Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, April 6
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
10-21, 5-9
10
vs
9
Toledo
15-16, 9-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Toledo
0
0
0
4
3
0
0
2
0
9
6
2
Central Michigan
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
10
14
0
CMU's Marquis Jackson (right) rolls over the plate and under the sweep tag of Toledo catcher Brayden White on Saturday on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Baseball Rallies for Walk-off Win Over Toledo
4/6/2024 5:33:00 PM | Baseball
Chippewas score 3 in the 8th, 1 in the 9th for 10-9 victory
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan has played nearly 3,900 baseball games since it started the sport in 1896.
Unlikely any finished quite like Saturday's dramatic come-from-behind 10-9 Mid-American Conference win over Toledo on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.
Marquis Jackson tagged up and raced home from third on Nick Dardas' pop fly to shallow right field, diving across home plate with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give CMU the win, one the Chippewas sorely needed after so many walk-off losses this season.
"We've kind of been through it all this year," said Jackson, a senior. "We've gotten walked-off plenty of times. We've given up leads … we've just lost games and we were tired of that. We had a talk and we were like, why don't we come out on top today?"
They did, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 9-9 and then loading the bases in the ninth to set the stage for Dardas' sacrifice fly, which came down only about 130 feet from home plate.
The left-handed hitting Jackson set the table, legging out a one-out, pinch-hit double to right field in the ninth off right-hander Kyle Pjaszek.
Jackson's hit came on a 2-2 fastball up and in, and it snapped a 0-for-23 slump.
"I went through my ups and downs and I figured in that AB, it was enough," Jackson said. I was tired of being down, I was tired of not coming through in big spots for my team and I committed myself to getting it done at that moment and just focused on every single pitch that AB.
"Honestly, I was trying to get it done. I've been struggling and (CMU coach Jake Sabol) trusted me to come in there and do my job. I'm just glad that he put his faith in me to get it done in a big moment like that."
It was a gutsy move by Sabol to summon Jackson, a starter at the beginning of the season who entered the game hitting .075 and has played sparingly over the past month.
"He's been taking better swings in batting practice," Sabol said. "I know he's been frustrated, but I think he's just been kind of waiting for a moment because he's a competitive kid. I just felt he was going to figure out a way to do something.
"I'm proud of him. That's a big moment for that kid and hopefully that gets him rolling."
Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Dardas, who lifted a high popup on a full-count pitch just steps onto the outfield turf in right. Toledo second baseman Scott Mackiewicz caught the ball in an awkward position, his back nearly fully turned to the infield.
Jackson immediately broke for home, looking like the football running back he was at Brother Rice High School in Chicago. His outstretched hands crossed the plate just ahead of the catcher's tag.
"It was kind of agreed on with me and coach that I was going no matter where the ball was put," Jackson said. "I'm going to make that guy make a throw no matter what. I think that's the smart play there, make him make a throw. I believe in my speed; I think a lot of people believe in my speed to where it can be bang-bang if it's not a good throw."
Sabol made the call to send Jackson, a gamble considering that hot-hitting Danny Wuestenfeld was in the on-deck circle.
"Last thing you want to do is make a stupid out on the bases and I think we're at that point right now where we've got to take some chances," Sabol said. "We saw a moment where maybe we could catch (the Rockets) on their heels just a tad there and Marquis has been waiting for his opportunity.
"Obviously (he had) the big hit. When he's on the bases that's what he can do there. We've missed having him in because he can do so many things for us when he's going well so hopefully that gets him going."
Chippewa pinch hitters are 8 for 20 (.400) this season.
"We've done a fairly good job making sure our guys are ready for those situations," Sabol said. "Our guys know the importance of playing the entire game and we finally got one to go our way. They needed that kind of a win to know that they can do it late. You get one of them, maybe you get it going down the stretch. That's an awesome moment for this team."
The final play capped a wildly entertaining game in which CMU jumped a 6-0 first-inning lead and then saw Toledo hit four home runs in surging to a 9-6 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
CMU tied it with three runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Drew Stengren, Wuestenfeld and Jacob Donahue.
Evan Waters (4-2) picked up the victory, going four innings in relief of starter Keegan Batka. Waters allowed just one hit, a two-run homer in the eighth, while striking out four and walking four.
After surrendering the home run, Waters allowed just one walk the rest of the way. He set down the Rockets in order in the ninth to keep the game tied.
Waters "wasn't super clean," Sabol said. "He'll put guys on, but his stuff is good enough where he can get outs in big moments. Really happy with the way he bounced back after that home run.
"To be able to get us back in there and keep it at a three-run (deficit) and then we were able to chip away and all of the sudden we're in the ninth. That was big. He might not like his stat line, but being able to do what he did gave us a chance in the ninth."
The Chippewas outhit the Rockets, 14-6. Donahue had three hits to extend his hit streak to 14 games, while Stengren and Ely Stuart had two hits each.
Stengren, a senior catcher who has battled injuries throughout his career, hit a two-run homer to highlight CMU's six-run first. It was his first career round-tripper.
The teams play the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday (noon).
Unlikely any finished quite like Saturday's dramatic come-from-behind 10-9 Mid-American Conference win over Toledo on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.
Marquis Jackson tagged up and raced home from third on Nick Dardas' pop fly to shallow right field, diving across home plate with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give CMU the win, one the Chippewas sorely needed after so many walk-off losses this season.
