Central Michigan University
13-6
Illinois State
12-6
Warren's Slam Highlights Chippewa Victory
3/17/2019 7:13:00 PM | Baseball
CMU rides big inning to series-finale win at Illinois State
The Chippewas (13-6) got a solid start from Tyler Hankins in bouncing back from a doubleheader sweep on Saturday and ending a three-game losing streak.
"I was really impressed with how our guys responded to a tough day yesterday," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We handled adversity really well today."
The Chippewas travel to East Lansing on Wednesday (4 p.m.) for a nonleague game with Michigan State and then are scheduled to go to Ohio next weekend for their Mid-American Conference-opening series.
Wednesday's game at MSU is Central Michigan's first in the state of Michigan this season. The Chippewas are scheduled to entertain Grand Valley State in their home opener on Tuesday, March 26.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chippewas broke the game open early with their seven-run outburst in the third. They sent 12 men to the plate, collecting four hits and taking advantage of three walks, two hit batsmen, and two wild pitches.
Warren highlighted the inning with his grand slam, his team-leading third round-tripper of the season. Warren deposited a 2-0 pitch from Illinois State starter Matt Walker (1-2) over the wall in straight-away center field.
The Chippewas added two insurance runs to extend their lead to 9-0 in the fourth on a Jason Sullivan RBI double and a throwing error that allowed Griffin Lockwood-Powell to score.
Lockwood-Powell had an RBI single in the fifth and Gaoshua Williams picked up an RBI in the eighth.
AT THE PLATE
Gilles and Chase Rollin finished with two hits apiece to lead CMU's nine-hit attack. Gilles also had two stolen bases.
ON THE MOUND
Hankins (3-0), a 6-foot-9 junior left-hander, allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out three and walking two over 5 2/3 innings.
"(Hankins) came out sharp and gave us a great chance to win," Bischel said. "Tyler hasn't pitched in almost two weeks. He used that time to make a couple of slight adjustments that paid huge dividends in how he executed pitches today."
Grant Frazer and Logan Buczkowski pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief. They combined to allow just one hit while striking out three.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hankins, Tyler (3-0)
L: Walker, Matt (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Sullivan, Jason 1
HR: Warren, Zavier 1
RBI: Gilles, Zach 1 ; Warren, Zavier 4 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 1 ; Sullivan, Jason 1 ; Williams, Gaoshua 1 ; Rollin, Ty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Heeke, Zach 1 ; Gilles, Zach 2 ; Warren, Zavier 2 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 2 ; Rollin, Chase 2 ; Rollin, Ty 1 ; Cleveland, Blake 1
SB: Gilles, Zach 2 ; Warren, Zavier 1
CS: Rollin, Ty 1
HBP: Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 1 ; Rollin, Chase 1
Batting:
RBI: Butler, Joe 1 ; Hays, Tyson 1
SH: Peterson, Gunner 1
SF: Butler, Joe 1 ; Hays, Tyson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Libman, Jordan 2
SB: Aeilts, Joe 1
HBP: Rave, John 1
