Central Michigan University
Florida Gulf Coast
Chippewas Blank Gulf Coast in Season Opener
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nick Deeg pitched six strong innings and Logan Regnier drove in the game's only two runs Friday as Central Michigan opened the 2015 baseball season with a 2-0 victory over Florida Gulf Coast at Swanson Stadium.
Deeg, a sophomore left-hander, allowed three hits, struck out three and walked one. He set down the first 10 batters he faced and pitched out of a fifth-inning jam, getting an inning-ending flyout to strand runners at second and third.
"We pitched it very well for the first game out of the chute," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "I don't know if we could pitch it much better.
"Deeg was good, probably a little bit above good. The things that he could control, his demeanor, his presence, all were really good. I don't remember the last time we threw a shutout on opening night. It has to have been a long time ago."
Logan Regnier's one-out triple to the right-field corner in the top of the fifth inning scored Alex Borglin and Zach McKinstry, each of whom singled.
Borglin finished with two hits, while Nick Regnier and Tyler Huntey had one apiece for CMU, which struck out 17 times against three Gulf Coast pitchers.
Gulf Coast starter Michael Murray, who was 13-1 with a 1.83 earned run average a year ago, took the loss. The Chippewas had a baserunner at third with one out in the fifth (Regnier, after his triple) and loaded the bases with none out in the sixth, but failed to score in both instances.
"We just didn't battle," Jaksa said. "You've got to knuckle down. And that's frustrating. We've got to produce better. And we will. We are going to be better."
Jason Gamble pitched two perfect innings in relief of Deeg, and closer Tim Black induced a game-ending 4-6-3 double play to end the game and earn the save.
The Chippewas did not commit an error.
CMU and Gulf Coast are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Adam Aldred is scheduled to start game 1 for the Chippewas, while Jordan Grosjean is slated to start the nightcap for CMU.
Freshman left-hander Devin Smeltzer starts for Gulf Coast in Saturday's opener; junior right-hander Brady Anderson will start opposite Grosjean in game two.
