Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Toledo
Chippewas Split With Toledo
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2002
TOLEDO, Ohio - After splitting a Mid-American Conference doubleheader with the University of Toledo here Saturday afternoon, Central Michigan University can wrap up a spot in the MAC tourney here Sunday with a win in the final game of the series.
The Rockets scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game, 5-4, while the Chippewas rolled to a 12-1 triumph in the nightcap. UT is now 18-33 for the season and 9-17 in league play and CMU is 28-23 overall and 13-10 in MAC action. Six teams make the tourney which starts this coming Wednesday at the No. 1 seed (as yet to be determined).
CMU and Toledo will play a nine-inning game on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m.
Toledo moved into a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one, all of them unearned. With two outs and two on, a CMU error allowed one run to score and kept the inning alive. Former Chippewa Mike Meinhart doubled in two more with a shot to the fence in right center.
Central got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth on Danny Gibbons' seventh homer of the season, a long one to right center.
CMU clawed back to within one at 3-2 in the sixth. Tim Bullinger singled down the right field line and took second on an error. With two outs, Mike Gates bounced a single over the first baseman's head to score Bullinger. It was Bullinger's 56th run of the season (tied for ninth in Central annals) and the 129th of his career (also ninth).
The Chippewas came all the way back with two in the top of the seventh to grab a 4-3 lead. With one out, Scott Pickens singled to left and scored on a double to the fence in right center by Tim Groves. Groves then scored the go-ahead run on a sharp single to center by David Latour.
When it seemed like CMU might have cemented its second straight 4-3 win over Toledo, the Rockets fought back with two of their own with one out in the seventh for the win. Meinhart walked off relief pitcher Dan Horvath and went to second on a single to left by Dan Ruth. Meinhart scored on a hump-back liner to right by pinch-hitter Roger Hernandez, and pinch-runner Matt Ruth took third. A wild pitch by Horvath plated Matt Ruth with the winning run.
Horvath took the loss in his first relief outing of the year, his record falling to 3-5.Lee Naplin went the first five innings, scattering six hits and giving up three unearned runs before Joey Fahndrich hurled a scoreless sixth.
In game two, the Chippewas jumped on freshman Todd Thomas for four runs in the first inning and a 4-0 lead. Bullinger was hit by a pitch and Grubb walked. After a double steal, Gibbons drilled a two-run single to center. Gates then singled and was erased on a doubleplay with Gibbons scoring. Ryan Krueger followed with a single, stole second and scored on Pickens' single.Central added a run in the top of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Gates singled, was sacrificed to second, went to third on Krueger's bunt single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Groves.
The Chippewas posted their second four-run inning of the game in the top of the sixth. Bullinger led off with a solo homer, his third of the year. Later in the frame, Groves doubled in two with a shot to left center.
CMU upped the lead to 12-1 with three more in the eighth. Groves singled in the first and Latour lined a two-run homer to right (his sixth).
Jeff Garner was sharp for the Chippewas on the mound, picking up the win to improve his mark to 4-3. He went eight innings and gave up one unearned run. Nick Zastrow hurled a scoreless ninth.
Bullinger had three hits while Grubb, Gibbons, Gates, Krueger and Groves each had two in a 15-hit assault. Groves drove in four.
