Central Michigan University
Oakland
Chippewas Hold Off Oakland
4/5/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Colton Bradley came on to slam the door in the ninth inning Wednesday as the Central Michigan baseball team held off Oakland, 9-7, in a nonconference game at cold and rainy Theunissen Stadium.
The win lifted the Chippewas to 14-14, the first time they have been .500 since late February. CMU, which has won four straight games and six of its last seven, returns to Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Ohio beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday.
CMU held a 9-2 lead heading into the ninth inning when the Grizzlies (3-23) used two doubles, a single, a bunt single, two walks and a Chippewa error to push across five runs and close to 9-7.
Bradley, a junior right-hander, who came on with one out in the ninth, got the final two outs, the last of which was a called third strike with runners at second and third.
"We played a pretty good game," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "The last inning was a little unfortunate, but you've got to give Oakland credit. They kept playing.
"Colton threw with a lot of confidence there at the end, even after the error. He got a punchout on a 3-2 breaking ball. I think we're growing as a team. Although your heart gets ticking on the other side to get through that one. Got a W, and we feel good about ourselves going into this weekend."
Michael Brettell (3-1) started for the Chippewas and was credited with the win. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one through three innings.
The game was delayed for two hours by rain heading into the fourth inning. Zach Kohn, Jake Raether and Cameron Brown each worked in relief before Bradley took over in the ninth.
"We've been through it before," Jaksa said of the delay. "It's annoying that you have to do it. You've got a home game, you've got a chance to get it in. It was only a two-hour delay. We've been through worse."
The Chippewas batted around in scoring six runs on three hits, two walks, a hit batsman, and two Oakland errors in the third inning.
Daniel Jipping and Evan Kratt collected two hits apiece for the Chippewas. One of Jipping's hits was a triple, and Alex Borglin also tripled. Both triples came during CMU's three-run seventh. Kratt and Nick Stokowski drove in two runs each.
Oakland starter Connor Fannon (0-3) took the loss. He surrendered five runs over 2 2/3 innings, walked four and struck out five.
