CMU baseball takes momentum into weekend series against Ohio
After Wednesday’s victory against Michigan State, the CMU baseball team is starting to gain some confidence.
They will need it this weekend when the Chippewas hit the road for the second Mid-American Conference series of the season against the Ohio Bobcats starting today.
The Chippewas were swept in the first conference series and will be looking to get that first MAC win this weekend.
“I do think we are a confident team,” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “I give the guys a lot of credit. The key is to play the same way and that is what we want to continue to do.”
Ohio (13-11 overall, 1-2 MAC) is led by Taylor Emody, who has a .295 batting average and has drove in 10 runs so far this season.
The projected starter for today’s game for the Bobcats is Jason Moulton, who sports a 2.79 earned runs average and already has two complete games to his name.
Sophomore infielder Jordan Dean said the team is ready for another MAC series this weekend.
“Last weekend was a bit of let down to go 0-3 to start the season, but we just have to stop pressing,” Dean said. “If we take a relaxed and play loose mentality into this weekend we should do alright.”
Today’s game will mark the 10th consecutive road game for the Chippewas. CMU (10-16 overall, 0-3 MAC) has seen some of its bats start to come around the past week.
Junior Nate Theunissen hit his first homerun of the season on Tuesday and is currently third on the team with 13 runs batted in. Junior outfielder Sam Russell leads the team with 17 RBIs and three home runs.
CMU junior Trent Howard will likely get the ball today to start on the mound. Howard has not gotten off to the start he had hoped for, but has his ERA down to 2.54.
Howard said the team is keeping their heads up and just being patient.
“We know we are capable of doing great things — we are going to use this momentum and carry it into the weekend,” Howard said. “We have lost some close games and have typically played well. We know things are going to turn around it is just a matter of when.”
Mother nature has not been very nice to the Chippewas this season, already cancelling a game and having a weekend series moved to the road. Today’s game has been moved to a 3 p.m. start to try and avoid more weather issues.
Saturday’s game in Athens, Ohio, is also going to start at 3 p.m., with the series finale slated to start at 1 p.m. Sunday.
