Baseball team drops double header; Arnold injured and out
The bats struggled to get going Saturday as the Central Michigan baseball team dropped both games of a double-header against Southeastern Louisiana and McNeese State.
In the opener the Chippewas (3-7) lost 8-1 to the Lions (9-2) a day after their comeback win against them.
In the nightcap CMU lost the lead in the sixth inning and then the Cowboys (3-7) took the lead in the eighth and held on to it.
“Some of our guys are starting to think a little too much,” head coach Steve Jaksa said. “They’ve got to understand the long haul and the approach to the season and we’ve got to move on to tomorrow.”
In game one the Chippewas put senior Ryan Longstreth on the mound, he lasted five innings allowing seven hits three walks and two strikeouts.
The Lions had four runs in three innings while CMU only recorded four hits the entire game.
“The bottom line to game one is they shut us down on the mound, they scored periodically and we really couldn’t answer them,” Jaksa said. “Longstreth pitched pretty good, he just started leaving the ball up in the sixth inning and after 100 pitches we got him out of there.”
In the nightcap CMU took on the host McNeese State and played better but found the same result.
The Chippewas got two runs in the third inning with an RBI from senior first baseman Nate Theunissen and junior shortstop Jordan Dean.
Junior Rick Dodridge got the start and threw five innings of shutout ball until he gave up two runs in the sixth inning; he finished the inning, but didn’t make the trip out to the mound in the seventh.
He allowed four hits, four walks and five strikeouts.
Senior Jon Weaver, who replaced Dodridge in the seventh inning, hit three batters and allowed what ended up being the winning run in the eighth inning.
CMU started the ninth inning with three straight singles but couldn’t get a run in to tie. After a double play with the bases loaded the Cowboys survived the game with the win.
“Dodridge pitched great and in game like that the little things make all the difference in the world,” Jaksa said. “A play here and a play there in a one run game can really get to you.”
The Chippewas will meet up with the Lions against 2 p.m. Sunday with freshman Matt Trowbridge scheduled to make the start.
Senior catcher William Arnold suffered an injury in game one of the double-header and it is unclear what his injury is or how long he will be out.
