Chippewas Bounce Back With Run-Rule Victory Over Davenport

Monday, April 14

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

3 p.m.

Central Michigan University

Davenport

CMU's Mikey Murphy (1) is congratulated by coach Jake Sabol as he rounds third on his way home after his three-run homer Monday at Theunissen Stadium.

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

4/14/2025 7:11:00 PM | Baseball

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Murphy, Smith homer; CMU looks to big weekend MAC series with Miami (Ohio)

By: Andy Sneddon

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – No better way to bounce back than to get back on the horse as soon as possible.

Mikey Murphy and Cayden Smith homered to lead a 14-hit attack as the Central Michigan baseball team topped Davenport, 14-4, in a nonconference game on Monday on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.

The game was called after seven innings on the run rule. CMU (15-22) won for the third time in its last four starts and rebounded from a 7-6 Mid-American Conference loss at Akron on Sunday.

The Chippewas led, 6-2, when Akron scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand CMU a heartbreaking loss after it had taken the first two games of the series and stood three outs from a conference series sweep.

"I think (Sunday) was just demoralizing for all the guys just because they had worked so hard for 27 innings all weekend to put ourselves in that position and it slipped right out of our hands," CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "And there's not a better way to get over it than to get right back after it."

The Panthers (25-11) are ranked 25^th in NCAA Division II.

"I thought it was going to be a challenge," Sabol said. "That's a top 25 Division II team and we're coming off a tough loss and (our guys) answered the bell, they responded.

"We played well and got some good performances from a lot of guys and that's exactly what we needed to see. We feel pretty good about it."

Murphy hit a three-run homer to highlight CMU's six-run second inning. Smith hit a two-run shot during a four-run fourth to up the Chippewas' lead to 11-3. CMU tacked on three more in the fifth, highlighted by Cole Prout's two-run double.

It was Murphy's third homer of the season and Smith's fourth.

Smith and Nathan Ball led the Chippewa attack with three hits apiece.

CMU starter Hayden Bailey (3-1) struck out three and allowed seven hits over six innings for the victory, his third in his last four starts. The six innings marked his longest outing of the season.

"He's getting better and better and on short rest, we said 'you good to go tomorrow?' and he said yes and that's the mentality that we need, we want guys who want the ball," Sabol said. "And I thought he got better and better as the game went on.

"He's going to give up his share of hits, but I think he did a good job of limiting today and if he can do that in a midweek setting for us, I like where we're going to be at during those games. It's fun to see him get better and better."

The Chippewas have two days off and then welcome Miami (Ohio) for a three-game MAC series beginning on Thursday.

The Chippewas are 7-8 and in sixth place in the conference; the RedHawks are 14-4 in MAC play and in second place. The top six teams earn a berth in the league tournament. CMU is one-game ahead of seventh-place Western Michigan.

"It's a big one," Sabol said. "We can prepare all we want for them, but we've got to play our style of baseball more than anything.

"I just told them it's going to be a fun weekend for them. We're anchored right in the middle of the standings and it's a chance to do some damage.

"We've just got to play well. We've got to pitch it well, we've got to swing it well, we've got to play good defense and play a complete nine innings. Just worry about Thursday before we move into the rest of the weekend. Today was a nice start to the week, getting back on the right track and in a good mental spot and we get ready to go play on Thursday."