Central Michigan University Athletics
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
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.
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.
They open Mid-American Conference play with a three-game series at Ohio on Friday, March 17.
"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.
"We are excited to get home and work to get better this week."
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Chippewas blew the game open with a four-run sixth, highlighted by Robby Morgan IV's two-run single.
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
