Central Michigan University
Southeast Missouri State
Chippewas Rally in Ninth Inning for 5-3 Victory at SEMO
3/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 20, 2005
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A four-run ninth inning gave the Central Michigan University Chippewas a 5-3 come-from-behind victory at Southeast Missouri State on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game set at Capaha Field. CMU took two of the three contests.
The Redhawks held a 3-1 lead heading into the ninth when they brought in pitcher Brad Smith to close the game. However, he hit pinch hitter David Latour and then walked pinch hitter Derek Schaller to put the first two batters on base. A sacrifice bunt by J.T. Jones moved the two into scoring position and Jeremy Crum brought CMU within one run with an RBI single to right. Troy Moratti tied the game with a fielder's choice RBI and Jim Geldhof continued the Chippewa rally by bringing in the go-ahead run with an RBI single. After Kurtis Wells was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs, Noah Lankford was issued a base on balls to score another run.
Reliever Nathan Pung (1-0) picked up the win for CMU, tossing the final two innings allowing no runs and two hits. He entered the game after Jayson Ruhlman went the first seven frames allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned). He fanned 10 and walked just one. The Redhawks used five pitchers in the game with Smith suffering the loss (0-1).
The Chippewas (11-6) had just seven hits while SEMO (7-11) tallied nine. Both teams committed one error.
Crum was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI and Jones was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Geldhof also notched a couple of hits going 2-for-5.
Jordan Payne provided SEMO's first two runs, hitting a solo homer in the third and a sac fly in the fifth. The Chippewas posted their first run in the seventh when Jones tripled down the line in left to lead the inning off and he scored on a Crum RBI single.
However, the Redhawks responded with another solo home run by Brent Lawson in the bottom of the frame to push it to a 3-1 game.
Neither team scored in the eighth but the Chippewas used just two hits in the ninth for the game-winning rally.
CMU is scheduled to play at IPFW on Tuesday (2 p.m.) before opening the home season on Wednesday against Wayne State (2 p.m.).
