Baseball clinches first series win in extra innings
Back-to-back extra inning wins at Central Florida clinched the series for Central Michigan as it won 3-2 in 10 innings on Saturday.
Junior Tim Black picked up the win for the second-straight day, this time after taking a blown save in the ninth that took away the win from senior Pat Kaminska, who threw eight innings allowing one unearned run. This outing came off a complete game shutout that earned him Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Sophomore Jimmy McNamara earned the save with a perfect 10th inning of work.
The Knights crossed home first in the third inning, as they started with a single and a passed ball to put a runner in scoring position. A ground out and sacrifice fly later allowed the runner to come home.
The run was unearned for Kaminska as the passed ball allowed the runner to get to second base. The senior shutdown UCF the rest of the way as he has gone 18.2 innings without giving up an earned run.
It took the Chippewas offense until the sixth inning to help out Kaminska. Junior first baseman Cody Leichman hit a two-out home run (2) on a full-count to tie the game.
They would break the tie an inning later when sophomore shortstop Morgan Oliver laid down a sacrifice bunt RBI to give his team the 2-1 lead. Oliver had a solid day at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
The Knights would even the game up in the ninth inning when Black gave up two hits and also struck out two. It was a one-out ground out with runners on first and third that evened the game and sent it into extra innings again.
With one out brothers Logan and Nick Regnier singled and doubled in the 10th inning while sophomore first baseman Zack Fields, who subbed in for Leichman, walked to load the bases.
Junior utility Tyler Huntey delivered the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
No more runs would cross for CMU, but it didn't matter as McNamara closed the door on the game in the 10th.
The Chippewas go for the sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday in Orlando, Fla. when freshman left-handed pitcher Nick Deeg takes to the mound.
