Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, April 26
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3 p.m.
Central Michigan University
14-28, 5-14
1
vs
2
Northern Illinois
14-27, 8-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Northern Illinois
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
8
1
Central Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
4
0
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Baseball drops MAC series opener to Northern Illinois, 2-1
4/26/2024 6:07:00 PM | Baseball
Ben Vitas goes seven for fourth time in five starts, ends with no decision; Chippewas end with two in scoring position
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan Baseball fell, 2-1, to Northern Illinois Friday at Theunissen Stadium to open the weekend's Mid-American Conference series.
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Ben Vitas notched his fourth start of at least seven innings of his last five, though he received no decision for the contest after being replaced in a 1-1 tie to start the eighth. The senior struck out four, allowed just six baserunners for the Huskies over his 21 outs, his lone run tallied on a double play in the second frame.
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A lead-off hit-by-pitch for Elijah Henning in the fifth led to CMU's first key chance at a tying it back up, but back-to-back groundouts surrendered the junior shortstop at third base, the fifth Chippewa left on the base paths to that point compared to just one from NIU.
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Vitas battled through the seventh frame to keep the contest to a 1-0 deficit before his exit. As he had throughout much of the game, Vitas retired the first two Husky bats but back-to-back knocks into left, then a passed ball left two in position to score. A deep fly ball to right-center tracked down by Jake Brill preserved the margin for the time being.
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Another lead-off miscue for NIU put Drew Loikits in motion in the bottom of the inning. After a Henning sacrifice moved the freshman second baseman to third, Nick Dardas was able to plate him with a grounder to short, tying the game, 1-1, to preserve Vitas's status of no decision.
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NIU scored in the ensuing top half of the eighth on a line drive through the left side to mark the final tally of the contest. The sequence left right-hander Bryce Hellgeth (1-4) with the loss in two innings of work, two hits, two walks to one strikeout.
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After a Marquis Jackson walk, Loikits executed a perfect bunt on the first-base line to leave the bag uncovered, resulting in a base hit, setting up Sandyn Cuthrell for another sacrifice attempt to move both runners into position.
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With two outs, Dardas returned to the plate from his ninth spot in the order—had been the lead-off for 13 straight games heading into Friday—though a swinging strikeout left the Chippewas on-base.
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Central Michigan Baseball returns to Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium Saturday for game two of the weekend's three-game league series, a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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Ben Vitas notched his fourth start of at least seven innings of his last five, though he received no decision for the contest after being replaced in a 1-1 tie to start the eighth. The senior struck out four, allowed just six baserunners for the Huskies over his 21 outs, his lone run tallied on a double play in the second frame.
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A lead-off hit-by-pitch for Elijah Henning in the fifth led to CMU's first key chance at a tying it back up, but back-to-back groundouts surrendered the junior shortstop at third base, the fifth Chippewa left on the base paths to that point compared to just one from NIU.
Â
Vitas battled through the seventh frame to keep the contest to a 1-0 deficit before his exit. As he had throughout much of the game, Vitas retired the first two Husky bats but back-to-back knocks into left, then a passed ball left two in position to score. A deep fly ball to right-center tracked down by Jake Brill preserved the margin for the time being.
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Another lead-off miscue for NIU put Drew Loikits in motion in the bottom of the inning. After a Henning sacrifice moved the freshman second baseman to third, Nick Dardas was able to plate him with a grounder to short, tying the game, 1-1, to preserve Vitas's status of no decision.
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NIU scored in the ensuing top half of the eighth on a line drive through the left side to mark the final tally of the contest. The sequence left right-hander Bryce Hellgeth (1-4) with the loss in two innings of work, two hits, two walks to one strikeout.
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After a Marquis Jackson walk, Loikits executed a perfect bunt on the first-base line to leave the bag uncovered, resulting in a base hit, setting up Sandyn Cuthrell for another sacrifice attempt to move both runners into position.
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With two outs, Dardas returned to the plate from his ninth spot in the order—had been the lead-off for 13 straight games heading into Friday—though a swinging strikeout left the Chippewas on-base.
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Central Michigan Baseball returns to Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium Saturday for game two of the weekend's three-game league series, a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ty Brachbill (5-5)
L: Hellgeth, Bryce (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Jake Nelson 1
RBI: CJ Cepicky 1
SH: Jake Nelson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooper Cohn 1 ; Andre Demetral 1
Batting:
RBI: Dardas, Nick 1
SH: Cuthrell, Sandyn 1 ; Henning, Elijah 1 ; Dardas, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Loikits, Drew 1
HBP: Henning, Elijah 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballC/IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
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