Central Michigan University
Oakland
Jipping, Sullivan Play Long Ball In CMU Win
4/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
UTICA, Mich. - Daniel Jipping and Jason Sullivan each hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs on Wednesday as the Central Michigan baseball team took an 8-4 nonconference victory from Oakland at Jimmy John's Field.
The Chippewas (22-18) turn their attention now to a big Mid-American Conference series this weekend at Kent State. The Chippewas, who are 10-2 in the MAC, and Golden Flashes (11-2) lead their respective divisions - CMU the West, Kent State the East.
"I think what you have to do going into their environment is make sure you're ready to go," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "We get that. We've been in those environments before.
"You have to make sure your intensity level is solid all the way through the game. You have to make sure that you are tuned in right from the get-go and play the way that we know we can for the whole game.
"We've got to pitch it well and play the good defense. We do those two things - we pitched it pretty well tonight and played good defense - we need to do that at Kent State."
Zach Kohn, the fourth of five Chippewa pitchers, picked the win against Oakland (10-28) on a pre-determined staff day, meaning that Jaksa and his staff began the game knowing that Brettell's innings would be limited and any number of pitchers would be used.
It was the first career victory for Kohn (1-4), a freshman right-hander, who allowed one run on three hits, walked three, and struck out five over 2 2/3 innings. Michael Brettell started for the Chippweas and surrendered just one hit over three innings.
Braxton Markle, Jack Collins and Colton Bradley also pitched in relief. Bradley came on for the ninth, setting the Grizzlies down in order.
The Chippewas, down 3-1, came alive against Oakland starter Aaron Dehm (0-1) in the sixth inning, scoring four runs on four hits, highlighted by the Sullivan and Jipping homers. It was the first career home run for Sullivan, a sophomore.
Through five innings, the Chippewas could muster just two hits off Dehm. He left after allowing Sullivan's two-run blast and a single to Daniel Robinson. Jipping greeted reliever P.J. Piesko with his eighth home run of the season.
"Quite frankly, for almost five innings there we only hit a couple of balls hard and our approach wasn't really what it should have been," Jaksa said. "We chatted with them a little bit and they responded very, very well.
"It's a credit to the guys to respond the way they did. You've got to give them the credit. They believed in what we were telling them and they made the adjustment. That's what you have to do, make the adjustment."
Jipping, Sullivan and Alex Borglin had two hits apiece to lead CMU's 10-hit attack.
