Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, February 14
Carrollton, Ga. / Cole Field
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
2-1
15
at
6
West Georgia
1-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Central Mich.
3
1
4
0
3
0
0
3
1
15
16
1
West Ga.
0
0
3
0
0
0
2
1
0
6
13
2
Senior Cole Prout hit a grand slam in CMU's 6-1 victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader sweep at West Georgia on Saturday.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen
Bats and Arms: Baseball Sweeps West Georgia to Take Season-Opening Series
2/14/2026 9:36:00 PM | Baseball
Chippewas pound out 16 hits in the opener, ride outstanding pitching in the nightcap
CARROLLTON, Ga. – Game 1 belonged to the hitters. The nightcap was all about pitching.
Cole Prout hit a grand slam and four Central Michigan pitchers combined on a four-hitter on Saturday as the Chippewas topped West Georgia, 6-1, at the Wolves' Cole Field to complete the sweep of a doubleheader and notch the season-opening series win.
CMU (3-1) hit three home runs among 16 hits in rolling to a 15-6 win in Saturday's series opener.
After dropping the first game of the series, 11-3, the Chippewas outscored the Wolves, 38-13, in winning the final three games.
The Chippewas go to Belmont in Nashville next weekend.
"It gives us a lot of momentum and kind of shows these guys what they're capable of doing," CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "We spent the last four-and-a-half weeks (practicing) inside, not taking a single rep outside, and to be able to come down here and do what they did against a team that's been outside for a while and getting those reps was just remarkable to see.
"We did a lot of really good things across the board. It was very encouraging. I wanted to come out of this weekend having played good baseball, regardless of the wins and losses. To be able to snag three (wins), take the series … we checked off a lot of those boxes.
"We're in a pretty good spot right now, but we're not satisfied. We've got to get better these next three or four days heading into Belmont and try to see if we can do it again and replicate the weekend against somebody else.
"This is a really good group. They're bought in. They're committed. And they had a ton of fun the entire time. It was a good start for us."
Freshman Luke Neiswonger was outstanding in his first career start for CMU in game 2. He allowed just one hit while striking out eight and walking one over five innings.
The hit, a single, came with one out in the first inning. He then issued his one and only walk. The Chippewas ended the threat with a double play.
Neiswonger then set down the Wolves in order in each ensuing inning.
"It was just fun to watch him compete," Sabol said. "Once he got through that first inning, we got that big double play there, he settled in.
"He was throwing two, three pitches for strikes. The fastball was buzzing a little bit, and he had a little presence about him out there. Sometimes it's a sense of belonging, 'Can I do it? Do I have the stuff to get people out? And am I going to take my lumps?'
"I think once he kind of settled in, he started to realize, 'Well, holy cow, my stuff is really good.'
"We've got high expectations for him. He went out there and did a great job today. To have someone like that, even though he was making his college debut, was a huge boost for us."
Relievers Tyson Potts, Jake Brown and Liam Stumpf followed, with Potts and Brown pitching out of one-out bases-loaded jams in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Stumpf surrendered a two-out homer in the ninth.
Combined, the trio struck out eight, walked three, and surrendered three hits.
"Huge, huge," Sabol said of the bullpen's performance. "Potts has been a starter (at Wayland Baptist) for three years. And I'm not sure that he's had a relief appearance since his freshman year.
"Their experience is just key in those scenarios. They don't let the game speed up, they don't panic. They made pitches with runners on when they needed to.
"Those guys stepped up. They earned the opportunity and they took advantage of it. It was fun to see."
Prout's second-inning grand slam – a no-doubter to right-center -- and Joey Milto's third-inning solo shot gave the Chippewa pitchers all the support they would need.
All six of CMU's runs came with two out.
Harrison Bowman, Zach Knowlton and Bryson Webb each homered in the opener. Knowlton's homer was a three-run blast, while Bowman and Greg Guzik finished with three hits apiece.
Knowlton and Brady Krzciok drove in four runs each.
Krzciok's two-run double highlighted a three-run first. Bowman, who homered twice in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, cleared the wall leading off the third, and then Prout added a two-run double later in the inning, after which the Chippewas led, 8-0.
The Chippewas scored a combined 17 runs in the first three innings of their three wins in the series.
"It allows you to play a little bit more freely as the game goes on," Sabol said of getting the early lead. "Take a few more chances, run the bases a little bit more aggressively. It allows your hitters to maybe feel a little bit more comfortable when it's a four-run lead, a five-run lead, a six-run lead, where the weight of the world isn't on your shoulders every single swing.
"It's the same with the pitchers. They're able to be on attack mode a little bit more. Playing with the lead, that's in all sports, is such a big deal."
Starter and winner Cayden Smith allowed three runs on six hits, struck out three and walked over five innings for the victory. Nate Ross and Max Hammond each threw two innings of relief.
Cole Prout hit a grand slam and four Central Michigan pitchers combined on a four-hitter on Saturday as the Chippewas topped West Georgia, 6-1, at the Wolves' Cole Field to complete the sweep of a doubleheader and notch the season-opening series win.
CMU (3-1) hit three home runs among 16 hits in rolling to a 15-6 win in Saturday's series opener.
