Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewa Baseball Heads To New Mexico
2/21/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
The Central Michigan baseball team opens a four-game series on Thursday with New Mexico in Albuquerque at the Lobos' Santa Ana Star Field.
Game times are 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday, CMU's Michael Brettell (1-0, 1.29 earned run average) vs. James Harrington (0-0, 0.00); Friday, Tyler Hankins (0-0, 5.40) vs. Justin Slaten (0-1, 9.64); Saturday, Pat Leatherman (0-1, 4.50) vs. Robert Gasser (0-0, 2.08); Sunday, Zach Kohn (0-0, 0.00) vs. Cody Dye (0-1, 14.73). Hankins and Gasser are left-handers.
SCOUTING
The Lobos opened the season last weekend by finishing 1-3 in the Surprise Tournament in Surprise, Ariz. New Mexico went 0-2 against Oregon State in the tourney, beat Cal Poly, and lost to Gonzaga.
New Mexico is the defending Mountain West Conference regular-season champion and was picked to finish first in the league in a preseason poll of conference coaches.
FIRST MEETING
Thursday's game marks the first meeting on the diamond between the two programs.
LAST WEEKEND
The Chippewas went 2-2 in the Al Ogletree Classic at Texas-Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas.
CMU defeated Stephen F. Austin, 5-3, in its opening game, and then closed the weekend with a 10-8 victory over the Lumberjacks. In between, they dropped two to the host Vaqueros, 7-6 (10 innings) and 6-3.
GOOD START
• Brettell earned the victory in the opener, allowing one run and striking out a career-high 10 over seven innings. He was named the Mid-American Conference co-West Pitcher of the Week for his performance.
• Three Chippewa starters - Brettell, Tyler Hankins and Pat Leatherman - did not allow a walk in a combined 18 innings of work.
AT THE PLATE
• The Chippewas hit .262 on the road trip, while CMU pitching held opponents to a .226 batting average.
• Three CMU players, Zach Heeke, Griffin Lockwood-Powell and Evan Kratt, hit .500 or better on the weekend. Heeke, who reached base nine times either by walking or being hit by a pitch, posted a .778 on-base percentage. He is tied for second nationally in that category.
• CMU drew 29 walks over the weekend, were hit by pitches 13 times, and finished with a .444 on-base percentage. The Chippewas rank fifth nationally in the number of hitters hit by pitches; they're eighth in walks; and 14th in on-base percentage.
• Chippewa sophomore lead-off man Zach Gilles scored seven runs on the opening weekend, and ranks ninth nationally in that category. He also hit his first career home run.
COACH Steve Jaksa
"We came ready to play and I feel like the guys played with a level of intensity throughout the course of the weekend and worked hard to execute the game plan that they were given, both as pitchers and hitters. That's really important."
"The steadiness of the defense. We did make three errors on Sunday - four games, four errors. We played pretty solid. Just want to clean it up a little bit. That's the theme, pitching and defense, they'll give you opportunities. We were in every game and gave our ourselves opportunities."
"We need to make sure the guys don't get wrapped up in their numbers. We just need to play, keep playing, and stay with the plan. That's going to be the character of the team, take advantage of what the other team gives you."
