Central Michigan University Athletics
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Chippewa Baseball Opens In Texas
1/21/2021 2:14:00 PM | Baseball
2021 schedule includes 10 four-game MAC series
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan will open the 2021 baseball season with a Feb. 19-21 trip to Nacogdoches, Texas for a four-game series with Stephen F. Austin.
That trip kicks off a 56-game slate that takes on a different look from previous years, thanks to COVID-related travel restrictions.
"First and foremost, we just feel fortunate and excited that we're going to have a chance to play," said coach Jordan Bischel, who is in his third year in charge of the program. "That's been a question mark in all sports dating back to the fall. I think there was some fear that we may not get some nonconference games in and it looks promising that we will, which is great."
There will be no 10-day Spring Break trip south as has been the custom, but the Chippewas do have four series to warmer climates scheduled for February and early March. They are slated to play Bellarmine in Louisville, Ky.; at West Virginia; and at Dayton in addition to the trip to Texas.
"Those nonconference games are pretty critical not only to learning about your team on the field but just to get on a baseball field," Bischel said. "If we didn't do that we wouldn't get outside until the middle of March so those are critical not only for game play but from a practice perspective and a development perspective."
The Chippewas are slated to open the 40-game Mid-American Conference slate at Ohio beginning on Friday, March 26.
The league schedule calls for four-game series – single games on Fridays and Sundays, doubleheaders on Saturdays – throughout the season which wraps up on the final weekend in May. There will be no conference tournament this season.
In recent years, MAC teams have met in three-game weekend series, with single games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The 40-game schedule is a significant increase from the recent past. The Chippewas played 23-27 conference games in the five seasons preceding the 2020 campaign, which was canceled because of COVID just as it was getting off the ground last March.
The impetus behind the change stems from the fact that teams had a difficult time with limited travel and landing dates with nonconference opponents, both in late winter/early spring and for midweek games throughout the regular season.
The Chippewas have just two midweek games, both against Notre Dame, on the schedule. They are slated to go to South Bend, Ind. on April 13 and will entertain the Fighting Irish on May 4, marking the first time they have visited Mount Pleasant since the 2013 season.
"It'll be different having very few midweek games and playing so many league games," Bischel said. "You have a lot of games that carry a heck of a lot of value and if you can get most of those 40 in, it should be a pretty darned good barometer of who the best (MAC) team is, and we'll send a worthy team to the (NCAA) regional."
The most-prominent factor for the Chippewas and their MAC brethren when it comes to four-game series is pitching depth.
"We feel pretty good about ours, so we're excited about that," Bischel said. "If you look at our staff, we're fairly whole when you compare us to where we were at this time last year. I'm excited because it'll give a few more pitchers the opportunity to really pitch in big spots."
The Chippewas are slated to entertain Bowling Green beginning on April 9 in their home-opening weekend. Other home weekends feature series with Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ball State and Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas will go on the road for series with Northern Illinois, Akron, Western Michigan and Toledo.
That trip kicks off a 56-game slate that takes on a different look from previous years, thanks to COVID-related travel restrictions.
"First and foremost, we just feel fortunate and excited that we're going to have a chance to play," said coach Jordan Bischel, who is in his third year in charge of the program. "That's been a question mark in all sports dating back to the fall. I think there was some fear that we may not get some nonconference games in and it looks promising that we will, which is great."
There will be no 10-day Spring Break trip south as has been the custom, but the Chippewas do have four series to warmer climates scheduled for February and early March. They are slated to play Bellarmine in Louisville, Ky.; at West Virginia; and at Dayton in addition to the trip to Texas.
"Those nonconference games are pretty critical not only to learning about your team on the field but just to get on a baseball field," Bischel said. "If we didn't do that we wouldn't get outside until the middle of March so those are critical not only for game play but from a practice perspective and a development perspective."
The Chippewas are slated to open the 40-game Mid-American Conference slate at Ohio beginning on Friday, March 26.
The league schedule calls for four-game series – single games on Fridays and Sundays, doubleheaders on Saturdays – throughout the season which wraps up on the final weekend in May. There will be no conference tournament this season.
In recent years, MAC teams have met in three-game weekend series, with single games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The 40-game schedule is a significant increase from the recent past. The Chippewas played 23-27 conference games in the five seasons preceding the 2020 campaign, which was canceled because of COVID just as it was getting off the ground last March.
The impetus behind the change stems from the fact that teams had a difficult time with limited travel and landing dates with nonconference opponents, both in late winter/early spring and for midweek games throughout the regular season.
The Chippewas have just two midweek games, both against Notre Dame, on the schedule. They are slated to go to South Bend, Ind. on April 13 and will entertain the Fighting Irish on May 4, marking the first time they have visited Mount Pleasant since the 2013 season.
"It'll be different having very few midweek games and playing so many league games," Bischel said. "You have a lot of games that carry a heck of a lot of value and if you can get most of those 40 in, it should be a pretty darned good barometer of who the best (MAC) team is, and we'll send a worthy team to the (NCAA) regional."
The most-prominent factor for the Chippewas and their MAC brethren when it comes to four-game series is pitching depth.
"We feel pretty good about ours, so we're excited about that," Bischel said. "If you look at our staff, we're fairly whole when you compare us to where we were at this time last year. I'm excited because it'll give a few more pitchers the opportunity to really pitch in big spots."
The Chippewas are slated to entertain Bowling Green beginning on April 9 in their home-opening weekend. Other home weekends feature series with Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ball State and Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas will go on the road for series with Northern Illinois, Akron, Western Michigan and Toledo.
Baseball vs Valparaiso
Tuesday, May 12
Baseball vs Akron
Sunday, May 10
Baseball vs Akron
Saturday, May 09
Baseball vs Akron
Friday, May 08