Central Michigan University
9-6
Sacramento State
8-7
Baseball Closes Series at Sacramento State with Third Straight Win
3/11/2023 11:11:00 PM | Baseball
CMU returns from season-opening trips to Texas, California at 9-6; MAC-opening series next weekend at Ohio
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On Saturday, the Chippewas used a big inning early, another one late, and a solid start from Keegan Batka in rolling past Sacramento State, 12-3, in a seven-inning nonleague game at the Hornets' John Smith Field.
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The Chippewas (9-6) won their third straight game and their fifth in their last six starts. They finished 5-2 on their trip to California after going 4-4 on their season-opening trip to Texas.
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They open Mid-American Conference play with a three-game series at Ohio on Friday, March 17.
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"I'm really pleased with the progress we made over the course of the trips," CMU coach Jordan Bischel said. "We are a much better team today than we were on opening day, which is a credit to our guys' work ethic and focus.
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"We are excited to get home and work to get better this week."
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CMU scored five runs in the second inning in seizing a 5-1 lead and then poured it on with a four-run sixth to make it 11-2.
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Batka (3-1) struck out one, walked two and surrendered just three hits over six innings. Christian Mitchelle retired the Hornets (8-7) in order in the seventh.
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Ely Stuart, Spencer Verburg and Jacob Donahue each drove in runs with singles in the second inning for CMU, which bunted twice in the inning and took advantage of a Sacramento State error and a Hornet wild pitch.
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CMU added two runs in the fifth in upping its lead to 7-2 on a Danny Wuestenfeld homer and a Stuart single on which Mitchelle moved up a base and then scored on an error.
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The Chippewas blew the game open with a four-run sixth, highlighted by Robby Morgan IV's two-run single.
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Donahue finished with three hits and Morgan had two to lead CMU's 12 hit attack.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Batka, Keegan (3-1)
L: Haynes, Kevin (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Simpson, Justin 1
HR: Wuestenfeld, Danny 1
RBI: Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Prout, Cole 2 ; Jackson, Marquis 1 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 2 ; Stuart, Ely 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 1
SF: Prout, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Prout, Cole 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 1 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Morgan IV, Robby 1 ; Mitchelle, Christian 2 ; Stuart, Ely 2 ; Verburg, Spencer 1 ; Simpson, Justin 3
SB: Donahue, Jacob 1
CS: Morgan IV, Robby 1
HBP: Prout, Cole 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 1
Batting:
2B: Valero, Cesar 1
HR: Gouldsmith, Gunner 1
RBI: Gouldsmith, Gunner 1 ; Bojorquez, Jorge 1
SF: Bojorquez, Jorge 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aloy, Wehiwa 1 ; Gouldsmith, Gunner 1
PO: Valero, Cesar 1
