Central Michigan University Athletics
Cardiac Kids: Chippewas Win Third Straight in Extras, 9-8
5/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT -- For the third straight game, the Central Michigan baseball team was forced to extra innings to complete a comeback attempt, and for the third straight game, the Maroon and Gold came out on top.
This time, it was Big Ten foe Michigan State who fell victim to CMU's version of the cardiac kids, 9-8 in 10 innings at Theunissen Stadium on Tuesday. CMU had to come from behind on five occasions in the contest, following comeback wins against Western Michigan and Oakland the previous two days.
Tyler Kipke had four hits and drove in the final three CMU runs, including the game-winning walk-off two-run single in the 10th, to pace Central's offense. Scott Phillion also drove in three. Andrew Thomas, Matt Faiman, Dale Cornstubble and Phillion each had two of the Chippewas' 16 hits.
The two teams traded runs for the first six innings, each scoring in every half inning except the second, where neither team scored.
Michigan State carried a 7-6 lead into the final three innings, and that's when the game got interesting.
In the eighth, CMU got a pinch-hit single from Reid Rooney who moved up to second on a passed ball. A two-out single by Kipke would plate Rooney and tie the game at seven.
In the ninth, after the Chippewas retired the Spartans without incident, it appeared that the Maroon and Gold would have a very good chance at winning the game in regulation. After a leadoff single by Faiman, he took off on the first pitch to the following batter, Cornstubble. The throw sailed into center field and Faiman moved to third, but Cornstubble was called out for batter's interference and Faiman told to go back to first. The Chippewas would bounce into a double play on their next swing.
That set up the exciting 10th, which was befitting as a representative of the contest as a whole.
Michigan State put together a two-out rally on a hit batter and a pair of singles that narrowly escaped the gloves of CMU's middle infielders.
In the bottom half of the frame, the Chippewas drew back-to-back walks to start the frame, and after a sacrifice bunt by Reid Rooney put the tying and winning runs in scoring position, Michigan State issued an intentional walk to Rod Helsen to set up the potential double play.
But Kipke had other ideas, and lined a pitch off the top of the bag at third and into the corner, allowing Brendan Emmett and Ricky Clark to score the tying and winning runs.
Jake Sabol got the start on the hill for CMU, giving up four runs on six hits and a walk in four innings. Matt Loomis followed with a scoreless inning, and he was followed by Zach Cooper and Mike Nixon. Jesse Hernandez (1-3) tossed the final two innings, picking up the win.
The Chippewas (26-26) have won six of their past seven to get back to the .500 mark for the first time since the fourth game of the year, when they were 2-2.
CMU travels for a three-game set against Eastern Michigan, starting on Thursday. The Maroon and Gold enter the weekend tied with the Eagles and Akron for the final two spots in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
