Central Michigan University Athletics
Monday, March 8
Richmond, VA
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Zach Gilles' two-run double helped spark CMU to a 10-2 win at Richmond on Monday.
Opportunistic Chippewas Win 3rd Straight, Complete 3-1 Road Trip
3/8/2021 5:41:00 PM | Baseball
RICHMOND, Va. – A little plate discipline went a long way for the Central Michigan baseball team on Monday.
The Chippewas drew nine walks, four of which forced in runs, as they defeated Richmond, 10-2, in a nonconference game at the Spiders' Pitt Field.
The win was CMU's third straight as it closed a 3-1 road trip to Virginia. The Chippewas (3-4) scored a combined 40 runs on the trip, hitting double digits three times. CMU pitching allowed just six runs on 22 hits and the Chippewas committed just two errors over the final three games of the trip.
"The biggest thing's been our pitching and defense," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "It's great that we're scoring all those runs, but I think the offense goes when the pitching and defense goes because we're not out there (on the field) real long. We're getting back, we're getting some rhythm at the plate; it's working pretty well right now.
"We've had pretty good success the last couple of years, but it's funny with young guys, you lose a couple (games) and you kind of scratch your head and say, what's going on? I think internally we knew we would be just fine, there was no level of panic. But you always feel a little bit differently when you win ball games. It's a step in the right direction."
CMU led, 2-0, and then broke Monday's game open with a four-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth, building a 9-2 lead.
Zach Gilles' two-run double in the fifth upped CMU's lead to 4-0, and then the Chippewas tacked on two more, the first when Zach Heeke drew a bases-loaded walk, and the second when Gilles scored on a Zach Lechnir grounder that went for a double play.
In the sixth, Heeke and Lechnir both drew bases-loaded walks and another run scored when Drew Lechnir was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Chippewas batted around in the inning, and it all started when Mario Camilletti was hit by a pitch with two out. That was followed by another hit batsman, a Richmond error, yet another hit batsman, and two walks. When the dust settled, CMU had three runs without the benefit of a hit.
"We don't really preach patience so much as discipline – just get good pitches to hit and if they don't give you good pitches to hit, then obviously keep doing what we're doing," Bischel said. "They did a nice job of that, not trying to do too much, taking what was there, getting a few timely hits, and they just did a nice job all around the lineup making it hard (for Richmond) to get outs."
Freshman Jakob Marsee singled and doubled to lead CMU's seven-hit attack. It marked the third time in his last four games that Marsee has had at least two hits. Gilles also finished with two hits.
Sophomore left-hander Garrett Navarra (1-0), the second of four Chippewa pitchers, earned the win. He struck out six and allowed three hits over 2 2/3 innings in relief of starter J.T. Rogoszewski. Ryan Culley and Grant Frazer also pitched in relief.
Rogoszewski surrendered one run on five hits, struck out three and walked one over four frames. It was a good bounce-back start for Rogoszewski, who struggled in his first start of the season last weekend at Texas A&M—Corpus Christi.
"He really did a nice job and did what we wanted him to do which was keep us in the game into the middle innings," Bischel said. "I was really impressed with JT today. Then (Navarra) came out of the pen and did a really nice job in some extended relief. He has a chance to really help us on that mound. He's a pretty nice two-way player for us right now.
"He's such a worker and he does just a tremendous job of preparing himself and it's fun to see it paying off for him."
Navarra, who started Monday's game as the designated hitter, has yet to allow a run and has struck out 12 in 6 1/3 innings in two relief appearances this season. He is tied for second on the team with a .350 batting average.
Neither Culley nor Frazer allowed a hit. Cully struck out two in 1 1/3 and Frazer set the Spiders down in order in the ninth.
CMU is scheduled to play a three-game series at 14th-ranked West Virginia beginning on Friday, March 12.
The Chippewas drew nine walks, four of which forced in runs, as they defeated Richmond, 10-2, in a nonconference game at the Spiders' Pitt Field.
The win was CMU's third straight as it closed a 3-1 road trip to Virginia. The Chippewas (3-4) scored a combined 40 runs on the trip, hitting double digits three times. CMU pitching allowed just six runs on 22 hits and the Chippewas committed just two errors over the final three games of the trip.
