Tyler Hall makes his comeback felt for baseball team
Last season, Tyler Hall batted .367, leading the Central Michigan baseball team to its second-straight Mid-American Conference West Division Championship.
He played and started in all 58 games last season, but this season he got off to a different start.
The senior began the season with an injured leg and was labeled on a week-to-week basis.
“I tore my medial meniscus, and I went in and repaired it,” Hall said. “I feel 100 percent, and my legs are getting back to where they were muscular wise.”
This week, the Chippewas welcomed back their 2011 MVP, and he made an instant impact.
In his first at-bat against Northwood Tuesday, he hit a single up the middle into centerfield.
Friday, the team opened up MAC play against Buffalo, and Hall showed his glove and legs are back as well with an over-the-shoulder catch in centerfield and then doubled off the runner on first to get CMU out of the inning.
Saturday, in a high-scoring game, Hall earned his first two RBIs of the season with a single to centerfield in the third inning and again in the fourth inning.
The next day, with CMU down 12-6, he came up after going 0-for-3. He came up with a three-run home run that got his team back in the game.
“It was a little slow at the start and I expected it, but I got into a groove,” Hall said. “I started seeing the ball a lot better than I was, and I feel a lot better getting back on the field.”
Last season, Hall mainly played third base but now has started his first three games in centerfield giving senior Eric Wrozek the spot at third, who has been giving the bottom of the Chippewa lineup some pop with several home runs last weekend at Tennessee Tech.
“I’m pretty versatile; you can put me anywhere, and I can play the position,” Hall said. “I’m just thankful to be playing and getting back on the field.”
With Hall being out, head coach Steve Jaksa was able to find out who could step up around him in the batting order.
“With him missing the games, it allowed us to figure out who was going to be around him,” Jaksa said. “He is protected well with (William) Arnold, Sammy Russell and (Nate) Theunissen. We have a plethora of guys who can swing the bat.”
