Wednesday, May 25
Muncie, Ind.
11 a.m.
Central Michigan University
39-26
11
vs
10
Toledo
32-24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Toledo
0
1
5
0
0
1
1
0
2
10
13
1
Central Michigan
0
1
5
0
2
0
0
0
3
11
12
0
Central Michigan's Justin Simpson is embraced by teammate Aidan Shepardson after Simpson forced in the game-winning run with a walk on Wednesday.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Baseball Rallies For Dramatic Win In MAC Tournament Opener
5/25/2022 7:49:00 PM | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – In a dramatic opening to the Mid-American Conference Tournament, Central Michigan's depth and grit proved itself yet again.
Mario Camilletti and Justin Simpson drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks for the tying and then winning runs on Wednesday, giving Central Michigan an 11-10 come-from-behind victory over Toledo in the first game of the tournament at Ball State's First Merchants Ballpark.
The second-seeded Chippewas (39-16) remain in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament and are set to play the Ball State-Ohio winner on Thursday (5 p.m.) in a semifinal game.
The top-seeded Cardinals and the No. 4 Bobcats were suspended due to inclement weather midway through the first inning on Wednesday with Ball State leading, 1-0. The game is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. Thursday. Toledo is set to play the Ball State-Ohio loser in an elimination game on Thursday (1:30 p.m.).
The Chippewas, who won the MAC Tournament when it was last played in 2019, dug deep to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth to overcome a 10-8 deficit.
CMU got a one-out infield single, a hit batter, and another single to load the bases. Adam Proctor then ripped an RBI single to right field to pull the Chippewas to 10-9. Camilletti then walked on five pitches to force in the tying run, and then Simpson walked on four pitches to give CMU the walk-off win.
"Stay the course," said CMU coach Jordan Bischel, who relayed the same three words to his team in the ninth inning. "(It's the) same approach as when you're up 10 or down 10."
In a wild back-and-forth battle, the Chippewas scratched and clawed. They trailed 6-1 after 2 ½ innings and then tied it, 6-6, with a five-run third. They went ahead, 8-6, when Robby Morgan and Proctor hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth.
Toledo got a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to tie it, 8-8, and then went ahead, 10-8, in the ninth with back-to-back homers.
Garrett Navarra (9-2) was key to the Chippewas' gritty victory. The left fielder hit his second homer of the season in the second inning, and then came in to pitch in the sixth in relief of starter Andrew Taylor.
Navarra, normally a starter, went the final four frames, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking two.
"We got to a spot where if we brought in one of the other relievers, I thought we would have to use two or three guys to finish it," Bischel said. "That might have left us a little short (on Thursday), but with Garrett's starting experience, we thought to treat this as a start, knowing he's not going to pitch for a few days and that can save some bullpen depth for the next couple of days."
The teams combined for 25 hits including seven home runs, four of which came off Cardinal bats.
"It wasn't a perfect outing by Garrett, but these are tough conditions," Bischel said. "This is a place where the ball really flies, and it was flying today. He never gave (Toledo) that big inning. We ended up only using two pitchers, which is big, and a credit to him, staying the course and finishing it up."
Taylor, a sophomore right-hander who has been outstanding to sensational throughout his two seasons in a Chippewa uniform, allowed six runs on six hits, walked two, hit two batters, and struck out four. He threw 105 pitches.
"Toughness," Bischel said in describing Taylor's performance. "Toughness was it. He was at 80 pitches after three (innings) and that left the door wide open for him to come out of the game; that's a heavy, heavy workload for three innings. He had no interest in coming out. He wanted to give us a chance to come back."
Morgan had four hits to lead the Chippewas' 12-hit attack, while Proctor finished with three. They both raised their home run total to six on the season.
"That was a four-hour ballgame and it's been hot out," Bischel said. "We've got to get back, get some rest, and get ready to roll for (Thursday). Whether its Ohio or Ball State, I know we'll be excited to play."
Mario Camilletti and Justin Simpson drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks for the tying and then winning runs on Wednesday, giving Central Michigan an 11-10 come-from-behind victory over Toledo in the first game of the tournament at Ball State's First Merchants Ballpark.
The second-seeded Chippewas (39-16) remain in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament and are set to play the Ball State-Ohio winner on Thursday (5 p.m.) in a semifinal game.
