CMU 5, EMU 2: Chippewas win MAC West title
The Central Michigan baseball team had a clear objective with two remaining regular season games between it and a second consecutive Mid-American Conference title.
It cut its mission in half with a commanding 14-2 victory Friday at Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti, after a disappointing 14th inning fall on Thursday.
It all came down to the final game of the regular season.
The Chippewas (29-25 overall, 17-9 MAC) sent senior starter Jake Sabol to the hill with the MAC West title on the line.
His performance, along with a four-run third inning, propelled CMU to a 5-2 victory over the Eagles to keep the MAC West title in Mount Pleasant for another season.
The game was scoreless until the four-run third provided by CMU. It began with a leadoff walk, and a single by senior infielder Robbie Harman.
With one run already scored, senior infielder Brendan Emmett reached on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases for the Chippewas with no outs.
Junior catcher William Arnold grounded into a double play, scoring Harman and advancing junior infielder Tyler Hall to third base.
A wild pitch scored Hall, and then senior infielder Tom Howard scored on an error after a double by sophomore second baseman Jordan Dean.
“We were just trying to score as many runs as we could,” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “We were able to put that big four spot up there.”
The big inning by CMU came to an end after a strikeout by junior infielder Nate Theunissen.
The Chippewas produced runs, but it was a balanced effort in the team’s regular season finale.
Sabol started and finished the effort, pitching a complete game. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, striking out seven to earn his fifth win.
More importantly, he guided his team to another MAC West Division title.
“Jake was very consistent throughout the course of the year,” Jaksa said. “For it to come to down to the final game of the season and for him to be the guy and go out there and throw like that, it makes you feel so good for him and all the time and effort he put in to get to this level. It’s a great accomplishment for him.”
Hall proved why he leads the team with a .362 batting average. When it mattered most, he produced. The infielder went 3-for-4, with an RBI and a run scored.
Jaksa was proud of the resiliency of his team throughout the course of the season.
“They didn’t let the standings get to them and that’s what they did this weekend,” he said. “We knew what we had to do. It was so fun to watch them respond.”
The Chippewas will be the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Chillicothe, Ohio.
