Central Michigan University
Villanova
Chippewas Break Through For First Win
3/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
DeLAND, Fla. - Sean Renzi worked out of two late-inning jams and the Chippewas got the big hit when they sorely needed it Saturday as the Central Michigan baseball team broke through for its first victory of the season, 9-5, over Villanova at the Westin Lake Mary Stetson Invitational.
The Chippewas (1-8) play the host Hatters on Sunday (3 p.m.) to complete the first leg of their Spring Break trip to Florida.
"All the work you put in at working to get better and you get rewarded with a win," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "Even though we've played some good games, today we got the reward. It was a dogfight."
Renzi (1-2) went the final 2 1/3 innings for the victory in his first relief appearance of the season. He allowed two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.
He got a strikeout to end the seventh inning with two runners on, then struck out the final two batters in the eighth with two runners in scoring position, keeping the game tied, 5-5.
"Those two strikeouts in the eighth were really important because we stayed even with them going into the bottom of the inning," Jaksa said. "From the standpoint of our team we really showed a certain level of toughness and character, which I think is always important.
"You have to battle all the way through to give yourself the best opportunity to win a game. Today we were able to finish one and get the W and now we move on to Stetson."
The Chippewas got the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. Robert Greenman singled with one out. With two out, the junior catcher stole second base on a two-ball, two-strike pitch.
Zach McKinstry followed with a single to center, scoring Greenman without a throw to put the Chippewas up, 6-5.
Dazon Cole walked and sophomore Daniel Jipping, CMU's cleanup hitter, hit the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence for a three-run homer to give the Chippewas some breathing room.
It was the first career stolen base for Greenman, and it was Jipping's first homer of the season.
"He put a nice easy swing on it and trusted it," Jaksa said of Jipping's homer. "If he can do that he'll give himself a chance to have a lot of good quality at-bats.
Jipping also tripled and McKinstry finished with three hits and three RBI. Jason Sullivan added a double for CMU.
CMU starter Michael Brettell allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out four and walking four over four innings.
Adam Aldred pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief of Brettell. He allowed one hit and struck out two.
The Chippewas committed three errors.
Red-shirt freshman right-hander Pat Leatherman is scheduled to start Sunday against Stetson (5-6).
Jaksa said it was satisfying to finally put one in the win column after the Chippewas had played several close games in their first two road trips this season, yet had little to show for it.
"I thought we handled that part well in terms of really looking at making progress," he said. "We have to keep playing, finish every game, finish what we're doing. At some point it's going to happen.
"We will get through this if we all stick together and keep fighting through it. We all get frustrated, but at the same time we have to let it go and keep playing the game. We've got to keep learning, keep getting more guys on the same page, whether its pitchers or hitters, we just have to keep making progress as a team."
