Baseball Heads To Toledo For MAC Series

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Central Michigan baseball team returns to Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a three-game series with Toledo at the Rockets' Scott Park.

Game one is scheduled for Friday (3 p.m.) with games two and three set for 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The Chippewas, 26-10 overall, are 8-4 in conference play, good for third place and two games behind first-place Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks host second-place Ball State in a three-game series this weekend.

The Chippewas defeated Cornerstone, 10-5, on Tuesday in a nonleague game, rallying from an early 5-1 deficit. The Chippewas dropped two of three MAC games last weekend at Kent State, marking the first time this season the Chippewas have dropped a league series.

"Because we have some wins and success to fall back on, it's a little easier to point out the things we need to do to be great," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "I've actually been harder on (the team) the past two weeks than at any point in the season because we can handle it a little more. Guys are believing in what we're doing for sure."

HEAVYWEIGHT OFFENSE
The Chippewas have scored 306 runs, ranking them first in the MAC and ninth nationally. They average 8.5 per game.

Nationally, CMU ranks third in walks (230), seventh in on-base percentage (.420), 19th in batting average (.300), and 24th in hits (351). The Chippewas rank 15th nationally and third in the MAC in triples (15).

In the MAC, CMU ranks first in fielding percentage (.973) and second in on-base percentage (.419), stolen bases (67), hits (384) and doubles (75).

AT THE PLATE
Individually, CMU players rank at or near the top of the MAC in nearly every individual offensive category.

Junior Zach Gilles is second in batting average (.391), shares the lead with 54 hits, ranks third in on-base percentage (.485), and is tied for third with 17 stolen bases.

Sophomore Griffin Lockwood-Powell shares the league lead in home runs with seven and tops the conference with 49 RBI. He is tied for sixth nationally in that category.

Shortstop Zavier Warren continues his breakout sophomore season, ranking first in the league in on-base percentage (.503), runs (43), walks (36) and doubles (16). He is second in the MAC with 39 RBI, third with 53 hits, and fifth with a .368 batting average.

Senior Jacob Crum tops the league with a .639 slugging percentage and he shares the national lead with seven triples.

ON THE MOUND
Senior Pat Leatherman and juniors Cameron Brown and Tyler Hankins are scheduled to start this weekend for the Chippewas. Brown is 6-0 with a 3.44 earned run average and has allowed just six earned runs in his last three starts; Leatherman is 5-1 with a 3.09 ERA; Hankins is 4-2.

Brown's six wins top the league, while CMU closer Cameron Miller sports a 1.48 ERA with five saves. The 6-foot-10 right-hander has struck out 22 without surrendering a walk in 24 1/3 innings on the season.

SCOUTING
The Rockets are 13-22, 2-9. They dropped two of three to Ohio last weekend in a MAC series.

Brad Boss leads Toledo at the plate with a .347 batting average, six home runs and 32 RBI.

NEXT
The Chippewas are scheduled to play host to Davenport in a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 23 (2 p.m.) at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium. They entertain rival Western Michigan next weekend in a three-game MAC series.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cameron Brown

Jacob Crum

Zach Gilles

Tyler Hankins

Pat Leatherman

Griffin Lockwood-Powell

Cameron Miller

Zavier Warren

Central Michigan University Athletics