Central Michigan University
NIU
Hankins Brilliant; Chippewas Take Series
5/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - When Central Michigan has needed it this season, Tyler Hankins has delivered.
The freshman left-hander did it again on Sunday, pitching 8 2/3 strong innings as the Chippewas defeated Northern Illinois, 3-1, in the finale of a Mid-American Conference series at Theunissen Stadium.
The victory gave the Chippewas (25-21) the series win. They improved to 13-5 in league play, and they lead the MAC West by 2 ½ games over Ball State. They trail East-leading Kent State by two games in the overall MAC standings.
"Just outstanding," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said of Hankins (5-1), who allowed one run on seven hits, struck out four and walked one. "He doesn't say a whole lot, but boy he competed. Threw the ball where he wanted to. Really did a nice job, and we needed it.
"His angles are so much different than everybody else's. He's 6-9, left-handed. He has the command and doesn't walk many people. He's around the plate."
Hankins, who threw 125 pitches (83 for strikes) was never in trouble until the eighth inning when the Huskies (15-31, 9-9 MAC) put two runners on. Hankins got a ground ball to end the inning and preserve CMU's 3-0 lead.
NIU's lone run came in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly. Colton Bradley came on to record a strikeout for the final out, stranding the potential tying run at first base. It was Bradley's ninth save.
Hankins was one out shy of his third complete game of the season. In two of his other starts this season, he has pitched into the ninth.
"Colton Bradley's been pretty dominant these last couple of weeks so I knew he'd get the job done," Hankins said. "Obviously I wanted to stay in and get the complete game, but we got the win. That's all that matters."
It was Hankins' first Sunday start in MAC play. The extra day of rest proved beneficial, he said, both physically and in scouting the Huskies from the dugout during Friday's game and Saturday's.
"Having two days in front of me, just knowing what the hitters' tendencies are, just keeping that in the back of my mind as I'm pitching," he said. "Championship Sunday. It's obviously a big day for us. We want to get the series win. Bigger stage, I know I have to show up and work my butt off for the team."
Robert Greenman led off the second inning with his eighth home run to stake the Chippewas to a 1-0 lead. CMU added two runs in the third. Jason Sullivan doubled, moved to third on a flyout, and scored on Daniel Jipping's flyball to left-center that went for an error. Jipping scored on an Evan Kratt sacrifice fly.
"That's really nice having a lead, knowing you have that run support behind you," Hankins said. "You just have to go out there and get the job done and nothing else."
The Chippewas collected nine hits, two each by Sullivan, Nick Stokowski and Zach Heeke. CMU did not commit an error and turned two double plays behind Hankins.
NIU starter Ryne Blanton (2-2) took the loss. He allowed three runs on six hits over four innings.
The Chippewas play a two-game nonleague home-and-home with Michigan this week. They play the Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Tuesday and at Theunissen Stadium on Wednesday. CMU goes to Toledo for a three-game MAC series next weekend.
"You need them all," Jaksa said. "You've just got to keep battling. We dropped that one on Friday. That was a tough loss. We're maturing a little bit. I like our guys, we played hard -- played hard the last two days."
