Central Michigan University
3-1
UNLV
1-3
Series Sweep Eludes Chippewas
2/16/2020 10:07:00 PM | Baseball
CMU rallies from 7-0, 8-1 deficits before falling, 10-8
The Chippewas (3-1) go next weekend to Jacksonville, Ala. for a four-game series with Jacksonville State.
"We battled back nicely (on Sunday)," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We'll get home and have a great week of preparation to get ready for a tremendous test next weekend."
How It Happened
The Rebels took control early, tagging CMU starter Jason Melle for seven runs – all unearned -- in the first inning, when the Chippewas committed two errors.
"We gave up a number of big innings this weekend," Bischel said. "The one today burned us."
UNLV led 8-1 when CMU scored three runs in the fifth inning, one in the sixth, and three more in the seventh to tie it. The Chippewas got back-to-back two-out RBI singles from Zach Gilles and Griffin Lockwood-Powell in the seventh.
UNLV re-took the lead and never relinquished it with two runs in the eighth. Both came on two-out RBI singles.
At the Plate
CMU enjoyed a highly productive day from its Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters – Zavier Warren, Gilles and Lockwood-Powell, respectively. Each had three hits, finishing a combined 9-for-14. Lockwood-Powell and Chase Rollin drove in two runs.
On the Mound
Freshman right-hander Andrew Taylor relieved Melle and went 3 1/3 solid innings in his collegiate debut. He allowed one run on three hits, struck out two, and walked one. Ryan Palmblad and Tyler Hankins also worked in relief for CMU.
Grant Frazer (0-1), the fifth Chippewa pitcher, took the loss. He allowed two runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings.
Chippewa Notes
• The Chippewas scored 40 runs and collected 45 hits in the series. Gilles and Lockwood-Powell had seven apiece, while Rollin and Warren each had six. Rollin drove in a team-high eight runs.
Lockwood-Powell, the Chippewas' cleanup hitter, also drew five walks and was hit by a pitch, giving him a .591 on-base percentage.
• The Chippewas drew 33 walks and posted a .449 on-base percentage in the series. A year ago, CMU ranked third in the nation with 386 free passes and was fifth with a .421 on-base percentage.
• Chippewa pitching emerged from the weekend with a 4.37 earned run average (CMU had a 4.22 ERA a year ago when it won 47 games) and recorded 40 strikeouts against 16 walks.
Next
Jacksonville State opened the season by winning one game in a three-game set at home with Missouri. The Gamecocks are the defending Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and tournament champions and last year went 2-2 in the Oxford Regional of the NCAA Tournament, finishing 39-23.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SPOONER, Bradley (1-1)
L: Frazer, Grant (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Warren, Zavier 1 ; Gilles, Zach 1 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 2 ; Rollin, Chase 2 ; Lechnir, Zach 1
SH: Rollin, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Heeke, Zach 1 ; Warren, Zavier 3 ; Gilles, Zach 2 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 1 ; Lechnir, Drew 1
HBP: Rollin, Chase 1 ; Dardas, Nick 1
PO: Heeke, Zach 1
Batting:
2B: WOLD, Jack-Thomas 1 ; BIGANI, Eric 2 ; AMELBURU, Alex 1
3B: WILLIAMS, Edarian 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 1
RBI: WILLIAMS, Edarian 1 ; BIGANI, Eric 2 ; KRYSZCZUK, Austin 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 4 ; AMELBURU, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILLIAMS, Edarian 1 ; WOLD, Jack-Thomas 2 ; BIGANI, Eric 1 ; PFEIFER, Austin 1 ; SARDINA, Alex 2 ; KRYSZCZUK, Austin 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 1 ; AMELBURU, Alex 1
HBP: WOLD, Jack-Thomas 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 1
