Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Ball State
Seven-Run Eighth Rallies CMU to MAC West Division Title
5/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 20, 2006
Box Score
MAC Tournament Pairings
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University scored 10 times in its final two at-bats, including seven times in the eighth inning, to rally for a 19-16 win over Ball State University and claim the Mid-American Conference's West Division crown on Saturday.
The Chippewas (34-21 overall, 17-9 MAC), who will be the No. 2 seed in next week's six-team MAC Tournament at Kent State, have now won four division titles in the nine years of divisional play in the MAC.
Ball State (33-20, 16-9) appeared to be in control of Saturday's series and regular season finale, scoring three run in the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the seventh to build a 16-9 lead.
CMU, however, started its comeback by scoring three runs on just one hit in the home half of the seventh. J.T. Jones drew a bases loaded walk to force in Cody Allen, who had singled with one out to start the rally. Troy Moratti then hit into a fielder's choice that scored Tyler Stovall and Brian Campbell. Campbell had moved to third on the fielder's choice and was able to come home when Eric Earnhart's throw to try to complete the double play was wide of the bag at first.
Jeff Richard, who recorded the final two outs in the Ball State seventh, held the Cardinals scoreless in the eighth to set the table for the Chippewa offense.
Bryan Mitzel, Eric Cannon and Noah Lankford all singled to load the bases with nobody out in the eighth. Cody Allen followed with a single to center that scored Mitzel and Cannon, and Tyler Stovall's double to left center brought in Allen and Lankford to even the score at 16 with nobody out.
Campbell sacrificed Stovall to third, Jones was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners, and Troy Moratti slapped a single through the right side that plated Stovall and put CMU in front, 17-16. Humphrey then drilled a double off the top of the wall in right to score Moratti and Jones and cap the seven-run, seven-hit rally.
James Ricchio came on to toss a one-two-three ninth and earn his second save of the series for CMU.
Ball State's Mike Sullivan and CMU's Mitzel traded homers in the first inning. Sullivan's opposite-field shot down the line in left put the Cardinals up 2-0, but Mitzel's three-run drive to left put CMU in front. The roundtripper was the 40th of Mitzel's career, just one behind Doug Fisher's school record.
Brad Miller, who was 6-for-8 with five runs and nine RBI in the series' final two games, set a new Ball State record with his 50th career homer in the third inning. The line drive over the left field wall accounted for three of BSU's four runs in the inning.
James Ricchio picked up his ninth save of the season on Saturday.  | |
Mitzel led an offensive attack that saw seven Chippewas record at least two hits. He was 3-for-5 with a homer and two singles, drove in five runs and scored twice. Allen was 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI, while Moratti had three singles and a walk, scored twice and drove in two. Jones singled twice, walked twice, drove in two runs and scored four in the win.
Sullivan was 4-for-6 with three RBI and five runs for Ball State, while Miller drove in four runs and scored three.
Richard and Ricchio combined to hold Ball State to just one hit over the final 1-2/3 innings. Richard improved to 2-0 with the win, while Riccio collected his ninth save of the season. His nine saves are tied for the second-most in a single season at CMU.
The Chippewas will open MAC Tournament play on Wednesday at Kent State against an opponent and at a time to be determined. All of the Chippewas' MAC Tournament games will be broadcast on WMMI 830 AM. Check www.cmuchippewas.com for updated tournament information as it becomes available.
