CMU baseball beats Western Michigan, 11-2; remain one game behind MAC West leader Toledo
Central Michigan powered past Western Michigan in Game 1 of the final regular season series Thursday, beating the Broncos 11-2 at Theunissen Stadium.
CMU (29-26, 16-9 Mid-American Conference) got 13 hits off the Broncos (24-26, 13-11 MAC) on the day, including two home runs from seniors Nate Theunissen in the first and Eric Wrozek in the seventh. Wrozek’s home run gives him his second in back-to-back games.
“I just want him (Wrozek) to hit one home run a game,” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “He was sitting on certain pitch there and he got it and hit (it) out.”
Senior outfielder Sam Russell added a two-run single to give him two RBIs and junior first baseman Jordan Adams got three RBIs, including a hit off the top of the center field wall.
“I think we’ve been very efficient,” Jaksa said. “We we’re able to keep taking on those runs to distance ourselves.”
Senior ace Zach Cooper was on the mound and was solid as usual for CMU.
He threw eight innings allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and struck out just one, but he went through a stretch from the fourth to the eighth inning where he retired 11-straight batters. Freshman Sean Renzi finished the game in the ninth with three strikeouts.
“I think Cooper got in a good place and was really efficient on the mound,” Jaksa said. “I think he was mad that (Sean) Renzi got three and he only got one.”
With the win today the Chippewas extend their MAC winning streak to eight games as they continue to wait for Toledo to lose so they can take first place in the West.
“I can’t do anything about it,” Jaksa said. “Sure I’m hoping, Eastern (Michigan) is my best friend right now.”
Theunissen boosted his pursuit in the record books with his home run. He is now tied for No. 10 in home runs all-time in school history with 26. He also moved into No. 2 all-time in hits and No. 3 all-time with extra-base hits.
“They (the records) mean a lot, but we’re still trying to win a championship,” Theunissen said. “Really that’s all that matters right now.”
CMU is back at it against rivals WMU at 3:05 p.m. Saturday again when Pat Kaminska takes the mound.
