Central Michigan University
NIU
Chippewas Drop Finale, But Win Series
3/25/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois exploded for six runs in the fifth inning on Sunday in handing Central Michigan a 9-5 baseball loss in the third and final game of CMU's Mid-American Conference-opening series at the Huskies' Ralph McKinzie Field.
The Chippewas opened the series with a doubleheader sweep on Friday.
CMU (7-16-1, 2-1 MAC) is scheduled for a nonconference game at Michigan on Wednesday (4 p.m.). The Wolverines are 12-11 and riding an eight-game win streak after sweeping Michigan State in a three-game Big Ten series.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ty Jandrowski highlighted NIU's six-run fifth inning with a three-run double. The Huskies led, 8-0, through five frames.
The Chippewas got a two-run homer from Daniel Robinson in the sixth inning, and then added three in the seventh to close to 8-5.
ON THE MOUND
Tyler Hankins (1-3) started for CMU and took the loss. He surrendered four runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked two over 4 2/3 innings.
Logan Buczkowski, Jack Collins, Colton Bradley, Braxton Markle, Cameron Brown and Brandon Reed each pitched in relief. They combined to allow four runs on two hits.
Michael Lasiewicz (3-2) went five shutout innings for the victory. He struck out six and walked four.
AT THE PLATE
The Chippewas outhit the Huskies, 10-9, but stranded 14 baserunners.
Jacob Crum, Zach Heeke and Blake Cleveland each singled and doubled for CMU, and Robinson finished with two hits. Robinson's homer was his first of the season.
Brad Wood had three hits to lead NIU (6-12, 1-2).
NEXT
After Wednesday's game at Michigan, the Chippewas go to Ball State next weekend for a three-game MAC series. The Cardinals are 12-11, 2-1. They opened MAC play by taking two of three at Kent State over the weekend.
COACH Steve Jaksa
On the series: "It's always a good thing (to win a series). Today we weren't greedy enough. We weren't as greedy as we needed to be. It wasn't that anybody was bad (on Sunday.) We had opportunity after opportunity and just did not take advantage. And that gave them hope. I just felt we just didn't grab them by the throat so to speak and take that third game and sweep them."
On his team's pitching on the weekend. Starters Pat Leatherman and Michael Brettell combined to allow just one run over 15 total innings in Friday's doublehdeader: "If they can give us those consistent performances that's going to be absolutely huge for us going forward. The starting pitching on Friday was good, and Hankins was good today, we just didn't give him any run support early. We weren't able to shut the door (with the bullpen). We had been doing pretty well that way and today we did not. We did rally back and make it a ballgame, but we fell short with the hits that we needed to get over the hurdle and get that game."
