Central Michigan University
Eastern Michigan
Chippewas Wrap Up MAC Tourney Berth
5/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 20, 2005
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University erased any doubts about making the 2005 Mid-American Conference tourney here Friday afternoon with a 5-1 victory over Eastern Michigan.
The win was CMU's 13th straight in league play and guaranteed the Chippewas a spot in next week's tournament that will be hosted by either Miami or Ball State.
CMU is now 37-16 for the season and 16-6 in MAC action. Eastern falls to 22-32 and 8-12.
Junior right-hander Ty Dunham raised his record to 8-3 by tossing the first seven innings, allowing four hits and one earned run. He walked four and struck out eight as his ERA fell to 2.29.
Sophomore James Ricchio went the final two innings of shutout ball. He did not allow a hit but did walk three against four strikeouts.
The starter and loser for EMU was Matt Dimich (4-5). He went the first four and two-third innings, giving up nine hits and two earned runs.
Eastern scored its run in the second, ending a string of 24 straight scoreless innings by Dunham. It came on a two-out bunt single by Trumaine Riley.
Senior Kurtis Wells tied it with a solo homer, his seventh, in the fourth inning and then took the lead for good in the fifth when J. T. Jones singled, took second on an infield out, stole third and scored on a throwing error on the play.
CMU added three in the seventh to ice it. Jones and Jim Geldhof singled, and then Bryan Mitzel singled in Jones. Geldhof then scored on an EMU error and Jeremy Crum singled in the final run.
Jones led the Chippewas' 13-hit attack with three hits while Troy Moratti, Geldhof and Mitzel had two each.
The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. It will be Alumni Day at Theunissen with former Chippewa players returning for the game. The first pitch will be thrown out by CMU sports information director, Fred Stabley Jr., who is retiring this summer after 23 years.
