Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Ball State
Chippewas Take Series Opener Over Ball State, 9-6
5/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University moved one game closer to a Mid-American Conference West Division title, but it took three insurance runs in the eighth inning and James Ricchio's eighth save of the season for the Chippewas to claim a 9-6 decision over Ball State on Thursday.
CMU (33-20 overall, 16-8 MAC) moves into a one-half game lead over Ball State (32-19, 15-8) in the West Division. The Chippewas can clinch the division and the second seed in next week's MAC Tournament with a win either Friday or Saturday.
Sophomore right-hander Josh Collmenter won his fourth straight start to improve to 7-5 overall. He held the Cardinals to just one run on eight hits and struck out seven over eight innings. During his four-start winning streak, Collmenter has surrendered just six runs and struck out 27 batters in 31 innings of work.
Cody Allen drew a bases loaded walk and James Teas drove a two-run single to left in the eighth to give the Chippewas a 9-1 lead heading into the top of the ninth. Mike Kirschenheiter took the mound to open the inning and allowed five of the first six Ball State hitters to reach base, including Mike Sullivan, who chased Kirschenheiter from the game with a three-run homer to left center that cut the lead to 9-6.
Jeff Richard walked the only batter he faced before giving way to Ricchio, who allowed a single before getting C.J. Webb and Kyle Dygert to fly out to deep center to end the rally.
Noah Lankford, who finished 3-for-3 with a triple and a homer and made a spectacular diving stop at second late in the game, put CMU in front with a bases-loaded, two-out triple in the first. He later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 after one inning.
Noah Lankford hit his fifth homer of the season on this swing in the sixth inning.  | |
J.T. Jones' sacrifice bunt scored Teas in the second, and Lankford's solo homer in sixth bumped the CMU lead to 6-0.
Collmenter, meanwhile, allowed more than one baserunner in just two innings and retired 11 of 13 hitters during one stretch midway through the game.
Lankford, who also drew a walk in addition to his single, triple and homer, drove in a career-high four runs and matched a career high with three runs scored. Eric Cannon drew a pair of walks and scored twice, while Bryan Mitzel was 1-for-4 with his school-record 48th career double.
Justin Rogers was 4-for-5 with four singles for Ball State, while Sullivan was 3-for-5 with two singles and his ninth-inning homer.
The Cardinals out-hit CMU, 13-7, but stranded 10 runners on base.
Game two of the three-game series is set for Friday at 3 p.m. Friday is Senior Day at Theunissen Stadium, with the Chippewas' six seniors to be recognized prior to first pitch.
