Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, March 12
Morgantown, WV
3 P.M.
Central Michigan University
at
West Virginia
Baseball Hits The Road For 3 With West Virginia
3/11/2021 8:26:00 PM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The compass for the Central Michigan baseball team points southeast again this weekend as the Chippewas head to Morgantown, West Virginia for a three-game series with 23rd-ranked West Virginia.
The Chippewas and Mountaineers are scheduled to open the series at Monongalia County Ballpark on Friday (3 p.m.) and are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday (11 a.m.).
CMU completed a four-game trip to the state of Virginia on Monday. The Chippewas won their final three games on the trip, and outscored their opponents, 40-18, in the four games.
The Matchups
Junior Jordan Patty will start the opener for CMU against left-hander Jackson Wolf (1-0, 0.75 earned run average); redshirt freshman Andrew Taylor is slated to start the opener of Saturday's twinbill for the Chippewas against sophomore lefty Jake Carr (0-1, 23.63); senior Cameron Brown is the likely starter in the nightcap for CMU. West Virginia did not announce a starter.
It will be the third start of the season for both Patty and Taylor. Patty does not have a decision and is carrying an 8.59 ERA; Taylor is 1-1 with a 0.75. Brown (1-0) has made one start among two appearances and has a 4.50 ERA.
Taylor has been particularly impressive, allowing just one earned run in 12 innings. He has recorded 14 strikeouts while surrendering just seven hits. He is holding opposing hitters to a .171 batting average. Opposing batters are hitting .206 against Brown.
At the Plate
Justin Simpson, a sophomore transfer from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., is leading CMU with a .357 batting average. He is one of four Chippewas hitting .320 or better. The others are Zach Gilles and Garrett Navarra, both at .350, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell, .320.
Lockwood-Powell and freshman Jakob Marsee lead the Chippewas with six RBI apiece. Marsee has a team-high four extra-base hits, including three doubles; Lockwood-Powell leads the Chippewas with eight hits, including a double, a triple and a home run.
The Chippewas have drawn 52 walks while their pitching has issued 33, and their .414 on-base percentage ranks among the top 35 in the nation.
Scouting
West Virginia (4-3), a member of the Big 12 Conference, has made the NCAA Tournament twice since 2017 and 13 times in program history.
The Mountaineers' three-game series with Kent State last weekend was postponed. The last time they played (Feb. 26-28), they went 2-1 at the Coastal Carolina University Tournament. They defeated Kennesaw State, 13-3; and Bryant, 9-7; they lost to the host Chanticleers, 10-5.
Freshman outfielder Barry Braden is West Virginia's leading hitter at .429, while junior Vince Ippoliti is hitting .333, sophomore Victor Scott is hitting .321, and sophomore Dominic Ragazzo is hitting .318.
The Mountaineers are hitting .273 as a team and have collected 12 home runs. Sophomore Matt McCormick and senior Kevin Brophy lead the team with three homers apiece.
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to go to Dayton for a four-game series beginning on Thursday, March 18.
The Chippewas and Mountaineers are scheduled to open the series at Monongalia County Ballpark on Friday (3 p.m.) and are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday (11 a.m.).
CMU completed a four-game trip to the state of Virginia on Monday. The Chippewas won their final three games on the trip, and outscored their opponents, 40-18, in the four games.
The Matchups
Junior Jordan Patty will start the opener for CMU against left-hander Jackson Wolf (1-0, 0.75 earned run average); redshirt freshman Andrew Taylor is slated to start the opener of Saturday's twinbill for the Chippewas against sophomore lefty Jake Carr (0-1, 23.63); senior Cameron Brown is the likely starter in the nightcap for CMU. West Virginia did not announce a starter.
It will be the third start of the season for both Patty and Taylor. Patty does not have a decision and is carrying an 8.59 ERA; Taylor is 1-1 with a 0.75. Brown (1-0) has made one start among two appearances and has a 4.50 ERA.
Taylor has been particularly impressive, allowing just one earned run in 12 innings. He has recorded 14 strikeouts while surrendering just seven hits. He is holding opposing hitters to a .171 batting average. Opposing batters are hitting .206 against Brown.
At the Plate
Justin Simpson, a sophomore transfer from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., is leading CMU with a .357 batting average. He is one of four Chippewas hitting .320 or better. The others are Zach Gilles and Garrett Navarra, both at .350, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell, .320.
Lockwood-Powell and freshman Jakob Marsee lead the Chippewas with six RBI apiece. Marsee has a team-high four extra-base hits, including three doubles; Lockwood-Powell leads the Chippewas with eight hits, including a double, a triple and a home run.
The Chippewas have drawn 52 walks while their pitching has issued 33, and their .414 on-base percentage ranks among the top 35 in the nation.
Scouting
West Virginia (4-3), a member of the Big 12 Conference, has made the NCAA Tournament twice since 2017 and 13 times in program history.
The Mountaineers' three-game series with Kent State last weekend was postponed. The last time they played (Feb. 26-28), they went 2-1 at the Coastal Carolina University Tournament. They defeated Kennesaw State, 13-3; and Bryant, 9-7; they lost to the host Chanticleers, 10-5.
Freshman outfielder Barry Braden is West Virginia's leading hitter at .429, while junior Vince Ippoliti is hitting .333, sophomore Victor Scott is hitting .321, and sophomore Dominic Ragazzo is hitting .318.
The Mountaineers are hitting .273 as a team and have collected 12 home runs. Sophomore Matt McCormick and senior Kevin Brophy lead the team with three homers apiece.
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to go to Dayton for a four-game series beginning on Thursday, March 18.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
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