Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Northern Illinois
CMU Wins All Three From Northern Illinois
4/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2002
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University ended up winning all three games from Northern Illinois in baseball here this weekend in Mid-American Conference action.
The Chippewas posted an 8-6 win on Friday and then claimed a 2-0 win in the first game on Saturday. CMU was ahead, 9-8, in the bottom of the seventh in Saturday's nightcap when rain forced the game to be suspended. CMU won the game on Sunday when rain prevented it from being played.
The three victories upped Central's record to 21-16 for the season and 10-5 in MAC action while the Huskies fall to 17-24 and 6-9.
After being held to an infield single in the 2-0 loss on Saturday by Chad Pleiness, the Northern Illinois bats awakened in the second inning of game two. The Huskies exploded for eight runs on eight hits off starter Jeff Garner and reliever T.J. Johnson to move out to an 8-0 advantage. Garner went and one and one-third inning, allowing seven hits and six runs.
The Chippewas got two back in the bottom of the third on a double by Groves and an RBI double by Tim Bullinger who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Gates.
Central scored five more in the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-7. Gates singled in one run, Keith Sampsell walked in one, Scott Pickens singled in one and Groves drove in two with a single.
The Chippewas took the lead, 9-8, with two in the bottom of the sixth. Bullinger opened with a single and took third when the right fielder threw it in the dugout trying to pick him off at first. Bullinger scored on a grounder by Danny Gibbons. Gates then doubled and scored the go-ahead run on a double by Scott Pickens.
Johnson picked up the win in relief, going five and one-third innings to raise his record to 2-0. Travis Osborn claimed win No. 6 by throwing one pitch in the seventh inning and getting Rob Marconi to bounce out with the bases loaded.
Bullinger and Gibbons had three hits each while Gates, Pickens and Groves added two hits and drove in two runs apiece.
The Chippewas are idle until Friday when they entertain Western Michigan in a single, nine-inning game at 3 p.m.
