Baseball Falls in 18-17 Slugfest in Series Finale at Bowling Green

Sunday, April 14

Bowling Green, Ohio

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

Bowling Green

Drew Loikits hit two home runs on Sunday to help lead the Chippewas at Bowling Green.

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Baseball Falls in 18-17 Slugfest in Series Finale at Bowling Green

4/14/2024 5:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

Loikits, Donahue lead CMU's 16-hit attack with 2 homers apiece

By: Andy Sneddon

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Central Michigan baseball team turned its best offensive weekend of the season.

And while the numbers on the stat sheet are improved, the Chippewas had nothing to show for it in the all-important win column.

Bowling Green got a one-out bases-loaded single from Brady Birchmeier in the bottom of the 11^th inning on Sunday in handing the Chippewas an 18-17 loss in the finale of a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Steller Field.

The Falcons swept the series to remain perfect (15-0) in MAC play. The Chippewas are 11-25, 5-13 MAC.

CMU entertains Cleary in a nonconference game on Tuesday, April 16 (3 p.m.).

CMU scored 32 runs on 35 hits, including 12 home runs, in the series. The Chippewas had hit a total of 18 round-trippers in their previous 33 games heading into the series.

Sunday's game was a roller coaster ride with CMU scoring five runs in the top of the ninth to seize a 16-13 lead only to see the Falcons tie it with three in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extra innings.

Marquis Jackson scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 10^th to give the Chippewas a 17-16 lead, but then Bowling Green answered with a game-tying homer in the bottom of the 10^th.

The Chippewas had a chance to go ahead in the top of the 11^th but Robby Morgan IV was thrown out in an attempted steal of home.

Bowling Green loaded the bases with two singles and a walk in the bottom of the 11^th and then Birchmeier delivered the single for the walk-off win.

Jacob Donahue and Drew Loikits hit two home runs apiece for CMU, and Elijah Henning and Nick Dardas also homered.

Donahue also doubled and finished with five hits and five RBI to lead CMU's 16-hit attack. Loikits had four hits and also drove in five runs. Loikits' first home run, which came in the second inning, was the first of his career.

Henning's homer, a three-run shot, was his first as a Chippewa and it gave CMU a 16-13 lead in the ninth.

Junior right-hander Sean Knorr, the fifth CMU pitcher, took the loss. He allowed four runs on two hits, walked one and struck out one over the final 1 2/3 innings.