Thursday, May 25
Kent, Ohio
12:30 p.m.
Central Michigan University
34-22
5
vs
2
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Western Michigan
21-31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Western Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
8
4
Central Michigan
0
0
3
0
0
0
2
0
X
5
6
1
Pitcher Garrett Navarra (left) and catcher Nick Dardas shake hands after the Chippewas' 5-2 win over Western Michigan on Thursday at Kent State in the MAC Tournament.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Batka, Navarra Get it Done on the Mound as Baseball Remains Alive in MAC Tournament
5/25/2023 5:10:00 PM | Baseball
Marquis Jackson homers as Chippewas advance to play elimination game on Friday afternoon
KENT, Ohio – Marquis Jackson hit a two-run homer and Central Michigan pitching stood up to the challenge on Thursday as the Chippewas remained alive in the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 5-2 victory over Western Michigan in an elimination game at Kent State's Schoonover Stadium.
The Chippewas (34-22) will play either Ball State or Kent State on Friday (12:30 p.m.) in an elimination game. The Golden Flashes and Cardinals were to meet on Thursday night in a winner's bracket game.
The Chippewas opened the tournament with a 7-6 loss to Ball State on Wednesday night. They rebounded on Thursday afternoon against the Broncos, as Jackson hit a two-run homer to highlight a three-run third that put the Chippewas in front, 3-0.
"We had a quick turnaround and that's not easy," said CMU coach Jordan Bischel, whose team is seeking its third consecutive MAC Tournament title and its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. "Now we get a little bit of time to regroup. You've just got to win one game four times and we've done that a lot over the years, but you can't win four until you win one and so now we'll go back and try to win one again.
"They talk about it in the big leagues, day game after a night game. When you play a tournament game, it's a little more emotional, a little more draining, so I'm proud of our guys for not being ready to be done.
"Couldn't be prouder of the way we battled and got after it. I just didn't think we pitched and played great defense (on Wednesday). That's our staple. You hold a team to two (runs) you've got a great chance to win and that's a good Western Michigan offense we held down today."
Keegan Batka allowed just one run over six innings and Garrett Navarra was effective in three innings of relief as the Chippewas held off the Broncos, who finished with an 8-6 edge in hits and stranded 11 baserunners.
Batka (8-3) struck out seven, walked four and surrendered six hits. He left after allowing a leadoff double in the sixth. Navarra relieved and worked through the inning – the Broncos pushed across a pair of runs in the frame – to keep the Chippewas ahead, 3-2.
Navarra got a popup to end the inning, stranding runners at first and second.
"What's tough with Western Michigan is they just grind and compete in the batter's box and so they drive your pitch count up," Bischel said. "We've done that to some teams and it's hard on the other staff. (Batka) found a way to still get into the seventh which was huge. Couldn't be prouder of him. First time he's pitched on a stage like this (in Division I) and he rose to the occasion."
Navarra, normally the Chippewas' No. 3 starter, allowed just two baserunners, a hit batter and a walk, over the final two innings. He induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play for his first save of the season and the second of his career.
Jackson's homer, which cleared the wall at the 355-foot mark in right center, was his eighth of the season.
After Western cut CMU's lead to 3-2 in the seventh, the Chippewas answered with two runs in their half of the frame. Jacob Donahue doubled with two out, then went to third on a Christian Mitchelle single and scored on an error by the leftfielder.
Navarra then singled in Mitchelle to make it 5-2.
"That was monstrous," Bischel of the Chippewas' ability to immediately answer after the Broncos had made it a one-run game. "Western Michigan's offense just grinds on you. They get after it. Had we only had a one-run lead there the game's a lot different."
Now CMU finds itself as one of three MAC teams still standing. The Chippewas are accustomed to playing, and winning, big games in late May and into June.
Last season, they came through the elimination bracket to win the MAC Tournament at Ball State.
"You've just got to enjoy it," Bischel said. "To have the opportunity to stay together and play is a blessing and you'd be foolish to not enjoy that competition. So hopefully you go have fun and compete."
