Central Michigan University
Ball State
Deeg Delivers, Chippewas Remain Alive
5/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
AVON, Ohio - When Central Michigan most needed it, Nick Deeg delivered.
Deeg, a junior left-hander, was dominant in throwing a four-hit, eight-strikeout complete-game gem Thursday as the Chippewas defeated Ball State, 4-0, in an elimination game in the Mid-American Conference Tournament at All-Pro Freight Stadium.
The sixth-seeded Chippewas (22-36) will play (Ohio) on Friday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game. Ball State, which was seeded second, finished 32-26. The RedHawks (26-28), who are seeded third, defeated the Chippewas, 10-5, in the tournament opener on Wednesday.
"My mindset going into the game was keep the season alive, we've got too much to play for," said Deeg (4-7), who threw 114 pitches, 78 of them for strikes. "The (regular) season didn't go our way, but it's our time to shine and I'm glad I could do my part and keep the season going for us."
Deeg did not allow a hit until the fifth, when the Cardinals got three singles to load the bases with two out. Deeg got MAC Player of the Year Alex Call, who entered the tournament hitting .366, to pop up to end the threat, preserving a 1-0 CMU lead.
"This is the best I've seen him throw all year," CMU catcher Robert Greenman said of Deeg. "He was able to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate, was really able to command his changeup and stay composed throughout the whole game.
"He didn't get too high or get too low. He was even-keeled all game."
The Cardinals got just one hit after the fifth, a one-out infield single in the eighth.
"We rode the big guy and he delivered," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "I talked to him (Wednesday) night and he said he'd be ready to go and that's all you can ask of a man is to go out there and be ready to go.
"The second half of the season he's been really, really good for us."
Deeg improved to 3-1 with two complete-game shutouts in his last six starts. His earned run average over that span is 2.04.
The Chippewas broke through in the second inning against Ball State starter Matt Haro (6-2). Morgan Oliver drew a bases-loaded walk to put CMU up, 1-0.
The Chippewas padded their lead with a three-run seventh. Jason Sullivan singled leading off the inning, moved to second on an Oliver bunt, and scored on a Greenman single.
Ryan Heeke and Zach McKinstry both singled to load the bases, and Daniel Jipping delivered a two-out ground-rule double down the right-field line on a one-ball, two-strike pitch to make it 4-0.
Greenman and Daniel Robinson had two hits apiece to lead CMU's nine-hit attack.
The Chippewas have won 11 of their last 15 games. They dropped their tournament opener to third-seeded Miami, 10-5, on Wednesday.
Since a 5-23 start, the Chippewas are 17-13 and have not lost back-to-back games since April 30.
"We've called it resilience, we've called it a lot of different things," Jaksa said. "We're just going to play the next day. We had to get a W today. All you can do is play as hard as you can.
"You've got to play with your heart a little bit. You've got to have your head in there, but you've got to play with your heart and our guys have shown heart in situations this year."
Pat Leatherman (2-4), a redshirt freshman right-hander, will start for the Chippewas on Friday against Miami, which fell into the elimination bracket with a 10-6 loss to Western Michigan on Thursday.
