Chippewas Win Fifth Straight
Saturday’s Baseball Results
Central Michigan 12, Prairie View 3
NIU 7, Belmont 5
Coastal Carolina 8, Kent State 2
California Baptist 7, Ohio 4
California Baptist 4, Ohio 1
Ball State 7, Alabama 4 (Suspended 2/24)
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Central Michigan 12, Prairie View 3
Boxscore
BEAUMONT, Texas – A five-run first inning set the tone as the Central Michigan baseball team ran its win streak to five games on Saturday with a 12-3 victory over Prairie View A&M in the Lamar Cardinal Classic at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
"It's always good to get a win," said coach Jordan Bischel. "We are still learning to play with a consistent energy level, but each game gives us another opportunity to learn.
The win lifted CMU to 5-2 and 3-0 in the Classic. The Chippewas close the event on Sunday (2 p.m.) against Lamar.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chippewas struck in the first inning with an RBI single from Griffin Lockwood-Powelland a Jacob Crumgrand slam for a 5-0 lead.
Zach Gillesupped CMU's lead to 6-1 with a second-inning RBI double, and the CMU scored two more runs in the seventh and four in the eighth to turn it into a rout.
Chase Rollinsingled in two runs in the seventh for the Chippewas, and then Lockwood-Powell had an RBI single in the eighth, followed by an Evan Kratttwo-run double and a Crum run-scoring single.
AT THE PLATE
Zavier Warren, Crum and Jason Sullivaneach collected three hits, while Lockwood-Powell had two. CMU pounded out 15 hits, upping their hit total to 35 in their three games in Beaumont.
ON THE MOUND
Junior left-hander Tyler Hankinsallowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out three over 5 1/3 innings for the win.
Jack Collins, Ian Leathermanand Grant Frazercombined for 3 2/3 shutout innings of relief.
Derrick Curry took the loss, allowing six runs (one earned) over 5 2/3 innings.
NIU 7, Belmont 5
Boxscore
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team won its second consecutive game on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Belmont Bruins 7-5 at E.S. Rose Park.
"It was another good win today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "Mike [Lasiewicz] gave us a very good start and a chance to win right out of the gate. Offensively, we battled all day and had some very clutch at-bats."
Michael Lasiewicz(McHenry, Ill./McHenry) earned his first win of the season, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings. The sophomore struck out seven Bruins with one walk and two hit-by-pitch. Nate Thomas(South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) posted his first save of the year with two shutout innings of relief. At the plate, Tommy Szczasny(Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) and Connor Montgomery(Newport Beach, Calif./Canyon) each had two RBI. Shortstop Dylan Lonteen(Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
NIU (2-4) staked Lasiewicz to a 3-0 lead before he even stepped on the mound. Brendan Joyce(South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) led off the game with a single, then advanced to second base on a groundout by Lonteen. Szczasny drove in Joyce with an RBI base hit to center for the game's first run. With two on and two out, Jordan Larson(Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) was hit by pitch by Belmont starter Kyle Brennan to load the bases. Montgomery then delivered a two-run base hit through the right side, scoring Szczasny and Jake Dunham(Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) to put the Huskies up by three.
Lasiewicz did his part to keep NIU in front, retiring the first six batters he faced with three strikeouts. NIU took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third when Dunham and Kam Smith(Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the frame. Smith put the Huskies ahead 5-0 when he scored on a two-out wild pitch. NIU scored another two-out run in the top of the fourth, as a Szczasny single drove in Lonteen from second base to make the score 6-0.
Belmont (1-4) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. With runners at first and second with two out, Jackson Campbell laced a triple to left centerfield, driving in Hunter Holland and Tommy Crider to put the score at 6-2. Lasiewicz allowed one hit in the fifth and the sixth to keep the Huskies' lead at four. The Bruins cut the deficit to one run in the bottom of the seventh. Logan Jarvis led off with an infield single off NIU reliever Eric Hammer(Rochester, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley). Grayson Taylor then doubled to left field, scoring Jarvis from first to make the score 6-3. Zach Ehrhart followed with an RBI triple to get Belmont within two, 6-4. Chas Hadden then grounded out to Paddy McKermitt(Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) at second base, bringing in Ehrhart to make the score 6-5. Hammer got out of the inning by getting Crider to ground out and Holland to foul out.
NIU got a run back in the top of the eighth. Lonteen hit a two-out single to left field, scoring McKermitt to make the score 7-5. Thomas retired the side in Belmont's half of the eighth, striking out two Bruins. After hitting Taylor with a pitch in the ninth, Thomas locked down the win with a fielder's choice and a strike out of Hadden.
Nine of the Huskies' 13 hits Saturday came from its 2-through-5 hitters in the lineup – Lonteen, Szczasny, Dunham, and Smith. NIU also scored five of its seven runs with two outs.
"We need to build on this momentum heading into tomorrow's game and be ready for a very good Austin Peay team," Kunigonis said.
NIU wraps up its weekend in Tennessee on Sunday, Feb. 24 with a 1 p.m. game at Austin Peay.
Coastal Carolina 8, Kent State 2
Boxscore
CONWAY, S.C. –The Kent State University baseball team (0-5) dropped its fifth straight game in a 8-2 loss to No. 21 Coastal Carolina (7-0) Saturday at the Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach tournament at Springs Brooks Stadium. The Flashes out-hit the Chanticleers with ten hits, and sophomore Greg Lewandoskiled the Flashes with a season-high three hits on the day.
