Baseball Back Home On Tuesday

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- After eight straight road games, the Central Michigan baseball team returns to Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium on Tuesday (4 p.m.) for a nonconference clash with Davenport.

The Chippewas, 28-11, have won both prior matchups with the Panthers.

A win on Tuesday would match CMU's win total, 29, from 2018. The Chippewas will have 15 regular-season games remaining after Tuesday's game.

HEAVYWEIGHT OFFENSE
The Chippewa offense averages 8.3 runs per contest, ranking them first in the MAC and ninth nationally.

CMU ranks fifth nationally in walks (250) and on-base percentage (.419), 19th in batting average (.298) and 24th in hits (351). The Chippewas rank 15^th nationally and third in the conference in triples (16) and lead the MAC in hits (415) and fielding percentage (.973).

In the MAC, CMU ranks second in stolen bases (69), doubles (80), batting average (.298) and sacrifice bunts (29).

AT THE PLATE
Junior center fielder Zach Gilles ranks first in the MAC in sacrifice bunts (8), ranks third in base hits (57), fourth in on-base percentage (.476), and fifth in batting average (.377).

Sophomore shortstop Zavier Warren is 15^th in the country in walks (40), ninth in doubles (17) and 19th in on-base percentage (.510). Warren ranks fourth in the MAC in batting average (.378), second in hits (59), second in total bases (95) and second in RBIs (44).

Sophomore Griffin Lockwood-Powell ranks ninth nationally in RBIs (50). The catcher/first baseman from Sioux Falls, S.D. is second in the conference with seven home runs. He is third in the conference in sacrifice flies (five).

Senior Jacob Crum also has seven round-trippers – he and Lockwood-Powell are one behind Ohio's Rudy Rott -- and he is second in the nation in triples (seven) and ranks first in the MAC in slugging percentage (.649).

ON THE MOUND
Junior Cameron Brown is a perfect 7-0 this season with a 3.25 ERA. His seven wins and 61 innings pitched lead the MAC.

Closer Cameron Miller is 1-2 with a 1.48 ERA, earning 22 strikeouts with no walks and five saves in 12 appearances. Freshman Ryan Palmblad owns a 2.03 ERA in 13 1/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts in nine appearances.

SCOUTING
The Panthers are 22-14 after dropping three of four games over the weekend to Northwood.

Jacob Buchberger leads the Panthers at the plate with a .426 batting average with eight home runs and 33 RBIs.

Evan Marquardt is 5-1 on the mound with a 3.23 ERA and 43 strikeouts in seven starts this season.

NEXT
The Chippewas play host to rival Western Michigan at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium in a three-game MAC series. Game one is scheduled for Friday (3 p.m.).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cameron Brown

Jacob Crum

Zach Gilles

Griffin Lockwood-Powell

Cameron Miller

Ryan Palmblad

Zavier Warren