Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, February 21
San Francisco, Calif.
5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT
Central Michigan University
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Zach Knowlton had three hits and drove in both CMU runs on Friday in the Chippewas' 3-2 loss at San Francisco.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Baseball Drops Tight Series Opener at San Francisco
2/21/2025 11:54:00 PM | Baseball
SAN FRANCISCO – Little little things make a big difference in a tight game.
San Francisco scored two runs in the seventh inning on Friday in handing Central Michigan a 3-2 loss in the opener of a four-game nonconference series at the Dons' Benedetti Diamond.
The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) and conclude the series on Sunday (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT).
The Chippewas (1-4) turned in a much better effort than they did in their final three games of their season-opening four-game series last weekend at Houston Christian.
Things turned in the seventh when the Chippewas turned an apparent inning-ending double play that was nullified by a video replay. One batter later, the Dons scored the tying run on an RBI double and then pushed across the go-ahead run later in the inning on an infield RBI single.
"We're starting to play better," second-year CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "I think those last four or five innings on Sunday at Houston Christian was a great carryover into today.
"It just comes down to not making enough plays. We had a couple of defensive plays that if we could have made late in the game it would have allowed us to keep the game tied and given us a chance. We're just a play or two shy and the more this group plays together I know we're going to make those plays and we're going to be alright. I know the guys are looking forward to tomorrow and getting back out there."
The Chippewas got another solid start from junior left-hander Evan Waters, who allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven and walking four over six innings.
"He was good," Sabol said "He limited the free passes and was able to pitch out of a couple jams. Obviously when you leave with the lead in the seventh inning that's doing your job as a starter. He was good, he gave us a chance and it was fun to watch him do his thing."
USF (3-2) scored its seventh-inning runs, one of which was unearned, off freshman southpaw Max Hammond. Jared Hanson went the final 1 1/3 innings.
"I thought Max Hammond made some really big pitches," Sabol said. "He made a pitch to get the double play that was overturned. It was a momentum shifter. He's going to be pretty good. A freshman coming in and he wanted that moment. We'll run him back out there and he's not going to shy away from that. Hanson came in and kept (the game) where it was.
"Overall on the mound we did enough to give us a chance. Happy with those guys going out there and taking the ball and being competitive for us and it started with (Waters)."
Aaron Piasecki and Zach Knowlton, CMU's Nos. 1 and 2 hitters, respectively, combined for five of CMU's eight hits. Rees Campanale added a double.
Knowlton drove in both Chippewa runs, both coming on two-out singles, the first in the third inning and the second in the fifth.
San Francisco scored two runs in the seventh inning on Friday in handing Central Michigan a 3-2 loss in the opener of a four-game nonconference series at the Dons' Benedetti Diamond.
The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) and conclude the series on Sunday (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT).
The Chippewas (1-4) turned in a much better effort than they did in their final three games of their season-opening four-game series last weekend at Houston Christian.
Things turned in the seventh when the Chippewas turned an apparent inning-ending double play that was nullified by a video replay. One batter later, the Dons scored the tying run on an RBI double and then pushed across the go-ahead run later in the inning on an infield RBI single.
"We're starting to play better," second-year CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "I think those last four or five innings on Sunday at Houston Christian was a great carryover into today.
"It just comes down to not making enough plays. We had a couple of defensive plays that if we could have made late in the game it would have allowed us to keep the game tied and given us a chance. We're just a play or two shy and the more this group plays together I know we're going to make those plays and we're going to be alright. I know the guys are looking forward to tomorrow and getting back out there."
The Chippewas got another solid start from junior left-hander Evan Waters, who allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven and walking four over six innings.
"He was good," Sabol said "He limited the free passes and was able to pitch out of a couple jams. Obviously when you leave with the lead in the seventh inning that's doing your job as a starter. He was good, he gave us a chance and it was fun to watch him do his thing."
USF (3-2) scored its seventh-inning runs, one of which was unearned, off freshman southpaw Max Hammond. Jared Hanson went the final 1 1/3 innings.
"I thought Max Hammond made some really big pitches," Sabol said. "He made a pitch to get the double play that was overturned. It was a momentum shifter. He's going to be pretty good. A freshman coming in and he wanted that moment. We'll run him back out there and he's not going to shy away from that. Hanson came in and kept (the game) where it was.
"Overall on the mound we did enough to give us a chance. Happy with those guys going out there and taking the ball and being competitive for us and it started with (Waters)."
Aaron Piasecki and Zach Knowlton, CMU's Nos. 1 and 2 hitters, respectively, combined for five of CMU's eight hits. Rees Campanale added a double.
Knowlton drove in both Chippewa runs, both coming on two-out singles, the first in the third inning and the second in the fifth.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Quentin Pohorski (1-0)
L: Hammond, Max (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Campanale, Rees 1
RBI: Knowlton, Zach 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Campanale, Rees 1 ; Kwiatkowski, Cole 1
SB: Knowlton, Zach 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 2 ; Kwiatkowski, Cole 1
Batting:
2B: TJ Rogers 1
RBI: TJ Rogers 1 ; Zack Ramppen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jordan Lewis 1 ; TJ Rogers 1 ; Matteo Bellisimo 1
SB: TJ Rogers 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
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H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
LHP
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