quality at-bat. We just kept plucking along, like the little engine that could."

With everyone in attendance at the edge of their seats, senior Billy Anderson (2-for-5, three RBIs) struck out with the bases loaded, setting up a possible inning-ending double play.

Scott Phillion, however, had other ideas. Needing to put the ball in play, the sophomore left fielder came up with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the tying run.

Enter Clark, who was 0-for-3 in the game.

Facing a 2-0 count with a runner on third, Clark muscled a single over the head of outstretched shortstop Jon Berti to complete the come-from-behind win and keep the Chippewas’ championship hopes alive.

"Top to bottom, we all just took care of our business," Clark said. "As a senior, you try and look at it all nostalgic – is this going to be my final day or my last three outs I'm going to see? I told everyone to forget that thinking and just have fun and play the last three outs."

Junior Mike Nixon (5-3) got the win after freshman reliever Dietrich Enns struggled mightily in the eighth inning, giving up five runs (four earned) on two hits in 1 1/3 innings.

An errant throw by Enns to third base on a sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning allowed the Falcons to tie the game. BGSU used the momentum to draw a walk, hit-by-pitch and single by Dennis Vaughn to take control for the being.

"He did a really good job of overcoming a lot of adversity," Clark said. "To get thrown into that situation, he tried to make a play he wasn't capable of making. We just told him to calm back down because his stuff is better than theirs."

CMU got off to a fast start offensively, scoring three runs in the first inning, highlighted with a two-run triple by Anderson. The Chippewas would a run in the second and another in the fifth.

Sophomore Trent Howard started the game, allowing three runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched.

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