"We've kind of been through it all this year," said Jackson, a senior. "We've gotten walked-off plenty of times. We've given up leads … we've just lost games and we were tired of that. We had a talk and we were like, why don't we come out on top today?"
They did, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 9-9 and then loading the bases in the ninth to set the stage for Dardas' sacrifice fly, which came down only about 130 feet from home plate.
The left-handed hitting Jackson set the table, legging out a one-out, pinch-hit double to right field in the ninth off right-hander Kyle Pjaszek.
Jackson's hit came on a 2-2 fastball up and in, and it snapped a 0-for-23 slump.
"I went through my ups and downs and I figured in that AB, it was enough," Jackson said. I was tired of being down, I was tired of not coming through in big spots for my team and I committed myself to getting it done at that moment and just focused on every single pitch that AB.
"Honestly, I was trying to get it done. I've been struggling and (CMU coach Jake Sabol) trusted me to come in there and do my job. I'm just glad that he put his faith in me to get it done in a big moment like that."
It was a gutsy move by Sabol to summon Jackson, a starter at the beginning of the season who entered the game hitting .075 and has played sparingly over the past month.
"He's been taking better swings in batting practice," Sabol said. "I know he's been frustrated, but I think he's just been kind of waiting for a moment because he's a competitive kid. I just felt he was going to figure out a way to do something.
"I'm proud of him. That's a big moment for that kid and hopefully that gets him rolling."
Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Dardas, who lifted a high popup on a full-count pitch just steps onto the outfield turf in right. Toledo second baseman Scott Mackiewicz caught the ball in an awkward position, his back nearly fully turned to the infield.
Jackson immediately broke for home, looking like the football running back he was at Brother Rice High School in Chicago. His outstretched hands crossed the plate just ahead of the catcher's tag.
"It was kind of agreed on with me and coach that I was going no matter where the ball was put," Jackson said. "I'm going to make that guy make a throw no matter what. I think that's the smart play there, make him make a throw. I believe in my speed; I think a lot of people believe in my speed to where it can be bang-bang if it's not a good throw."
Sabol made the call to send Jackson, a gamble considering that hot-hitting Danny Wuestenfeld was in the on-deck circle.
"Last thing you want to do is make a stupid out on the bases and I think we're at that point right now where we've got to take some chances," Sabol said. "We saw a moment where maybe we could catch (the Rockets) on their heels just a tad there and Marquis has been waiting for his opportunity.
"Obviously (he had) the big hit. When he's on the bases that's what he can do there. We've missed having him in because he can do so many things for us when he's going well so hopefully that gets him going."
Chippewa pinch hitters are 8 for 20 (.400) this season.
"We've done a fairly good job making sure our guys are ready for those situations," Sabol said. "Our guys know the importance of playing the entire game and we finally got one to go our way. They needed that kind of a win to know that they can do it late. You get one of them, maybe you get it going down the stretch. That's an awesome moment for this team."
The final play capped a wildly entertaining game in which CMU jumped a 6-0 first-inning lead and then saw Toledo hit four home runs in surging to a 9-6 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
CMU tied it with three runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Drew Stengren, Wuestenfeld and Jacob Donahue.
Evan Waters (4-2) picked up the victory, going four innings in relief of starter Keegan Batka. Waters allowed just one hit, a two-run homer in the eighth, while striking out four and walking four.
After surrendering the home run, Waters allowed just one walk the rest of the way. He set down the Rockets in order in the ninth to keep the game tied.
Waters "wasn't super clean," Sabol said. "He'll put guys on, but his stuff is good enough where he can get outs in big moments. Really happy with the way he bounced back after that home run.
"To be able to get us back in there and keep it at a three-run (deficit) and then we were able to chip away and all of the sudden we're in the ninth. That was big. He might not like his stat line, but being able to do what he did gave us a chance in the ninth."
The Chippewas outhit the Rockets, 14-6. Donahue had three hits to extend his hit streak to 14 games, while Stengren and Ely Stuart had two hits each.
Stengren, a senior catcher who has battled injuries throughout his career, hit a two-run homer to highlight CMU's six-run first. It was his first career round-tripper.
The teams play the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday (noon).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Waters, Evan (4-2)
L: Kyle Pijaszek (3-2)
Batting:
HR: Scott Mackiewicz 1 ; Garret Pike 1 ; Brayden White 1 ; Trey Wright 1
RBI: Scott Mackiewicz 2 ; Garret Pike 2 ; Brayden White 2 ; Trey Wright 3
SH: Charlie Scholvin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Scott Mackiewicz 2 ; Garret Pike 1 ; Luke Walton 2 ; Brayden White 2 ; Trey Wright 1 ; JP Wagner 1
HBP: Caden Konczak 1
Batting:
2B: Verburg, Spencer 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 1 ; Henning, Elijah 1
HR: Stengren, Drew 1
RBI: Dardas, Nick 1 ; Wuestenfeld, Danny 1 ; Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Stuart, Ely 2 ; Verburg, Spencer 2 ; Stengren, Drew 3
SF: Dardas, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dardas, Nick 1 ; Donahue, Jacob 1 ; Prout, Cole 1 ; Stuart, Ely 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 1 ; Cuthrell, Sandyn 1 ; Jackson, Marquis 1 ; Stengren, Drew 2 ; Henning, Elijah 1
SB: Donahue, Jacob 2 ; Murphy, Mikey 1
HBP: Dardas, Nick 1 ; Prout, Cole 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 1 ; Henning, Elijah 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballC/IF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
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