Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, February 18
Waco, Texas
3 p.m.
Central Michigan University
1-1
20
at
5
Baylor
1-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Central Michigan
0
0
0
1
4
15
0
0
0
20
15
0
Baylor
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
5
8
3
Marquis Jackson hit a three-run homer Saturday in just his second game as a Chippewa, helping CMU to a 20-5 win at Baylor.
Hit Parade: 15 Hits, 3 Homers, 20 Runs as Baseball Rolls Past Baylor
2/18/2023 8:07:00 PM | Baseball
WACO, Texas – Marquis Jackson and Robby Morgan both hit three-run homers and Central Michigan pounded out 15 hits on Saturday in downing Baylor, 20-5, in a nonconference baseball game at Baylor Ballpark.
The Chippewas (1-1) evened the three-game series at a game apiece. The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday (2 p.m.).
CMU built a 5-0 lead through five innings and then sent 19 batters to the plate in exploding for 15 runs on 10 hits and three Baylor errors in the sixth inning.
The victory over a Big 12 opponent in its home park, the offensive onslaught and a solid start by sophomore left-hander Adam Mrakitsch will help to feed the confidence of a relatively young Chippewa squad that features myriad new faces, coach Jordan Bischel said.
"Even some of the guys with some college experience don't have a lot of CMU experience," Bischel said. "It's different when you come to a new school and you're trying to get off to a good start.
"Not that they don't buy in or believe, that's one of the huge things in our program, guys buy in, but when they see the results early, certainly it reaffirms the things we're teaching."
Mrakitsch allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five over five innings. He threw 72 pitches, 39 of them for strikes. After sitting in the dugout while the Chippewas sent 19 batters to the plate in the top of the sixth, Bischel wisely elected to go to the bullpen.
"He was starting to get to that pitch count where it wasn't going to be much longer," Bischel said. "And we had some freshmen that we knew could use an opportunity so it worked out great that we were able to get him out and get some guys some experience."
Mrakitsch showed some mettle early when, with CMU holding a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Baylor put two runners in scoring position with one out. Mrakitsch got the next two outs to strand two.
In a game that ends 20-5, that turn of events may not loom large. But at the time, it was, particularly in light of the fact that CMU has just taken a 1-0 lead in the top half of the frame.
"(Friday) we had several times where we scored and they answered right back," Bischel said, referring to the Chippewas' 6-5 loss in the series opener on Friday. "It kind of looked like they were going to do that again (Saturday) and (Mrakitsch) was able to stem the tide and then we were able to build a lead.
"(Mrakitsch) really didn't much the first half of last year so he doesn't have that much experience, but his experience is pretty big-game experience – conference tournaments, NCAA tournaments. It feels like he's kind of a veteran which is nice to have with a sophomore."
The first 10 Chippewas went down in order against Baylor southpaw Cam Caley. Freshman Christian Mitchelle broke through with one-out homer in the fourth inning, depositing Caley's 3-1 offering over the left-field wall for his first homer in just his second collegiate at-bat.
He led the Chippewas with three hits and drove in four runs.
CMU made it 5-0 with a four-run fifth, highlighted by Marquis Jackson's three-run homer to right center. It was also the first homer as a Chippewa for Jackson, who played the last two years at McClennan Community College which is located six miles from the Baylor campus.
"We didn't really do anything the first time around the order and there was no level of panic from our guys," Bischel said. "They just kind of stayed the course and trusted it and early in the season that can be tough.
"Christian hitting that home run in the fourth was obviously big; a home run in his second career at-bat. And we did a lot of good things the rest of the day."
Morgan doubled to lead off the sixth against Blake Rogers and then the next two Chippewas struck out.
But then Drew Stengren reached on an error, and the Chippewas took full advantage.
After a walk, Jackson smacked a two-run single, Mitchelle followed with an RBI bunt single, Justin Simpson walked, and then Danny Wuestenfeld delivered a two-run single to make it 9-0 and the flood gates opened.
Morgan's three-run homer was a massive blow, clearing the batter's eye in straight-away center field, 400 feet from home plate. Mitchelle and Donohue each ripped two-run singles and Wuestenfeld had another RBI base hit and two more runs scored on errors.
When the dust settled, the Chippewas had scored all 15 of their runs in the inning with two out. They had nine hits in 19 two-out at-bats on the day, a remarkable success rate.
"We actually kind of challenged the guys that we needed to be a better two-out team today offensively and on the mound and obviously we were," Bischel said.
The Chippewas (1-1) evened the three-game series at a game apiece. The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday (2 p.m.).
CMU built a 5-0 lead through five innings and then sent 19 batters to the plate in exploding for 15 runs on 10 hits and three Baylor errors in the sixth inning.
