Central Michigan University
Michigan
Frustrated Chippewas Fall At Michigan
3/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
ANN ARBOR - Michigan scored three runs in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie Tuesday in handing the Central Michigan baseball team a 9-7 non-conference loss at the Wolverines' Ray Fisher Stadium.
The Chippewas (5-20) begin a three-game non-league series at Missouri State (19-4) on Thursday night. Michigan (17-5) has won six straight games.
The Chippewas found themselves in a 5-0 hole after two innings, but battled back to tie the game, 6-6, headed into the bottom of the seventh.
"I'm really proud of how the guys battled," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "Today was a little bit frustrating, a little bit proud. We had an opportunity to take the game from them and we didn't do it."
The Chippewas outhit the Wolverines, 10-9, but stranded eight base runners, five of them in their final two trips to the plate.
Daniel Robinson, Daniel Jipping and Alex Borglin had two hits apiece for CMU. Joe Houlihan and Robert Greenman hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning to draw the Chippewas to 5-4. It was the first homer of the season for both players.
CMU tied the game, 6-6, on Daniel Robinson's two-run single in the top of the seventh before Michigan went back ahead, for good, with three in the bottom half of the inning.
After a lead-off walk, Carmen Benedetti's liner to the gap in right center was ruled a hit though appeared, Jaksa said, that CMU center field Ryan Heeke made a diving catch on the ball.
"They called it no catch," said Jaksa, who argued the ruling with the umpires to no avail. "Now they have first and second and nobody out and it would have been a double play.
"I'm not going to lie, that was really frustrating. Then they go out and score three runs."
A double steal put runners at second and third and a sacrifice fly put Michigan up, 7-6. A wild pitch brought in another run, then back-to-back doubles extended U-M's lead to 9-6.
The Chippewas left the bases loaded in the eighth inning. Jipping's run-scoring double in the ninth drew CMU to 9-7, but the Chippewas stranded two to end the game.
Brady Williams (0-3), the third CMU pitcher, took the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits over 1 2/3 innings.
Chippewa starter Michael Brettell allowed five runs on three hits while walking three in two innings. Dazon Cole was solid in 3 1/3 innings in relief of Brettell. The redshirt freshman right-hander surrendered one run on three hits, struck out four and walked two.
"Dazon did a really nice job, kept us in the ball game," Jaksa said. "He pitched like the guy that we think he can be. He threw breaking balls for strikes, he threw his changeup for strikes. We would expect that he should take (this appearance) and run with it. He's going to help us if he can command it like he did today."
Senior infielder Morgan Oliver made his first career appearance on the mound for the Chippewas, setting down the Wolverines in order in the eighth.
"Mo was aggressive, he threw the ball where he wanted to, he was throwing strikes and his command was pretty good," Jaksa said. "He was excited about the opportunity. How that progresses, we'll see. But he put himself in position to get another opportunity."
Chippewa second baseman and leadoff hitter Jason Sullivan, a freshman, left the game after being hit in the head by a pitched ball in the third inning. Jaksa said concussion tests were negative and expects Sullivan to be ready to play this weekend at Missouri State.
