Saturday, April 30
Muncie, Ind.
Noon
Central Michigan University
28-13, 21-3
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Ball State
27-14, 21-4
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Central Michigan
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Ball State
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12
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Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Baseball Swept, Falls Into Second Place
4/30/2022 10:00:00 PM | Baseball
CMU looks to salvage game four of the series on Sunday
MUNCIE, Ind. – A pair of heartbreaking losses, and Central Michigan has slipped from the top spot in the Mid-American Conference baseball standings.
Ball State got a two-run walk-off homer in the opener and then scored four runs in its final at-bat in the nightcap in sweeping a doubleheader from the Chippewas on Saturday, 6-4 and 10-7, at the Cardinals' First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
The Cardinals have won the first three games of the high-stakes four-game series and now stand in first place in the conference at 22-4. The Chippewas, who entered the weekend on a record 21-game league win streak, are one-half game back at 21-4.
The series concludes on Sunday (1 p.m.). CMU is 28-13 overall; Ball State is 28-14.
"You've got two really good teams and that's why you've had three games that were nip-and-tuck in the last couple of innings," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We've made one less pitch or one less good swing than Ball State has. There's a reason they have the record that they have over the past number of years and they've come out and made some really big swings of the bat. You give a lot of credit there."
Game 1
Zach Lane hit a one-out two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Cardinals. The game was scheduled for seven innings.
Jordan Patty (4-3) took the loss in relief of starter Garrett Navarra. Patty, normally the Chippewas' Friday starter, missed last weekend's series with Akron with an injury. He allowed two runs on three hits, struck out five, and walked one over 3 1/3 innings.
"Competitor," Bischel said of Patty, a senior right-hander. "He made a poor pitch at the end and the kid took a great swing. (Patty) competed his butt off, which is what you expect, and the good news is he looks like he's healthy and he should be back on track in a starting spot next week and that's really important down the stretch run."
Navarra allowed four runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out five over four innings.
Justin Simpson hit his first career homer to give the Chippewas a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Navarra ripped an RBI triple to right center in the fourth, and then Robby Morgan followed with his fifth homer of the season to give CMU a 4-3 lead.
Ball State tied it when Nick Powell tripled leading off the fifth and then scored on a Hunter Dobbins single.
Reliever Ryan Brown (2-2) picked up the win, going 4 2/3 innings striking out seven and walking four.
Game 2
With the opener going eight innings, the nightcap was shortened to seven innings, and it played out much as the opener did, a tight battle until the end.
The Chippewas took a 7-6 lead in the top of the sixth on a Jakob Marsee RBI triple and a Simpson sacrifice fly.
The Cardinals used two singles and a hit batter to load the bases with two out against CMU reliever Ryan Palmblad in the bottom of the sixth, and then Zach Cole cleared the bases with a triple to put Ball State in front, 9-7. Cole then scored on a wild pitch.
The Chippewas went down in order in the top of the seventh.
Simpson, who led the Chippewas with four RBI, got the ball rolling yet again with a two-run double in the first inning. Mario Camilletti hit his third homer of the season in the third to up CMU's lead to 3-1. Marsee led the Chippewas' with two hits.
CMU starter Logan Buczkowski allowed four runs on five hits and struck out two over 3 1/3 innings. Ryan Insco relieved Buczkowski before giving way to Palmblad.
The Chippewas look to regroup and salvage a win on Sunday. A victory would put them back in first place with 12 conference games remaining.
"You only get so many more chances as a team to play together," Bischel said. "We're three, four weeks down the stretch here. It takes a long time to build those special bonds as a group and we have that.
"What I'll really emphasize (on Sunday) is, don't waste one of those opportunities. We may get beat, we may win; I have no idea. It's two good teams. We only get so many chances to play this thing so come out with a lot of energy, embrace it, enjoy it, and see where that leads you."