The victory over a Big 12 opponent in its home park, the offensive onslaught and a solid start by sophomore left-hander Adam Mrakitsch will help to feed the confidence of a relatively young Chippewa squad that features myriad new faces, coach Jordan Bischel said.
"Even some of the guys with some college experience don't have a lot of CMU experience," Bischel said. "It's different when you come to a new school and you're trying to get off to a good start.
"Not that they don't buy in or believe, that's one of the huge things in our program, guys buy in, but when they see the results early, certainly it reaffirms the things we're teaching."
Mrakitsch allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five over five innings. He threw 72 pitches, 39 of them for strikes. After sitting in the dugout while the Chippewas sent 19 batters to the plate in the top of the sixth, Bischel wisely elected to go to the bullpen.
"He was starting to get to that pitch count where it wasn't going to be much longer," Bischel said. "And we had some freshmen that we knew could use an opportunity so it worked out great that we were able to get him out and get some guys some experience."
Mrakitsch showed some mettle early when, with CMU holding a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Baylor put two runners in scoring position with one out. Mrakitsch got the next two outs to strand two.
In a game that ends 20-5, that turn of events may not loom large. But at the time, it was, particularly in light of the fact that CMU has just taken a 1-0 lead in the top half of the frame.
"(Friday) we had several times where we scored and they answered right back," Bischel said, referring to the Chippewas' 6-5 loss in the series opener on Friday. "It kind of looked like they were going to do that again (Saturday) and (Mrakitsch) was able to stem the tide and then we were able to build a lead.
"(Mrakitsch) really didn't much the first half of last year so he doesn't have that much experience, but his experience is pretty big-game experience – conference tournaments, NCAA tournaments. It feels like he's kind of a veteran which is nice to have with a sophomore."
The first 10 Chippewas went down in order against Baylor southpaw Cam Caley. Freshman Christian Mitchelle broke through with one-out homer in the fourth inning, depositing Caley's 3-1 offering over the left-field wall for his first homer in just his second collegiate at-bat.
He led the Chippewas with three hits and drove in four runs.
CMU made it 5-0 with a four-run fifth, highlighted by Marquis Jackson's three-run homer to right center. It was also the first homer as a Chippewa for Jackson, who played the last two years at McClennan Community College which is located six miles from the Baylor campus.
"We didn't really do anything the first time around the order and there was no level of panic from our guys," Bischel said. "They just kind of stayed the course and trusted it and early in the season that can be tough.
"Christian hitting that home run in the fourth was obviously big; a home run in his second career at-bat. And we did a lot of good things the rest of the day."
Morgan doubled to lead off the sixth against Blake Rogers and then the next two Chippewas struck out.
But then Drew Stengren reached on an error, and the Chippewas took full advantage.
After a walk, Jackson smacked a two-run single, Mitchelle followed with an RBI bunt single, Justin Simpson walked, and then Danny Wuestenfeld delivered a two-run single to make it 9-0 and the flood gates opened.
Morgan's three-run homer was a massive blow, clearing the batter's eye in straight-away center field, 400 feet from home plate. Mitchelle and Donohue each ripped two-run singles and Wuestenfeld had another RBI base hit and two more runs scored on errors.
When the dust settled, the Chippewas had scored all 15 of their runs in the inning with two out. They had nine hits in 19 two-out at-bats on the day, a remarkable success rate.
"We actually kind of challenged the guys that we needed to be a better two-out team today offensively and on the mound and obviously we were," Bischel said.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mrakitsch, Adam (1-0)
L: Caley, Cam (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Stuart, Ely 1
HR: Jackson, Marquis 1 ; Mitchelle, Christian 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1
RBI: Jackson, Marquis 5 ; Mitchelle, Christian 4 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 3 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Donahue, Jacob 3
SF: Donahue, Jacob 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Marquis 3 ; Mitchelle, Christian 3 ; Simpson, Justin 2 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 2 ; Brill, Jake 2 ; Stuart, Ely 2 ; Stengren, Drew 3 ; Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Prout, Cole 1
SB: Stengren, Drew 1
HBP: Simpson, Justin 1 ; Stengren, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Andrade, Kobe 1 ; Mazoch, Zach 1
RBI: Branch, Kolby 1 ; Andrade, Kobe 1 ; Simmons, Hunter 1 ; Teplanszky, Hunter 1
SH: Caley, Harrison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mazoch, Zach 1 ; Altman, Daniel 1 ; Pendergrass, Will 1 ; Teplanszky, Hunter 2
HBP: Brzozowski, Gavin 1 ; Posey, Cole 1
Game Leaders
2b/ss
AB
6
R
3
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
5
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballINF/RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball1B
/ 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