Patty throws perfect game, Chippewas win 14-0
Entering Friday’s Mid-American Conference game against Miami, junior pitcher Jordan Patty had thrown 31 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
The Midland native not only gave CMU their fifth-straight conference win and extended his scoreless innings streak to 38 2/3 innings, but he retired all 21 batters he faced to throw a seven-inning perfect game.
The Chippewas (25-11, 17-4 MAC) earned a mercy win over the RedHawks (19-16, 12-9) 14-0 Friday at Theunissen Stadium.
CMU now owns a five-game lead over Miami in the conference standings and remains tied with Ball State for first place after a Cardinal mercy win over Bowling Green on Friday.
Key Moments
The Chippewas, per usual, were patient at the plate and worked full counts in their first three at-bats. Junior Mario Camilletti scored on a Garrett Navarra sacrifice fly to take an early 1-0 lead.
CMU continued to apply pressure to Miami starter Garrett Hartwig after a Jakob Marsee single paired with an error put runners on second and third, but sophomore shortstop Justin Simpson was caught looking at strike three to end the first inning.
With Zach Gilles on second base, a ground ball by Navarra resulted in Gilles stranded between second and third base. An errant throw to second base allowed Gilles to take third, and a wild throw to third base allowed the Chippewa center fielder to score and Navarra to advance to second with a 2-0 CMU lead.
Patty, the team leader with a 1.95 ERA, struck out five of the nine RedHawks he saw in the first three frames.
After Chase Rollin and Zach Heeke were hit by pitches and Mario Camilletti drew a walk, the Chippewas loaded the bases with one out in the fourth for Gilles. The Chippewa Falls, Wisc. native flew out deep to right field, allowing all three runners to advance a base and give CMU a 3-0 advantage. Navarra beat out a throw to first base, allowing two more runs to score and extend the Chippewa advantage to five runs.
Another RedHawk error allowed Marsee to reach first base and put two men on for CMU, and both he and Navarra advanced a base after a 1-2 pitch went wild. Shortstop Justin Simpson belted a fly ball to center field that was dropped by Miami’s Benji Brokemond for the road team's fourth error in four innings, allowing CMU to take a 7-0 lead.
Lockwood-Powell ferociously blasted the ball to center field, but Brokemond was unable to secure the third out, giving CMU an 8-0 lead and the RedHawks their third error of the inning and fifth of the game. The RedHawks committed their sixth error of the game when a throw to first base was dropped to place CMU runners on the corners.
Rollin drove a 1-2 pitch into shallow left field for a double and another CMU run. Camilletti knocked in two more runs after driving a 1-0 off the right field wall to open an 11-0 CMU lead. Heeke belted the first pitch he saw to center field for a 12-0 Chippewa lead. Gilles lined out to second to end a 10-run fourth inning.
CMU started their half of the fifth with their first three batters reaching base and adding a run for a 13-0 lead. A sacrifice fly from Aidan Shpeardson to left field extended the Chippewa advantage to 14.
Patty did not miss a beat throughout the final two innings, earning three strikeouts in the final two frames.
Key Performers
Patty struck out 11 batters in seven innings.
Marsee and Gilles earned two hits each. Simpson, Camilletti and Navarra combined for seven RBIs.
What’s Next
The Chippewas and RedHawks meet for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday and conclude their series at 1 p.m. Sunday.
