Kent State evens the series with baseball team
After shutting out Kent State Friday the Central Michigan baseball team gave up four runs in the first four innings in a 6-3 loss Saturday at Theunissen Stadium.
The Chippewas (17-23, 7-7 MAC) had their chances to keep up with the Golden Flashes (21-16, 11-3 MAC) in the second when they had the bases loaded and only scored one run off a RBI single from freshman third baseman Joe Houlihan.
In the third they had a chance to score some runs when they led off the inning with a walk from senior centerfielder Tyler Hall and single from junior shortstop Jordan Dean. A double play and fly out to centerfield got KSU out of the jam.
“Pretty clean game for us, I thought we did a lot of good things,” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “We had the bases loaded in the second and we hit a line drive to the first baseman and the guy made a nice play, six or four inches either way and that’s two more runs.”
The score was 6-1 in the eighth inning when CMU made a final push to catch up with an RBI single from senior left fielder Sam Russell, and a pinch hit SAC fly from junior Reid Rooney for another RBI but a diving catch ended the threat.
“If (Pat) MacKenzie gets a hit to center momentum changes, but you just don’t know,” Jaksa said.
Junior Patrick Kaminska started, after senior Zach Cooper’s 13 strikeout day he tried to do his best Cooper impression with five strikeouts in four innings, but he also gave up nine hits and four runs which brought an end to his day after the fourth inning.
Freshman Dylan Rheault entered the game for Kaminska in the fifth and threw five innings, striking out seven and allowing just two hits. He walked five batters and had a wild pitch that allowed the Golden Flashes to get two runs in on him.
“I think Pat battled really well I just think his ball was up a little,” Jaksa said. “Then we put Dylan in and I thought he did a real nice job and gave us an opportunity.”
The Chippewas and KSU will play the decisive game three rubber match Sunday at 12:05 p.m.
Jaksa will send junior Rick Dodridge to the mound and he’ll be looking to improve on his 1-4 record and 5.95 ERA.
“I thought he threw great at Eastern Michigan, and if he throws like he did against them I’ll take my chances.”
