Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, February 20
Nashville, Tenn. / E.S. Rose Park
2 p.m. (ET)
Central Michigan University
4-1
9
at
3
Belmont
1-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Central Mich.
0
2
0
6
0
0
1
0
9
9
0
Belmont
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
3
13
2
Brady Krzciok hit his first homer of the season on Friday as the Chippewas split a doubleheader at Belmont.
Photo by: Julia Bice '22,M'24 - @jb.jpg10
Chippewas Split on Opening Day of 4-Game Set at Belmont
2/20/2026 11:53:00 PM | Baseball
CMU plays small ball in winning opener; Krzciok homers in the nightcap
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Central Michigan played small ball and its pitchers held the fort despite surrendering 13 hits on Friday as the Chippewas downed Belmont, 9-3, in the opener of a nonconference doubleheader at the Bruins' E.S. Rose Park.
A pair of Belmont left-handers held the Chippewas to six hits as the Bruins took the nightcap, 5-2, ending CMU's win streak at four games.
The Chippewas (4-2) and Bruins (2-4) play game three of their four-game series on Saturday (2 p.m.) and close the series on Sunday.
CMU took advantage of two Belmont errors and used a safety squeeze in scoring twice in the second inning of the opener, and then broke the game open with a six-runs fourth.
The Chippewas sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth when they used five hits – all singles – a hit batter, a walk and a sacrifice fly to score their runs. Miguel Correa Jr.'s two-run single was the big blow in the frame.
"Last week I felt like we were on the barrel all weekend and scored in some big ways and we kind of had to manufacture a little bit today," CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "It was good to see us be able to do that. We can score in different ways depending on who's in there in the lineup."
Chippewa pitchers Hayden Bailey and Jack Potteiger allowed 13 hits, but they combined to strike out nine and continually pitched out of trouble. The Bruins stranded 13 baserunners.
"It was good because we needed to kind of get through that game only using a couple of guys," Sabol said. "Hayden wasn't super sharp, but he made some pitches when he needed to, and Jack, it was the same thing. Those guys made some pitches when they needed to and we played good defense.
"Offensively we put pressure on them and that allowed us to have a big inning there. I thought we picked up from where we left off from last weekend, which was really encouraging."
Logan Keilen had an RBI single in the second inning and Brady Krzciok homered in the fourth to give the Chippewas a 2-0 lead in the nightcap. It was Krzciok's first home run of the season.
Belmont scored four runs in the fifth to seize the lead. Belmont starter Tate Marland struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings and Ridge Harvey fanned three over the final 2 2/3.
"Once they took the lead and got some momentum, their pitchers locked in and kind of shut us down," Sabol said. "Their starter threw the ball well and the kid they brought in in relief, a freshman, he was tough. He gave us fits. He had good stuff. Really that was the story of it."
Chippewa starter Jared Hanson allowed four runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings and took the loss. Gavin Moczydkowski and Kenny Keller pitched in relief.
A pair of Belmont left-handers held the Chippewas to six hits as the Bruins took the nightcap, 5-2, ending CMU's win streak at four games.
The Chippewas (4-2) and Bruins (2-4) play game three of their four-game series on Saturday (2 p.m.) and close the series on Sunday.
CMU took advantage of two Belmont errors and used a safety squeeze in scoring twice in the second inning of the opener, and then broke the game open with a six-runs fourth.
The Chippewas sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth when they used five hits – all singles – a hit batter, a walk and a sacrifice fly to score their runs. Miguel Correa Jr.'s two-run single was the big blow in the frame.
"Last week I felt like we were on the barrel all weekend and scored in some big ways and we kind of had to manufacture a little bit today," CMU coach Jake Sabol said. "It was good to see us be able to do that. We can score in different ways depending on who's in there in the lineup."
Chippewa pitchers Hayden Bailey and Jack Potteiger allowed 13 hits, but they combined to strike out nine and continually pitched out of trouble. The Bruins stranded 13 baserunners.
"It was good because we needed to kind of get through that game only using a couple of guys," Sabol said. "Hayden wasn't super sharp, but he made some pitches when he needed to, and Jack, it was the same thing. Those guys made some pitches when they needed to and we played good defense.
"Offensively we put pressure on them and that allowed us to have a big inning there. I thought we picked up from where we left off from last weekend, which was really encouraging."
Logan Keilen had an RBI single in the second inning and Brady Krzciok homered in the fourth to give the Chippewas a 2-0 lead in the nightcap. It was Krzciok's first home run of the season.
Belmont scored four runs in the fifth to seize the lead. Belmont starter Tate Marland struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings and Ridge Harvey fanned three over the final 2 2/3.
"Once they took the lead and got some momentum, their pitchers locked in and kind of shut us down," Sabol said. "Their starter threw the ball well and the kid they brought in in relief, a freshman, he was tough. He gave us fits. He had good stuff. Really that was the story of it."
Chippewa starter Jared Hanson allowed four runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings and took the loss. Gavin Moczydkowski and Kenny Keller pitched in relief.
Team Stats
Batting:
RBI: Prout, Cole 1 ; Webb, Bryson 1 ; Smith, Cayden 1 ; Correa Jr., Miguel 2 ; Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Loikits, Drew 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 2
SH: Verburg, Spencer 1
SF: Bowman, Harrison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Prout, Cole 1 ; Smith, Cayden 1 ; Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Krzciok, Brady 2 ; Keilen, Logan 1 ; Verburg, Spencer 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 1 ; Potteiger, Jack 1
SB: Loikits, Drew 1 ; Potteiger, Jack 1
HBP: Prout, Cole 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 1
PO: Smith, Cayden 1
Batting:
2B: L. Godsey 1 ; C. McMeans 1
RBI: C. McMeans 1 ; D. Spoto 1
SH: D. Spoto 1
Base Running:
RUNS: B. Langlotz 1 ; M. Lareau 1 ; C. McMeans 1
HBP: N. Stinson 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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RHP
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LHP
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LHP
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