Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Akron
Chippewa Baseball Claims Opener Against Akron, 9-2
4/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - A six-run seventh inning and a sterling pitching performance by senior right-hander Ty Dunham carried Central Michigan University to a 9-2 Mid-American Conference baseball win over Akron on Friday.
The win, coupled with Ball State's loss at Kent State, gives the Chippewas (19-15 overall, 7-3 MAC) a one-game lead in the West Division.
CMU broke open a scoreless contest with three runs in the fifth, then plated six in the seventh to put the game away. Meanwhile, Dunham pitched into the ninth, surrendering just a pair of unearned runs while striking out five to improve to 5-2 on the year.
Dunham and Akron starter Ross Liersemann kept the game scoreless through 4-1/2 innings. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Liersemann hit Cody Allen to lead off the inning, then fielded Brian Campbell's sacrifice bunt attempt and made an errant throw to second that allowed Allen to move into scoring position. Allen would eventually score on a Troy Moratti sacrifice fly, Ben Humphrey doubled home Campbell and J.T. Jones scored on a wild pitch to stake the Chippewas to a 3-0 lead. The inning ended, however, when Bryan Mitzel flew out to right and Humphrey was thrown out at the plate.
The Chippewas opened the seventh with four consecutive hits, including a two-RBI double by Moratti, and Noah Lankford's two-out, two-run single chased Liersemann. Jones added a run-scoring single and Bryan Resnick an RBI-double in the six-run seventh.
A pinch hit single by Ryne Romick and a pair of Chippewa errors loaded the bases for Akron (7-22, 2-8) against Dunham in the eighth, but he induced a groundout from Doug McNulty to get out of the inning.
The Zips put a pair of unearned runs on the board in the ninth. A walk, a single and an error led to the first run and ended Dunham's day, while Vince Chiera would score Akron's second run on Matt Roberts' fielder's choice.
Jones, Moratti and Campbell all finished with two hits apiece for CMU. Jones was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, two runs and an RBI, Moratti 2-for-4 with a double, run and three RBI and Campbell 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Chiera was 2-for-4 and scored once for Akron. Liersemann allowed eight earned runs on 10 hits in 6-2/3 innings to fall to 4-4.
The teams get together for game two of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Theunissen Stadium.