The Chippewas (34-22) will play either Ball State or Kent State on Friday (12:30 p.m.) in an elimination game. The Golden Flashes and Cardinals were to meet on Thursday night in a winner's bracket game.
The Chippewas opened the tournament with a 7-6 loss to Ball State on Wednesday night. They rebounded on Thursday afternoon against the Broncos, as Jackson hit a two-run homer to highlight a three-run third that put the Chippewas in front, 3-0.
"We had a quick turnaround and that's not easy," said CMU coach Jordan Bischel, whose team is seeking its third consecutive MAC Tournament title and its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. "Now we get a little bit of time to regroup. You've just got to win one game four times and we've done that a lot over the years, but you can't win four until you win one and so now we'll go back and try to win one again.
"They talk about it in the big leagues, day game after a night game. When you play a tournament game, it's a little more emotional, a little more draining, so I'm proud of our guys for not being ready to be done.
"Couldn't be prouder of the way we battled and got after it. I just didn't think we pitched and played great defense (on Wednesday). That's our staple. You hold a team to two (runs) you've got a great chance to win and that's a good Western Michigan offense we held down today."
Keegan Batka allowed just one run over six innings and Garrett Navarra was effective in three innings of relief as the Chippewas held off the Broncos, who finished with an 8-6 edge in hits and stranded 11 baserunners.
Batka (8-3) struck out seven, walked four and surrendered six hits. He left after allowing a leadoff double in the sixth. Navarra relieved and worked through the inning – the Broncos pushed across a pair of runs in the frame – to keep the Chippewas ahead, 3-2.
Navarra got a popup to end the inning, stranding runners at first and second.
"What's tough with Western Michigan is they just grind and compete in the batter's box and so they drive your pitch count up," Bischel said. "We've done that to some teams and it's hard on the other staff. (Batka) found a way to still get into the seventh which was huge. Couldn't be prouder of him. First time he's pitched on a stage like this (in Division I) and he rose to the occasion."
Navarra, normally the Chippewas' No. 3 starter, allowed just two baserunners, a hit batter and a walk, over the final two innings. He induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play for his first save of the season and the second of his career.
Jackson's homer, which cleared the wall at the 355-foot mark in right center, was his eighth of the season.
After Western cut CMU's lead to 3-2 in the seventh, the Chippewas answered with two runs in their half of the frame. Jacob Donahue doubled with two out, then went to third on a Christian Mitchelle single and scored on an error by the leftfielder.
Navarra then singled in Mitchelle to make it 5-2.
"That was monstrous," Bischel of the Chippewas' ability to immediately answer after the Broncos had made it a one-run game. "Western Michigan's offense just grinds on you. They get after it. Had we only had a one-run lead there the game's a lot different."
Now CMU finds itself as one of three MAC teams still standing. The Chippewas are accustomed to playing, and winning, big games in late May and into June.
Last season, they came through the elimination bracket to win the MAC Tournament at Ball State.
"You've just got to enjoy it," Bischel said. "To have the opportunity to stay together and play is a blessing and you'd be foolish to not enjoy that competition. So hopefully you go have fun and compete."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Batka, Keegan (8-3)
L: BERG, H. (1-2)
S: Navarra, Garrett (1)
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Batting:
2B: DOYLE, G. 2 ; MEE, G. 1
RBI: SULLIVAN, C. 1 ; DOYLE, G. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SULLIVAN, C. 1 ; MEE, G. 1
HBP: BUDIG, G. 1
PO: NEVAR, D. 1
Batting:
2B: Donahue, Jacob 1
HR: Jackson, Marquis 1
RBI: Navarra, Garrett 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 2
SH: Mitchelle, Christian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Simpson, Justin 1 ; Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Mitchelle, Christian 1 ; Stuart, Ely 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 1
SB: Navarra, Garrett 1
HBP: Dardas, Nick 1 ; Stuart, Ely 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
cf/rf
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
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