Central Michigan University
Oakland
Chippewas Claim 5-3 Win Over Oakland
3/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 30, 2005
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Freshman Noah Lankford slugged a two-run homer in the seventh inning to help Central Michigan University to a 5-3 non-league win over Oakland University here Wednesday afternoon.
The home run, the first of Lankford's career, broke a 2-2 tie and gave the home team a 4-2 lead.
CMU is now 15-7 for the season while the Golden Grizzlies fall to 1-14.
The Chippewas launch defense of their Mid-American Conference regular-season title this weekend with three games at Bowling Green on Friday-Sunday.
Six CMU hurlers held Oakland to just five hits with Mark Lundquist claiming the win. He tossed scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh to raise his record to 2-0.
Oakland took a 2-0 lead in the third off Mike Kirschenheiter, the big blow a triple to right center by Will Tollinson. CMU centerfielder Jeremy Crum was lost on the play with a leg injury.
The Chippewas tied it in the fourth when Eric Cannon and Troy Moratti singled and then stole second and third. Bryan Mitzel then singled in Cannon and Moratti later scored on a fielder's choice by Kurtis Wells.
Ryan Peel singled in the seventh for CMU with one out and then Lankford hit his homer right over the foul pole down the line in right. The Chippewas added an insurance run when Cannon singled, stole second and pranced home on Moratti's single.
Cannon, Moratti, Mitzel and Peel all had two hits for CMU. Tollinson had two for OU.
