Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball's Fall World Series Classic Starts Friday
10/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan baseball team's annual Fall World Series Classic begins Friday with game one at Theunissen Stadium.
The seven-game series continues on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The annual picnic - which is open to the public - is scheduled for immediately following Saturday's game. Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour CMU's Keilitz Clubhouse.
The Chippewa roster has been split into Team Gold and Team Maroon. Each of those squads has six seniors, who then selected their teammates in a draft.
The games are played under the same conditions that the Chippewas play during the regular season.
"The only thing different is we would err on the side of protecting the pitcher," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "We're not going to try extend anybody.
"And we might have a situation where we might have to share a guy for part of a game, where they'll have to switch dugouts. But we'll have regular BP, regular (fielding practice), umpires, full uniforms.
"We want it to be as game-like as it will be once we start the season so that (players) get a really good feel for what a (typical) two-week stretch of the season is like. That they have to play with lots of energy, lots of intensity."
Jaksa said the series gives him and his coaching staff a good opportunity to see how the players react to game situations.
"You want them to get comfortable wearing the uniform, you want them to get comfortable competing," he said. "We'll try to put guys in situations. We'll move people around and see how they fit, how they handle certain things.
"We want everybody to play well, but you're going to have some separation in there, and that's what we want. The more times you play, the more instinctual things get, and guy's talents emerge too."
The remainder of the series schedule: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2:45 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 16, 3:05 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2:45 p.m.
Jaksa said Saturday's post-game picnic is a chance for fans of CMU baseball and members of the Chippewa baseball family to come together, renew acquaintances, and meet the players and coaches.
"It will be a fun day and it looks like the weather will cooperate," Jaksa said.
