CMU baseball gets first home win in rain storm, routs SVSU
CMU baseball stands for the National Anthem on Tuesday before their game against Oakland University at Theunissen Stadium.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs on the board and a runner on second, Central Michigan baseball held the 8-1 lead over Saginaw Valley State University.
Freshman left fielder Mikey Murphy stepped up to the plate and he crushed the ball to left-center field, securing a two-run homer to cap off CMU’s seven-run inning.
The inning helped CMU baseball take the victory over SVSU, 11-1 in the pouring rain on Tuesday afternoon.
The hero of the day was senior pitcher Ben Vitas. He got the win on the mound after facing 26 batters on the day. Vitas gave up one run off of four hits, struck out six, and walked one.
"That's the Ben Vitas we saw all fall and winter and expected," head coach Jake Sabol said. "He's taken his lumps as the season has gone on and been moved in and out of roles and he's been waiting for his opportunity... Doesn't matter who the opponent is, you've got to go out there and execute... and help the team win and he did a really nice job of doing that today."
Central Michigan got on the board early off of a walk to senior catcher Drew Stengren scored a run.
After a 30-minute rain delay and three scoreless innings, the Chippewas extended their lead to three off of a throwing error from SVSU and an RBI groundout from sophomore designated hitter Cole Prout.
The Cardinals scored their only run of the day in the sixth off of an RBI triple. After CMU’s seven-run explosion in the sixth, the game stopped for its second rain delay.
On the second pitch straight out of the delay, freshman second baseman Drew Loikits sent the ball to right center field bringing in a runner for the win.
Coming off a series win in Ohio this past weekend, the Chippewas have won four of their last six as their overall record improves to 7-18.
Central Michigan travels to Ypsilanti to take on the Eastern Michigan Eagles in a three-game series this weekend as it continues Mid-American Conference play. The series starts Thursday at 3 p.m.
