Central Michigan University
Ohio
Chippewas Sweep, Remain Unbeaten In The MAC
4/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
ATHENS, Ohio -- Daniel Jipping, Robert Greenman and Alex Borglin each homered and the Chippewas used the big inning on Saturday in sweeping Ohio in a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at the Bobcats' Bob Wren Stadium.
The Chippewas scored four runs in the 12th inning to break a 2-2 tie in taking the opener, 6-2. In the nightcap, they used a six-run second and a three-run fifth in building a 10-1 lead, then held off the Bobcats, 10-8.
With the sweep, the Chippewas ran their win streak to six games and have won eight of their last nine starts. They are 16-14 -- they are two games over .500 for the first time this season -- 5-0 in the MAC. They lead the West by two games over Eastern Michigan and are the conference's lone unbeaten team.
"Something that I felt even before the beginning of the season, I like their makeup," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said of his team. "They care about each other, they root for each other, they work hard. They have a good attitude about what they're doing."
Michael Brettell (4-1), the third CMU pitcher, worked the 10th and 11th innings for the win in the opener. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out four. Colton Bradley set down the Bobcats in order in the bottom of the 12th to close it.
Reed Adams led off the 12th for CMU with an infield single. Ty Rollin bunted him to second, and he took third on a passed ball. He scored the go-ahead run on Jason Sullivan's safety squeeze.
"Good bunt and good read by Adams," Jaksa said. "Executed really, really well."
Jipping's bases-loaded single extended the Chippewas' lead to 5-2, and Evan Kratt added an RBI base hit to make it 6-2.
Kratt and Greenman had two hits apiece to lead CMU at the plate. Borglin led off the game with a homer, his first of the season.
CMU starter Dazon Cole went 8 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out two in the longest outing of his career. Jake Raether relieved Cole with two out in the ninth, surrendered an infield single to load the bases, then got a groundball to end the inning.
"First game we pitched it really well," Jaksa said. "Dazon threw the ball well. For him to pitch into the ninth inning that was really a plus for us."
Greenman ignited CMU's big second inning with a leadoff homer, his third of the season, and Jipping later smacked his first career grand slam. It was Jipping's team-leading fifth round-tripper of the season.
The Chippewas added three runs in the fifth to open a 10-1 lead. The rally started with two out and none on, and Cole delivered the big blow, a two-run single.
Daniel Robinson led CMU's nine-hit attack with two hits.
Ohio (15-14, 3-2) scored twice in the sixth and added five more runs in the seventh -- during which the Chippewas made their one and only error of the game -- to draw to 10-8, but the bullpen combo of Zach Kohn, Raether and Bradley combined to hold the Bobcats at bay.
Freshman Tyler Hankins (3-0) started and went six innings for the win. He allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, walked four and struck out one. Bradley worked the ninth, getting two strikeouts and a groundout for his fifth save.
Sophomore right-hander Pat Leatherman (3-3) starts for the Chippewas on Sunday as they attempt to complete their second consecutive MAC sweep. Right-hander Michael Klein (3-1), the MAC earned run average leader at 1.65, is Ohio's scheduled starter.
"We played two solid ball games and both of them were dogfights," Jaksa said. "The goal is to win (Sunday). We haven't talked about how many we've won or any of that. My thing is how'd you play today and now we've got to roll it over into tomorrow. Confidence is a big thing. Got to believe in what you're doing."
