Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Buffalo
Chippewas Bounce Back at Buffalo
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sean Renzi allowed just one hit over six innings and the Chippewa bats pounded out 15 hits Saturday as the Central Michigan baseball team topped Buffalo, 7-2, in a Mid-American Conference game at the Bulls' Amherst Audubon Field.
The win evened the three-game series at a game apiece. The rubber match is Sunday at 1 p.m. CMU improved to 26-13 overall, 11-3 MAC. Buffalo is 11-20, 5-9.
The Chippewas bounced back from Friday's 11-7 loss. The 11 runs were more than they had allowed in a game in almost two months.
"The effort was today very good," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said after Saturday's win. "Yesterday wasn't nearly the same as it was today. Anybody will tell you that.
"There were some things yesterday that were telling where you knew we weren't on the same edge that we were today. Today, there was no messing around, we're here to do business, we were intent about what we were doing."
Nick Regnier continued his comeback from injury with three hits including a triple and three RBI to lead the Chippewas at the plate. It was the first start in center field for Nick Regnier in 11 games, though he had started the last two at designated hitter.
Tyler Huntey added three hits -- the first three-hit game of the season for the senior catcher -- while Zach McKinstry also had three and Pat MacKenzie added two including a double for CMU.
Renzi, a junior right-hander, won his second straight start to improve to 2-1. He allowed one hit, struck out five and walked three over six innings.
Sean Martens and Jimmy McNamara each pitched in relief.
"We only struck out five times today," Jaksa said. "We gave away very few at-bats. Offensively we hit the ball the other way many times, line drives, and we really played well defensively.
"And then we pitched it. Those guys pitched their butts off today. We competed. We competed the whole game.
"We need to be just as good (Sunday) as we were today and that needs to become that consistent expectation that we play at that level. It's good to feel good about yourself, but you can never forget what put you in that position where you're at.
"And when you're at the top, everybody wants to get a piece of you. You can't forget that."
The Chippewas scored two runs in three of the first four innings and tacked on an insurance run on a Logan Regnier sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 7-0.
Renzie pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and Martens did likewise in the eighth. The Bulls broke through with two off McNamara in the ninth.
"Everybody is going to play hard," Jaksa said. "That's what we want to make sure everybody understands and we matched (Buffalo) today and we were better today and we have to do the same tomorrow."