The top-seeded Cardinals and the No. 4 Bobcats were suspended due to inclement weather midway through the first inning on Wednesday with Ball State leading, 1-0. The game is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. Thursday. Toledo is set to play the Ball State-Ohio loser in an elimination game on Thursday (1:30 p.m.).
The Chippewas, who won the MAC Tournament when it was last played in 2019, dug deep to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth to overcome a 10-8 deficit.
CMU got a one-out infield single, a hit batter, and another single to load the bases. Adam Proctor then ripped an RBI single to right field to pull the Chippewas to 10-9. Camilletti then walked on five pitches to force in the tying run, and then Simpson walked on four pitches to give CMU the walk-off win.
"Stay the course," said CMU coach Jordan Bischel, who relayed the same three words to his team in the ninth inning. "(It's the) same approach as when you're up 10 or down 10."
In a wild back-and-forth battle, the Chippewas scratched and clawed. They trailed 6-1 after 2 ½ innings and then tied it, 6-6, with a five-run third. They went ahead, 8-6, when Robby Morgan and Proctor hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth.
Toledo got a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to tie it, 8-8, and then went ahead, 10-8, in the ninth with back-to-back homers.
Garrett Navarra (9-2) was key to the Chippewas' gritty victory. The left fielder hit his second homer of the season in the second inning, and then came in to pitch in the sixth in relief of starter Andrew Taylor.
Navarra, normally a starter, went the final four frames, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking two.
"We got to a spot where if we brought in one of the other relievers, I thought we would have to use two or three guys to finish it," Bischel said. "That might have left us a little short (on Thursday), but with Garrett's starting experience, we thought to treat this as a start, knowing he's not going to pitch for a few days and that can save some bullpen depth for the next couple of days."
The teams combined for 25 hits including seven home runs, four of which came off Cardinal bats.
"It wasn't a perfect outing by Garrett, but these are tough conditions," Bischel said. "This is a place where the ball really flies, and it was flying today. He never gave (Toledo) that big inning. We ended up only using two pitchers, which is big, and a credit to him, staying the course and finishing it up."
Taylor, a sophomore right-hander who has been outstanding to sensational throughout his two seasons in a Chippewa uniform, allowed six runs on six hits, walked two, hit two batters, and struck out four. He threw 105 pitches.
"Toughness," Bischel said in describing Taylor's performance. "Toughness was it. He was at 80 pitches after three (innings) and that left the door wide open for him to come out of the game; that's a heavy, heavy workload for three innings. He had no interest in coming out. He wanted to give us a chance to come back."
Morgan had four hits to lead the Chippewas' 12-hit attack, while Proctor finished with three. They both raised their home run total to six on the season.
"That was a four-hour ballgame and it's been hot out," Bischel said. "We've got to get back, get some rest, and get ready to roll for (Thursday). Whether its Ohio or Ball State, I know we'll be excited to play."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Navarra, Garrett (9-2)
L: BRANDON, Connor (7-5)
Batting:
2B: PIKE, Garret 1
3B: PIKE, Garret 1
HR: MACKIEWICZ, Scott 1 ; PIKE, Garret 1 ; SYKES, Mason 1 ; WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1
RBI: MACKIEWICZ, Scott 3 ; PIKE, Garret 1 ; SYKES, Mason 2 ; WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 3 ; WRIGHT, Trey 1
SH: PIKE, Garret 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILLIAMS, Jeron 1 ; MACKIEWICZ, Scott 1 ; SERVELLO, John 1 ; PIKE, Garret 3 ; SYKES, Mason 2 ; WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1 ; FRY, Brian 1
CS: WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1
HBP: SYKES, Mason 1 ; DAVIS, Darryn 1
Batting:
2B: Morgan IV, Robby 1
HR: Navarra, Garrett 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Proctor, Adam 1
RBI: Camilletti, Mario 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1 ; Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Lechnir, Drew 1 ; Navarra, Garrett 2 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Proctor, Adam 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Camilletti, Mario 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1 ; Marsee, Jakob 1 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Lechnir, Drew 1 ; Shepardson, Aidan 1 ; Navarra, Garrett 1 ; Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 2 ; Proctor, Adam 1
SB: Morgan IV, Robby 1
HBP: Navarra, Garrett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
1
ph/c
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballDave Keilitz interview on Zach McKinstry
Friday, July 11
Jake Sabol Interview on Zach McKinstry
Friday, July 11
Baseball vs Oakland
Tuesday, May 13
Baseball vs Eastern Michigan
Sunday, May 11