Ball State got a two-run walk-off homer in the opener and then scored four runs in its final at-bat in the nightcap in sweeping a doubleheader from the Chippewas on Saturday, 6-4 and 10-7, at the Cardinals' First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
The Cardinals have won the first three games of the high-stakes four-game series and now stand in first place in the conference at 22-4. The Chippewas, who entered the weekend on a record 21-game league win streak, are one-half game back at 21-4.
The series concludes on Sunday (1 p.m.). CMU is 28-13 overall; Ball State is 28-14.
"You've got two really good teams and that's why you've had three games that were nip-and-tuck in the last couple of innings," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We've made one less pitch or one less good swing than Ball State has. There's a reason they have the record that they have over the past number of years and they've come out and made some really big swings of the bat. You give a lot of credit there."
Game 1
Zach Lane hit a one-out two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Cardinals. The game was scheduled for seven innings.
Jordan Patty (4-3) took the loss in relief of starter Garrett Navarra. Patty, normally the Chippewas' Friday starter, missed last weekend's series with Akron with an injury. He allowed two runs on three hits, struck out five, and walked one over 3 1/3 innings.
"Competitor," Bischel said of Patty, a senior right-hander. "He made a poor pitch at the end and the kid took a great swing. (Patty) competed his butt off, which is what you expect, and the good news is he looks like he's healthy and he should be back on track in a starting spot next week and that's really important down the stretch run."
Navarra allowed four runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out five over four innings.
Justin Simpson hit his first career homer to give the Chippewas a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Navarra ripped an RBI triple to right center in the fourth, and then Robby Morgan followed with his fifth homer of the season to give CMU a 4-3 lead.
Ball State tied it when Nick Powell tripled leading off the fifth and then scored on a Hunter Dobbins single.
Reliever Ryan Brown (2-2) picked up the win, going 4 2/3 innings striking out seven and walking four.
Game 2
With the opener going eight innings, the nightcap was shortened to seven innings, and it played out much as the opener did, a tight battle until the end.
The Chippewas took a 7-6 lead in the top of the sixth on a Jakob Marsee RBI triple and a Simpson sacrifice fly.
The Cardinals used two singles and a hit batter to load the bases with two out against CMU reliever Ryan Palmblad in the bottom of the sixth, and then Zach Cole cleared the bases with a triple to put Ball State in front, 9-7. Cole then scored on a wild pitch.
The Chippewas went down in order in the top of the seventh.
Simpson, who led the Chippewas with four RBI, got the ball rolling yet again with a two-run double in the first inning. Mario Camilletti hit his third homer of the season in the third to up CMU's lead to 3-1. Marsee led the Chippewas' with two hits.
CMU starter Logan Buczkowski allowed four runs on five hits and struck out two over 3 1/3 innings. Ryan Insco relieved Buczkowski before giving way to Palmblad.
The Chippewas look to regroup and salvage a win on Sunday. A victory would put them back in first place with 12 conference games remaining.
"You only get so many more chances as a team to play together," Bischel said. "We're three, four weeks down the stretch here. It takes a long time to build those special bonds as a group and we have that.
"What I'll really emphasize (on Sunday) is, don't waste one of those opportunities. We may get beat, we may win; I have no idea. It's two good teams. We only get so many chances to play this thing so come out with a lot of energy, embrace it, enjoy it, and see where that leads you."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ryan Brown (2-2)
L: Patty, Jordan (4-3)
Batting:
3B: Navarra, Garrett 1
HR: Simpson, Justin 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1
RBI: Simpson, Justin 2 ; Navarra, Garrett 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1
SH: Navarra, Garrett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1 ; Shepardson, Aidan 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1
SB: Simpson, Justin 1
CS: Navarra, Garrett 1
HBP: Simpson, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: CJ Horn 1
3B: Amir Wright 1 ; Nick Powell 1
HR: Zach Lane 1
RBI: Hunter Dobbins 2 ; Zach Cole 1 ; Zach Lane 2
SH: Ryan Peltier 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Powell 3 ; Hunter Dobbins 1 ; CJ Horn 1 ; Zach Lane 1
CS: Amir Wright 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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