Baseball takes three-game series against Ball State
Following a 5-2 loss on March 30 in Muncie, Indiana against Ball State in Mid-American Conference play, the Central Michigan baseball team struck gold in game two of the series, earning a 23-1 victory.
CMU (9-18-1), coached by Steve Jaska, used the momentum from game two for a 7-4 win in game three to take the three-game series from the Cardinals (14-13).
Game 1
With the game tied, 1-1, Ball State junior first baseman John Ricotta hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading the Cardinals to a 5-2 win on March 30 against the Chippewas at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
On the mound for CMU was junior right-hander Pat Leatherman (1-3, 3.45 ERA), who allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, three walks, and a career-high 12 strikeouts through 6.1 innings.
“There’s always positives to look at,” Jaksa said. “I thought there were some guys that did well.”
Leatherman took the loss in the end and was relieved by sophomore righty Cameron Brown for the final 1.2 innings of work.
Even though the Chippewas earned two more hits than Ball State, CMU could not get the job done with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. Throughout game one, Jaska’s squad stranded nine on the base paths.
Sophomore right-hander John Baker (3-2, 3.57 ERA) allowed one run on six hits and one walk through six innings for Ball State. He pitched six innings and handed the ball to Junior righty Nick Floyd (3-0, 3.81 ERA), who recorded the win.
Redshirt junior right-hander J.T. Baker (0-0, 1.59 ERA) got the final two outs of the game for his first save of the season.
Game 2
Following a troublesome game one of the three-game series, redshirt freshman catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell made his presence felt with his first career grand slam in a 23-1 victory against Ball State on March 31.
“He’s going to hit and will continue to hit,” Jaksa said. “He’s been pretty steady when he’s been able to play. He’s proven to us that he can do it.”
Junior right-handed pitcher Michael Brettell (3-3, 4.53 ERA) toed the slab to start and went seven innings in the win. He racked up seven strikeouts, allowing just one run on three hits.
Ball State went through seven pitchers throughout the game, as freshman right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Nicolas (2-4, 5.92 ERA) took the loss.
Of the 23 runs scored by CMU, all were scored in the first seven innings. Junior catcher Evan Kratt led the Chippewas with six RBI. Along with Kratt, freshman infielder Zavier Warren had a three-hit game.
Game 3
Riding momentum from Saturday’s 23-1 defeat of Ball State, the Chippewas struck again on April 1.
Down 4-0 in the eighth inning, CMU scored seven runs on four hits and two errors to register a 7-4 win in the series finale. Junior outfielder Jacob Crum and junior infielder Jason Sullivan each had a two-hit game.
Owning the rubber to start was sophomore left-hander Tyler Hankins (1-3, 4.91 ERA), who gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits, two walks and two strikeouts. Junior lefty Jack Collins (2-1, 4.76 ERA) pitched in relief and got the win.
Warren’s two-run double put CMU on the scoreboard and trimmed its deficit to two runs. Then, sophomore infielder Zach Heeke, Sullivan, sophomore outfielder Zach Gilles and Crum drove in runs to make it 7-4 in favor of the Chippewas.
Up Next
Central Michigan is scheduled to take on NAIA Clearly at 3:05 p.m. on April 4 at Theunissen Stadium. Over the weekend, CMU hosts Kent State for a heated MAC series.
“Our energy is going to be good,” Jaksa said. “We are going to be ready to play. We have to take care of our own business. We have to pitch, hit and take care of the ball.”
