Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Spring Arbor
Baseball Knocks Off Spring Arbor, 4-2
4/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - Scott Szpyrka and Tyler Stovall came up with run-scoring singles in the bottom of the eighth to lift Central Michigan University to a 4-2 nonconference baseball win over Spring Arbor on Tuesday.
Spring Arbor plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the eighth to pull even at 2-2 before Szpyrka drove in Ben Humphrey with one out and Stovall singled in Bryan Mitzel with two down in the home half of the inning.
Andy Wingert threw 5-2/3 innings of no-hit ball in his second start of the season for CMU but took a no decision. Josh Ruhlman earned the win in relief, holding Spring Arbor hitless and striking out three over the final two innings.
CMU broke a scoreless tie with an unearned run in the third inning. Eric Cannon led off the inning with a single and stole second. Two hitters later, J.T. Jones hit a ground ball to short that was bobbled, then thrown away, allowing Cannon to score from second.
The Chippewas bumped their lead to 2-0 in the seventh on Bryan Resnick's sacrifice fly.
Wingert left the game after seven innings, and the first three Cougar hitters reached against reliever Mark Lundquist. Josh Noble led off with a walk and Ryan Hooey knocked a pinch-hit single to left. Matthieu Coulter then dropped a bunt in front of the plate, and catcher Tyler Stovall's errant throw to third allowed Noble to score. Ruhlman came in and surrendered a game-tying sacrifice fly to Jon Schaible, but retired the next two hitters to end the inning.
Ruhlman, pitching for the second time in three days, improved to 1-0 on the season for CMU. Brad Hinkle, who struck out seven while going the distance, fell to 4-4 for Spring Arbor.
Five players had two hits apiece for CMU, including Cannon, who was 2-for-2, walked and hit by a pitch. Three Cougars had one hit apiece, including Schaible, whose lazy liner to short right field broke Wingert's no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth.
CMU plays the first of five in a row on the road on Wednesday, facing off against Michigan State at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
