Central Michigan University
Miami (Oh)
Walk-Off Win For Chippewas
5/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Alex Borglin went to the plate intending to make an out.
He ended up winning the game.
Borglin's triple to the gap in right-center field scored pinch runner Ty Rollin from first in the bottom of the 11th inning Saturday, lifting the Central Michigan baseball team to a 4-3 Mid-American Conference victory over Miami (Ohio) at Theunissen Stadium.
The win lifted CMU to 17-34, 9-11 MAC. Miami is 23-25, 12-8. The teams play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
"We needed that one for a lot of reasons," said CMU coach Steve Jaksa, whose team dropped a 7-3 decision on Friday, when the RedHawks scored four runs in the top of the ninth. "I'm just really proud of the guys. We've been resilient, we just keep fighting."
Robert Greenman led off the 11th with a bloop single over the head of the first baseman. Rollin pinch ran, and Borglin came to the plate fully intent on laying down a sacrifice bunt.
He worked the count to three balls and one strike, then drilled a high fly to right-center, and Rollin scored easily.
"My job was pretty much just to sac (Rollin) over," said Borglin, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games. "Three-one count (and) we were going to do the run-and-hit and he just threw it right down the middle and I put a good swing on it."
Jordan Grosjean (3-3) got the win in relief of starter Nick Deeg. Deeg allowed three runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out nine over seven innings.
Grosjean allowed four hits, including a one-out triple in the top of the 11th, and twice worked out of two-on jams. He struck out seven and walked two.
"Yesterday we had (Sean Renzi) throw nine innings," Jaksa said. "We've had three really good outings now and much needed. We've got to stay in there and keep fighting like that.
"We've talked about it all year, pitching and defense, and we think we're figuring it out a little bit and we're going to give the ball to (Pat) Leatherman tomorrow and he's got to do the same thing. He's got to battle and keep us in the game."
Greenman finished with three hits, the first three-hit game of his career, while Jarrod Watkins, Jason Sullivan and Zach McKinstry had two hits apiece for the Chippewas. McKinstry has hit safely in 17 consecutive games.
Nick Ernst (3-1) went the final four innings in relief of Cole Gnetz in taking the loss. Gnetz allowed three runs on eight hits, struck out seven, and walked one over six innings.
"We won this one and now we put it behind us and be ready to go tomorrow and match their intensity, which we will," Jaksa said. "It's baseball. We've had so many close games, you've just got to be ready for the next day. If you're not you're going to lose that one. We were able to do that. It's not always easy, but this club has been able to do that and that's why we were able to play the way we did today."
