Central Michigan University
Oakland
Good Start To Big Week For CMU Baseball
4/24/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Outstanding start for Logan Buczkowski, good start to a big week for the Central Michigan baseball team.
Buczkowski, a freshman right-hander, went 5 2/3 strong innings in his second career start as the Chippewas downed Oakland, 8-4, in a nonleague game on Tuesday at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.
The Chippewas (15-23-1) and Grizzlies will meet on Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) in the annual Clash at Comerica in Detroit. Tuesday's win gave the Chippewas the season series win over the Grizzlies. CMU took the first meeting, 24-9, in Rochester on April 11.
Buczkowski (2-0), a Mount Pleasant native, struck out 11 and walked three. He surrendered two runs on three hits, the first of which didn't come until two were out in the fifth inning. He left with a runner at second and two out in the sixth. Brandon Reed, a freshman left-hander, came on and got a groundout on his first pitch.
"My disappointment was (Buczkowski) probably did run out of gas, but doggone he pitched so well," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "I told him when I went out there he did a hell of job for us and was really, really good."
AT THE PLATE
The Chippewas collected 11 hits, including a double by Jacob Crum and triples by Zach Gilles and Zach Heeke.
Crum finished with three hits, while Griffin Lockwood-Powell and Heeke had two apiece. Daniel Robinson drove in two runs.
Ben Hart had two hits and drove in two runs for the Grizzlies (11-24).
The Chippewas delivered several times in the clutch, particularly late in the game, which is a good sign for a team that has struggled throughout the season to produce when opportunities arise. CMU scored at least one run in six of its eight turns at bat.
"You've just got to keep playing, you don't need to talk about it much," Jaksa said. "They know. I really wanted them to focus on getting base, putting some pressure on, and we came through with some big hits and that's really, really important for our club to keep doing that."
ON THE MOUND
Reed went 2 1/3 innings, the longest outing of his career, in relief of Buczkowski. Reed allowed two runs on one hit, walked one and struck out two. Colton Bradley set down the Grizzlies in order in the ninth, striking out two.
"Pretty clean performance for across the board for those three guys and we're pretty happy with that," Jaksa said.
OU starter Nate Schweers (3-2) surrendered one run on two hits, walked two and struck out two in taking the loss.
NEXT
After Wednesday's game at Comerica, the Chippewas play host to Bowling Green this weekend in a three-game Mid-American Conference series.
CMU is 8-7 in league play and tied for third place with Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Bowling Green is 5-8 and in ninth place. The top six teams in the final regular-season standings advance to the conference tournament.
