Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Head to Comerica for 'Clash' With Michigan State
5/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan baseball team will take on Michigan State Tuesday in the annual Clash at Comerica in Detroit.
Game time is 7:05 p.m. This marks the fourth year for the Clash at the home of the Detroit Tigers. Last year’s game was suspended because of rain in the fifth inning with the Spartans leading, 1-0.
Michigan State won the first two meetings, 3-1 in 2011, and 5-2 in 2012.
It’s a special night for both universities, allowing them to showcase their respective programs in a major league ballpark.
“It’s a continuation of the efforts to put our program front and center, and to also show people in the state of Michigan the type of baseball that is played by the universities in this state at the Division I level,” CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. “And it’s in one of the best ballparks around. The relationship with the Tigers has become very, very important in allowing us to do that.
“Also, with all the alums we have in that area, it gives them an opportunity to pick a night and come out and watch us play.”
Tuesday’s game marks the third meeting this season between the Chippewas and Spartans. CMU won the first two, 10-1 and 7-5.
CMU (32-20) is coming off a three-game Mid-American Conference weekend sweep of Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas are 17-7 in league play and trail first-place Ball State by 2 ½ games in the MAC West. The Cardinals, who swept Kent State over the weekend, are 19-4 in conference play.
CMU closes the regular season with a three-game MAC series at home against Western Michigan. The series opener at Theunissen Stadium is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Thursday.
Ball State closes its regular season with a three-game set at Northern Illinois. The Chippewas could win the division if they sweep Western and Ball State drops all three of its games to Northern Illinois.
Sophomore left-hander Adam Aldred will start for the Chippewas, who have won five of their last six starts. Aldred is 5-5 with a 3.77 earned run average.
Michigan State has yet to name its starting pitcher.
The Spartans were 26-23 overall, 8-13 in the Big Ten. They fell to Nebraska, 4-1, on Monday as the Conhuskers completed the three-game league sweep. MSU closes the regular reason this weekend at Penn State.
Three Spartans regulars, Jimmy Pickens, Blaise Salter and Cam Gibson, are hitting better than .300.
Pickens leads MSU with a .335 average. He also has four home runs and 33 RBI. Salter, who is hitting .332, shares the team home run lead (5) with Joel Fisher, while Gibson is hitting .311. Salter leads the Spartans with 46 RBI.
Logan Regnier leads CMU with a .325 average, while Cody Leichman his hitting .317, and Tyler Huntey checks in at .312.
Regnier has been successful on 20 of his 23 stolen-base attempts, while his brother Nick leads the Chippewas, the MAC, and is fourth in the nation with 33 stolen bases (in 36 attempts).
Leichman tops the Chippewas with seven home runs and 51 RBI, while Huntey is second in both categories with four and 45.
