CMU baseball overpowered by Michigan State
Central Michigan University senior outfielder Zach Knowlton high fives his teammates after scoring a run at the baseball game at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (CM-Life | Jasmine Brookins)
A contest of offensive vitality took place at Theunissen Stadium between Michigan State and Central Michigan on Tuesday. The Spartans ultimately won 19-8, powered by a stellar performance from first baseman Randy Seymour, who hit three home runs.
The Michigan State Spartans took a one-hour drive up to Mount Pleasant for a midweek game, and the Chippewas will repay the favor next Tuesday, during this out-of-conference home-and-home two-game series.
It was a tug-of-war for the lead in the first handful of innings, but the Spartans were able to pull away with consistent run production, scoring in every inning but one.
As the game went on, it turned into a struggle-filled bullpen game for CMU as it used eight different pitchers to get through nine innings, giving up 19 runs.
“We’ve got to keep getting better, we’re a little thin on the mound and we've got to get some of these guys who threw today better to help us on weekends,” head coach Jake Sabol said. “We’re going to need all hands on deck.”
The game began hopeful for Central Michigan as it delivered a heavy blow in the bottom of the first inning with aa bases-loaded sacrifice fly by shortstop Miguel Correa Jr. Designated hitter Cole Prout clubbed a three-run home run to left-center in the very next at-bat to take the lead 4-1 after starting pitcher Jake Brown gave up a run.
But Michigan State worked a two-out rally in the second off of Brown. Left fielder Khamaree Thomas capitalized with a bases-clearing double that dropped just past the outstretched arm of the left fielder, Joey Milto, as it bounced to the wall, scoring three to tie the game at 4-4.
Seymour hit a line drive shot over the left field wall to get the lead back for the Spartans in the third inning. Two more hits allowed in the inning by Brown would be the end of his rope, as Jack Griffiths came in for relief.
Brown made his first start of the season against Michigan State, entering with only 1.1 innings pitched in three appearances. It wasn’t an ideal outing for him as he only went 2.2 innings, throwing 74 pitches, giving up five runs on six hits and three walks with only one strikeout.
“We really like Jake Brown, his stuff is really good, we just got to get him to be more consistent in the zone, we need more swings, we need more balls in play, he hurts himself more than he helps himself,” Sabol said. “I expect him to learn from it and better next time out.”
The Chippewas struck back with three runs in the home half of the third with Prout leading the charge once again. With his ground rule double over the head of Sturgess in center field, plating a run, and setting up catcher Spencer Verburg and center fielder Zach Knowlton to follow with a fielder's choice and a single to be 7-5.
“If we’re going to be good, Cole Prout’s got to help us. Prout had some great at-bats; he was very productive. It's great to see heading into this weekend,” Sabol said. “His splits (designated hitting) versus playing the outfield are pretty extreme, but the way Milto’s playing right now, I think Prout’s going to have to get comfortable DH’ing.”
Seymour flexed his muscles yet again for the Spartans, with a two-out three-run home run in the top of the fourth off Griffiths to regain the lead at 8-7. Not even relief pitcher Cameron Niehaus was safe from Seymour’s wrath, as he crushed his third homer of the day. This time, a two-run shot in the sixth, extending the lead to 10-7, totaling his RBI at a team-leading six for the game.
Joey Milto ripped a line drive into the left field corner to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Knowlton, who reached on an error, but that would be the last run of the game for CMU as they cut the lead to 10-8.
“I felt like we were prepared offensively, but eventually, you just need a few zeroes to string together to get yourself feeling pretty good the rest of the way,” Sabol said.
MSU put up nine runs in the last three innings, pushing the game far out of reach and earning a win through sheer offensive output, eclipsing 19 runs on 19 hits and 10 walks.
Updates on the suspensions of players involved in the scuffle against Toledo were announced, which had two Central Michigan players punished, leaving one of its relief pitchers unavailable in the first game of the next series.
“Nate Ball was down today just for his involvement in it, and Max Hammond has two, so today and Friday,” Sabol said.
The Chippewas will take on Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti this upcoming weekend. It will be a three-game series, a vital one for the Mid-American Conference standings as they sit at 3-6, after their potentially momentum-swinging series win versus Toledo.