After dropping the first game of the series, 11-3, the Chippewas outscored the Wolves, 38-13, in winning the final three games.
The Chippewas go to Belmont in Nashville next weekend.
"It gives us a lot of momentum and kind of shows these guys what they're capable of doing," CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "We spent the last four-and-a-half weeks (practicing) inside, not taking a single rep outside, and to be able to come down here and do what they did against a team that's been outside for a while and getting those reps was just remarkable to see.
"We did a lot of really good things across the board. It was very encouraging. I wanted to come out of this weekend having played good baseball, regardless of the wins and losses. To be able to snag three (wins), take the series … we checked off a lot of those boxes.
"We're in a pretty good spot right now, but we're not satisfied. We've got to get better these next three or four days heading into Belmont and try to see if we can do it again and replicate the weekend against somebody else.
"This is a really good group. They're bought in. They're committed. And they had a ton of fun the entire time. It was a good start for us."
Freshman Luke Neiswonger was outstanding in his first career start for CMU in game 2. He allowed just one hit while striking out eight and walking one over five innings.
The hit, a single, came with one out in the first inning. He then issued his one and only walk. The Chippewas ended the threat with a double play.
Neiswonger then set down the Wolves in order in each ensuing inning.
"It was just fun to watch him compete," Sabol said. "Once he got through that first inning, we got that big double play there, he settled in.
"He was throwing two, three pitches for strikes. The fastball was buzzing a little bit, and he had a little presence about him out there. Sometimes it's a sense of belonging, 'Can I do it? Do I have the stuff to get people out? And am I going to take my lumps?'
"I think once he kind of settled in, he started to realize, 'Well, holy cow, my stuff is really good.'
"We've got high expectations for him. He went out there and did a great job today. To have someone like that, even though he was making his college debut, was a huge boost for us."
Relievers Tyson Potts, Jake Brown and Liam Stumpf followed, with Potts and Brown pitching out of one-out bases-loaded jams in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Stumpf surrendered a two-out homer in the ninth.
Combined, the trio struck out eight, walked three, and surrendered three hits.
"Huge, huge," Sabol said of the bullpen's performance. "Potts has been a starter (at Wayland Baptist) for three years. And I'm not sure that he's had a relief appearance since his freshman year.
"Their experience is just key in those scenarios. They don't let the game speed up, they don't panic. They made pitches with runners on when they needed to.
"Those guys stepped up. They earned the opportunity and they took advantage of it. It was fun to see."
Prout's second-inning grand slam – a no-doubter to right-center -- and Joey Milto's third-inning solo shot gave the Chippewa pitchers all the support they would need.
All six of CMU's runs came with two out.
Harrison Bowman, Zach Knowlton and Bryson Webb each homered in the opener. Knowlton's homer was a three-run blast, while Bowman and Greg Guzik finished with three hits apiece.
Knowlton and Brady Krzciok drove in four runs each.
Krzciok's two-run double highlighted a three-run first. Bowman, who homered twice in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, cleared the wall leading off the third, and then Prout added a two-run double later in the inning, after which the Chippewas led, 8-0.
The Chippewas scored a combined 17 runs in the first three innings of their three wins in the series.
"It allows you to play a little bit more freely as the game goes on," Sabol said of getting the early lead. "Take a few more chances, run the bases a little bit more aggressively. It allows your hitters to maybe feel a little bit more comfortable when it's a four-run lead, a five-run lead, a six-run lead, where the weight of the world isn't on your shoulders every single swing.
"It's the same with the pitchers. They're able to be on attack mode a little bit more. Playing with the lead, that's in all sports, is such a big deal."
Starter and winner Cayden Smith allowed three runs on six hits, struck out three and walked over five innings for the victory. Nate Ross and Max Hammond each threw two innings of relief.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Cayden (1-0)
L: E. Quiles (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Prout, Cole 1 ; Krzciok, Brady 1 ; Loikits, Drew 1
HR: Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Webb, Bryson 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 1
RBI: Prout, Cole 2 ; Correa Jr., Miguel 1 ; Krzciok, Brady 4 ; Bowman, Harrison 2 ; Webb, Bryson 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 4
SH: Knowlton, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Prout, Cole 2 ; Keilen, Logan 2 ; Krzciok, Brady 1 ; Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Milto, Joey 2 ; Webb, Bryson 1 ; Loikits, Drew 1 ; Guzik II, Greg 3 ; Knowlton, Zach 2
SB: Correa Jr., Miguel 1 ; Milto, Joey 3 ; Guzik II, Greg 2 ; Knowlton, Zach 1
HBP: Prout, Cole 1 ; Milto, Joey 1 ; Guzik II, Greg 1
Batting:
2B: F. Cruz 1 ; A. Lewis 1 ; D. Bell 1
3B: P. McCulloug 1
HR: D. Bell 1
RBI: F. Cruz 2 ; G. Young 1 ; A. Lewis 1 ; D. Bell 2
Base Running:
RUNS: F. Cruz 2 ; G. Wuerth 1 ; J. Bowman 1 ; D. Bell 2
SB: G. Wuerth 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
IF/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF/OF
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