Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Miami (Oh)
Chippewas Complete Sweep Of Miami
4/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - One series does not a league season make.
But, as Central Michigan baseball coach Steve Jaksa said, "It's better than oh-and-3."
Staked to an early 4-0 lead, Pat Leatherman pitched seven shutout innings Sunday as CMU completed a sweep of Miami (Ohio) with a 5-1 win at Theunissen Stadium.
The Chippewas improved to 3-0 in the MAC and go to Ohio next weekend for a three-game league series. CMU (13-14 overall) entertains Oakland on Wednesday (3:05 p.m.) in a non-league game. Ohio is 14-12 and 3-0 MAC after sweeping its league-opening series at Ball State.
"One weekend makes you feel good, but you've got to get ready to play them all," Jaksa said. "We've got seven more (league series) to go. We've got Oakland midweek. We've got to keep momentum going and you do that by how you play, your attitude, playing to win every game you play, and keep being consistent in your approach to the game."
Leatherman (3-3), a sophomore right-hander, allowed four hits, two of which came in the first inning. Three of his five walks came in the first two frames. He worked out of two-on jams in the first, second and fifth innings.
The two hits in the first inning, both back-through-the-box choppers, came on two of the game's first three pitches.
"We thought he was good," Jaksa said of Leatherman, who struck out 10. "He competes. It always takes a pitcher some time to settle in a little bit. He gave up two ground-ball singles in the first inning and then he didn't give up another hit until the fifth. Four hits total and I think they were all ground-ball singles.
"Yeah he wasn't as sharp in those first two innings, but he settled in."
The Chippewas sent eight men to the plate in scoring three runs in the first inning. They had just one hit, a Nick Stokowski two-run single, in the frame, but took advantage of two walks and two hit batsmen, one of which came with the bases loaded and forced in the first run of the game.
CMU added a run in the second on Daniel Robinson's RBI double. Jason Sullivan, who was hit by a pitch, scored on the play.
"It builds some confidence," Leatherman said of the early lead. "Your team's making (the opponent) work. Putting some runs across makes a pitcher want to get back out there and keep competing out there."
Robinson's RBI single in the fourth extended the lead to 5-0. That hit, and Stokowski's two-run single in the first, came with two out.
"We had some big two-out knocks," Jaksa said. "I thought we played hard, I thought we played very well offensively and defensively. I think we made one error in three games. If you do that and your pitchers are around the plate like they were, you're pretty good.
"We overall threw the ball well and in all three phases did pretty well."
Freshman left-hander Jake Raether went the final two innings. He allowed one run on one hit, struck out one and walked one.
The RedHawks (7-19, 1-5) spoiled CMU's shutout bid when Cal Elvers led off the ninth with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Miami starter Grant Hartwig (0-4) took the loss. He allowed four runs on two hits, walked two, struck out two and hit four batters. Nick Ernst went the final six innings for the RedHawks.
Robinson, Robert Greenman and Stokowski finished with two hits each for CMU.
