Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Michigan State
CMU Baseball Falls at Michigan State
3/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Brent Schriber, CMUChippewas.com
EAST LANSNING, Mich. - Michigan State touched Central Michigan starter for three runs in the first inning Tuesday and the Spartans went on to hand the Chippewas an 8-3 non-conference loss in the Spartans' home opener at McLane Stadium.
The loss dropped the Chippewas, who committed four errors, to 15-10. MSU is 10-11.
The Spartans' Cam Gibson led off the first inning with a double off sophomore right-hander Blake Hibbitts, then MSU got a walk, a hit batsman, a wild pitch, an RBI groundout, an infield hit and a sacrifice fly in jumping to the early 3-0 lead.
Hibbitts (0-1), a member of the CMU basketball team, took the loss in his first start of the year. He allowed four hits and walked one in 1 2/3 innings.
Adam Aldred, Josh Pierce, Connor Kelly and Tim Black pitched in relief for CMU. The Spartans collected 13 hits.
Michigan State extended its lead to 6-1 after five innings.
Daniel Jipping got the first hit of the game for the Chippewas in the fourth inning when he homered on a 3-1 pitch from Alex Troop. The home run was Jipping's second of the week, and team-high third of the season.
"The more intensity you bring up to the plate, and the harder you work at the plate, the more success you're going to have," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "In Daniel's situation, when he got into a positive count, he was able to get the pitch he wanted and put a good swing on it."
The Chippewas drew to 6-3 in the seventh inning when Logan Regnier smacked a two-out two-run single.
CMU threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with one out, but failed to score. The Chippewas, who collected six hits on the day, stranded nine.
Joe Houlihan had three hits to lead CMU.
Troop (2-1) went five innings for the victory. He allowed one run on three hits, while walking four and striking out four. Walter Borkovich, Joe Mockbee and Jeff Kinley pitched in relief for the Spartans.
The Chippewas will head to Miami (Ohio) for a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend. The opener is Friday at 6 p.m. The teams will meet on Saturday at 2 p.m. The finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
The RedHawks ousted CMU from the MAC Tournament last season, 4-3. CMU is 2-1 in conference play. Miami opened league play last weekend by taking two of three from Western Michigan. The RedHawks are 4-16 overall.
Miami's "a very similar team to what they had last year," Jaksa said. "The No. 1 guy (Ryan Powers) they're going to throw beat us in last year' conference tournament."
