Central Michigan University
14-7, 1-1
Ohio
5-15, 1-1
Baseball Falls On Walk-Off Slam
3/23/2019 8:00:00 PM | Baseball
Lockwood-Powell homers twice in 12-11 loss
ATHENS, Ohio – Central Michigan surrendered a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam on Saturday in dropping a 12-11 slugfest to Ohio in a Mid-American Conference baseball game at the Bobcats' Bob Wren Stadium.
The Chippewas slipped to 14-7, 1-1 MAC. Ohio is 5-15, 1-1. The teams will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
"Obviously a walk-off home run is a tough way to lose, but we will be defined more by how we respond to it than by the loss itself," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We will need to compete tomorrow."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chippewas built a 6-0 lead through four innings, and then broke a 7-7 tie with two runs in the eighth and extended their advantage to 11-7 with two more in the ninth.
The Bobcats drew back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the ninth inning, and then Rudy Rott delivered an RBI single to draw Ohio to 11-8. Another walk loaded the bases, and then pinch-hitter Tanner Piechnick delivered the game-winning blast over the fence in left field.
AT THE PLATE
Griffin Lockwood-Powell continued his hot streak at the plate for CMU, hitting two home runs including a two-run shot in the eighth. He finished with three hits and four RBI after homering in Friday's series opener, a 5-3 CMU win. The sophomore from Sioux Falls, S.D. leads CMU with four home runs.
Zavier Warren and Chase Rollin had two hits each for the Chippewas, and Jacob Crum drove in three runs.
ON THE MOUND
Cameron Miller (0-2), the seventh Chippewa pitcher, took the loss.
Cameron Brown started for CMU and allowed four runs on four hits, walked one and struck out four. Garrett Navarra, Grant Frazer, Jack Collins, Zach Kohn and Logan Buczkowski also pitched in relief.
"(Friday) night our pitching staff handled adversity extremely well," Bischel said. "Today we struggled in that area, and will need to learn from it."
NUMBERS
The game included 21 hits, 14 walks, three Ohio errors, and the teams combined to utilize 13 pitchers.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: B. Kelly (1-1)
L: Miller, Cameron (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Warren, Zavier 1 ; Crum, Jacob 1 ; Rollin, Chase 1
HR: Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 2
RBI: Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 4 ; Crum, Jacob 3 ; Rollin, Chase 1
SH: Gilles, Zach 1
SF: Crum, Jacob 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Heeke, Zach 1 ; Warren, Zavier 2 ; Gilles, Zach 1 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 4 ; Sullivan, Jason 1 ; Rollin, Chase 1 ; Cole, David 1
SB: Cole, David 1
HBP: Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 2
Batting:
2B: T. Lukkes 1 ; M. Richardso 1
3B: T. Hafner 1
HR: T. Piechnick 1
RBI: A. Levy 1 ; T. Lukkes 2 ; R. Rott 1 ; T. Piechnick 4 ; Z. Avery 1 ; T. Hafner 3
Base Running:
RUNS: J. Longo 1 ; T. Lukkes 1 ; R. Rott 1 ; S. Fabik 1 ; D. McCauley 1 ; T. Piechnick 1 ; M. Richardso 2 ; Z. Avery 2 ; T. Hafner 2