No. 21 Coastal Carolina is also ranked No. 19 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Poll.
The Flashes fell behind 7-0 early as the Chants scored two runs in the third, and added five in a big third inning.
Kent State responded with two in the top of the fifth, but would not score the remainder of the game. Lewandoski led off the top of the fifth with a sharp single up the middle, and redshirt sophomore Ben Carewfollowed with a one-out single to left field. Touchette tallied the first RBI of the game with a single up the middle to score Lewandoski. Both Carew and Touchette then advanced on a overthrown pickoff attempt, setting up freshman Collin Mathewsfor an RBI single to left to score the Flashes' final run of the game.
Lewandoski went 3-for-4 at the plate, and both Touchette and Carew added two hits apiece. Six batters recorded a hit, however the Flashes left 11 runners on base on the day.
Junior John Matthewssuffered his second loss on the mound, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing eight runs. Trevor Pittmanand senior Pavin Parkseach made relief appearances, adding four strikeouts out of the bullpen.
The Flashes will round out the Conway, S.C. portion of the 14-game road stint to open the 2019 campaign Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., facing Michigan State (1-5) for the first time in program history.
California Baptist 7, Ohio 4 - Boxscore
California Baptist 4, Ohio 1 - Boxscore
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Ohio Baseball team (1-5) dropped both games of its doubleheader with California Baptist (8-0) today at Totman Stadium. Ohio lost the first game, 7-4, and the second game, 4-1. The Bobcats will wrap up the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
GAME 1
Ohio was led by freshman C/INF Zyon Avery(Indianapolis, Ind.) in game one, who hit his first career home run in the fourth inning for the Bobcats. Avery finished 1-for-4 with the home run and one RBI. Redshirt junior C Nathan Mallott(Omaha, Neb.) was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Bobcats jumped on the board in the first inning when sophomore OF Sebastain Fabik (Lebanon, Ohio) scored on a wild pitch. Fabik reached on a hit-by-pitch and moved over on a stolen base and infield single by senior INF Rudy Rott(Holmen, Wis.).
Rott finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk and single.
California Baptist answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning and tacked on two more in the third to give the Lancers a 4-1 advantage.
The Bobcats trimmed the lead to 4-2 on the Avery home run that led off the inning.
CBU scored one run in the fifth and sixth inning to go ahead 6-2.
Ohio posted two runs in the top of the seventh. Redshirt junior OF Ryan Sargent(Algonquin, Ill.) started the inning off with a double to left field. Junior INF Trevor Hafner(Perrysburg, Ohio) reached on an error, allowing Sargent to score. A Mallott double brought home Hafner, who had advanced into scoring position on the previous play.
Sargent's day ended at 1-for-4 with a double and one run scored. Hafner reached base twice during the first game and was 1-for-4 with a single and run scored.
Cal Baptist was able to add one more run in the eighth for the final score of 7-4.
Freshman LHP Joe Rock(Aliquippa, Pa.) was given the loss after tossing 5.0 innings as Ohio's starter. Rock allowed four earned runs and five overall while striking out four batters. Rock is now 1-1 this season. Rock has tossed 7.2 innings and stuckout seven batters.
Freshman RHP Matt Brosky(Strongsville, Ohio) threw 1.2 innings of relief and allowed 1 earned run and two hits. Redshirt senior Nick Kamrada(Grand Ledge, Mich.) finished the game for Ohio on the mound after pitching 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run while striking out one batter.
GAME 2
Ohio allowed just one earned run in the 4-1 loss to Cal Baptist. Redshirt freshman RHP Jack Liberatore(Greensburg, Pa.) had the tough-luck loss for the Bobcats after throwing 5.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Liberatore fanned seven batters and allowed just four hits, but three runs scored with Liberatore on the mound. Liberatore dropped to 0-1 on the season and has a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched this season.
Junior LHP Nick Byrnes(Cincinnati, Ohio) fanned both batters he faced in 0.2 innings of relief. Sophomore LHP Brett Manispitched a perfect seventh inning, striking out two batters while not allowing a runner to reach base. Sophomore Edward Kutt IV(Westlake, Calif.) tossed the eighth inning and allowed one earned run.
After two scoreless innings, the Bobcats broke open the scoring in the top of the third. With one out, freshman INF Ryan Strittmather(Vermilion, Ohio) was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on an Aaron Levy(Cincinnati, Ohio) single through the right side of the infield. Strittmather scored to take a 1-0 lead when Rott reached on an error by the second baseman.
CBU answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and was able to tack on one run in the bottom of the eighth.
Redshirt sophomore Dan McCauley(Pittsburgh, Pa.) was 2-for-3 with a double in the second game of the twin bill. Redshirt freshman OF Trevor Lukkesand Levy both had singles for Ohio.
The Bobcats will wrap up the series on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Ball State 7, Alabama 4 (Suspended 2/24)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Saturday baseball matchup between Ball State and Alabama has been postponed. The two teams will resume play on Sunday at noon ET (11 a.m. CT).
Saturday's game entered a rain delay following the final out of the top of the seventh inning with Ball State holding a 7-4 lead. Today's game will resume on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the bottom of the seventh with Alabama coming to the plate. Sunday's second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the final out of game one.
