Baseball Drops 1-Run Heartbreaker at Eastern Michigan

Saturday, March 28

Ypsilanti, Mich. / Oestrike Stadium

3 p.m.

Central Michigan University

9-14, 0

Eastern Michigan

9-17, 0

Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan

CMU's Joey Milto hit his fourth home run of the season in the Chippewas' 12-11 loss on Saturday at Eastern Michigan.

Photo by: Lauren Verellen

3/28/2026 7:33:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andy Sneddon

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Central Michigan squandered a 9-0 lead and then surrendered two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday in falling to Eastern Michigan, 12-11, in a Mid-American Conference baseball game at the Eagles' Oestrike Stadium.

It marked EMU's second straight walk-off victory over the Chippewas in the three-game series after the Eagles won, 6-5, with a 15^th-inning sacrifice fly on Friday.

The Chippewas slipped to 9-14, 3-8 MAC. Six of their league losses have come by two runs or less.

EMU (9-17, 4-7) and CMU are scheduled to play the series finale on Sunday (1 p.m.).

Eastern trailed, 11-10, with one out and none on in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday. CMU pitcher Kenny Keller hit a batter and then issued a walk and was relieved by freshman right-hander Cameron Niehaus, who got a strikeout.

Ty Stecko, EMU's cleanup hitter, ripped the first pitch he saw from Niehaus down the left-field line to plate the tying and winning runs.

The Chippewas scored two runs in the first inning and seven in the second in building a 9-0 lead. They added two more in the fifth and left the bases loaded in both the seventh and eighth innings.

EMU struck for five runs in the second and five more in the sixth.

Keller (0-2), the third Chippewa pitcher, allowed two runs on two hits and walked two in taking the loss.

CMU starter Hayden Bailey allowed seven runs – three earned – on five hits while walking six and striking out three over 5 2/3 frames.

Joey Milto, Miguel Correa Jr. and Zach Knowlton had two hits apiece for the Chippewas. Milto hit a two-run homer, his fourth round-tripper of the season, in the fifth.

CMU Baseball vs Michigan State (March 24th, 2026)

Baseball Drops Series Finale at Eastern Michigan

Sunday, March 29

Baseball Falls in 15-Inning Marathon in Series Opener at Eastern Michigan

Friday, March 27

Baseball Goes to Eastern for 3-Game MAC Series

Thursday, March 26

Bowman Earns MAC Student-Athlete of the Week Award

Thursday, March 26

Next Event

Eastern Michigan

L, 7-13

Mar 29 (Sun)

1 p.m.

Box Score Recap Watch Listen Live Scoring

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: EGAN, Cole (2-1)

L: Keller, Kenny (0-2)

Central Michigan

Batting:

2B: Keilen, Logan 1 ; Ball, Nathan 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 1

HR: Milto, Joey 1

RBI: Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Milto, Joey 2 ; Keilen, Logan 3 ; Krzciok, Brady 1 ; Correa Jr., Miguel 1 ; Ball, Nathan 2 ; Knowlton, Zach 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Webb, Bryson 2 ; Bowman, Harrison 3 ; Milto, Joey 1 ; Keilen, Logan 1 ; Krzciok, Brady 1 ; Correa Jr., Miguel 1 ; Knowlton, Zach 1 ; Loikits, Drew 1

HBP: Bowman, Harrison 1 ; Keilen, Logan 1 ; Krzciok, Brady 1 ; Loikits, Drew 1

Eastern Michigan

Batting:

2B: MOLESSA, Leewood 1 ; STECKO, Ty 2 ; HALE, John 1

HR: JELLISON, Bruce 1

RBI: MOLESSA, Leewood 3 ; ZIRWAS, Devan 1 ; STECKO, Ty 3 ; JELLISON, Bruce 4 ; KNUPP, Keegan 1

SH: WILLIAMS, TJ 1

SF: JELLISON, Bruce 1

Base Running:

RUNS: WILLIAMS, TJ 2 ; MOLESSA, Leewood 1 ; JONES, Drew 1 ; ZIRWAS, Devan 1 ; STECKO, Ty 2 ; JELLISON, Bruce 1 ; HEIDELBERG, Demir 1 ; KNUPP, Keegan 1 ; HALE, John 2