"The biggest thing's been our pitching and defense," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "It's great that we're scoring all those runs, but I think the offense goes when the pitching and defense goes because we're not out there (on the field) real long. We're getting back, we're getting some rhythm at the plate; it's working pretty well right now.
"We've had pretty good success the last couple of years, but it's funny with young guys, you lose a couple (games) and you kind of scratch your head and say, what's going on? I think internally we knew we would be just fine, there was no level of panic. But you always feel a little bit differently when you win ball games. It's a step in the right direction."
CMU led, 2-0, and then broke Monday's game open with a four-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth, building a 9-2 lead.
Zach Gilles' two-run double in the fifth upped CMU's lead to 4-0, and then the Chippewas tacked on two more, the first when Zach Heeke drew a bases-loaded walk, and the second when Gilles scored on a Zach Lechnir grounder that went for a double play.
In the sixth, Heeke and Lechnir both drew bases-loaded walks and another run scored when Drew Lechnir was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Chippewas batted around in the inning, and it all started when Mario Camilletti was hit by a pitch with two out. That was followed by another hit batsman, a Richmond error, yet another hit batsman, and two walks. When the dust settled, CMU had three runs without the benefit of a hit.
"We don't really preach patience so much as discipline – just get good pitches to hit and if they don't give you good pitches to hit, then obviously keep doing what we're doing," Bischel said. "They did a nice job of that, not trying to do too much, taking what was there, getting a few timely hits, and they just did a nice job all around the lineup making it hard (for Richmond) to get outs."
Freshman Jakob Marsee singled and doubled to lead CMU's seven-hit attack. It marked the third time in his last four games that Marsee has had at least two hits. Gilles also finished with two hits.
Sophomore left-hander Garrett Navarra (1-0), the second of four Chippewa pitchers, earned the win. He struck out six and allowed three hits over 2 2/3 innings in relief of starter J.T. Rogoszewski. Ryan Culley and Grant Frazer also pitched in relief.
Rogoszewski surrendered one run on five hits, struck out three and walked one over four frames. It was a good bounce-back start for Rogoszewski, who struggled in his first start of the season last weekend at Texas A&M—Corpus Christi.
"He really did a nice job and did what we wanted him to do which was keep us in the game into the middle innings," Bischel said. "I was really impressed with JT today. Then (Navarra) came out of the pen and did a really nice job in some extended relief. He has a chance to really help us on that mound. He's a pretty nice two-way player for us right now.
"He's such a worker and he does just a tremendous job of preparing himself and it's fun to see it paying off for him."
Navarra, who started Monday's game as the designated hitter, has yet to allow a run and has struck out 12 in 6 1/3 innings in two relief appearances this season. He is tied for second on the team with a .350 batting average.
Neither Culley nor Frazer allowed a hit. Cully struck out two in 1 1/3 and Frazer set the Spiders down in order in the ninth.
CMU is scheduled to play a three-game series at 14th-ranked West Virginia beginning on Friday, March 12.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Navarra, Garrett (1-0)
L: Matthew Plisko (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Coca, Colton 1 ; Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Gilles, Zach 1
RBI: Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Camilletti, Mario 1 ; Gilles, Zach 2 ; Lechnir, Drew 1 ; Heeke, Zach 2 ; Lechnir, Zach 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1
SF: Camilletti, Mario 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Navarra, Garrett 1 ; Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Camilletti, Mario 2 ; Lockwood-Powell, Griffin 1 ; Dardas, Nick 1 ; Gilles, Zach 2 ; Lechnir, Drew 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1
HBP: Camilletti, Mario 1 ; Dardas, Nick 1 ; Lechnir, Drew 1 ; Lechnir, Zach 1
Batting:
2B: Chris Rinaldi 1 ; Austin Masel 1 ; Jordan Schulefand 1
RBI: Chris Rinaldi 1 ; Austin Masel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chris Rinaldi 1 ; Jordan Schulefand 1
SB: Richie Ciufo 1
CS: Jordan Schulefand 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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INF
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OF
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INF
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LHP/OF
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