Hot Bats Lead BG and EMU to Weekday Victories
Tuesday’s Baseball Results
Central Michigan 6, Grand Valley 2
Ohio 1, Marshall 6
Kent State 5, Dayton 12
Eastern Michigan 13, Northwest Ohio 3
Northern Illinois 3, UIC 8
Bowling Green 15, Youngstown 5
Miami 1, Louisville 6
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Central Michigan 6, Grand Valley 2
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan built a 6-1 lead through three innings and used eight pitchers in topping nonleague Grand Valley State, 6-2, on Tuesday in the Chippewas' home opener and the Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium debut of first-year coach Jordan Bischel.
Jason Sullivan singled and doubled and Zach Gilles had two hits as the Chippewas improved to 16-7.
"It's nice to be home," Bischel said. "Twenty-two road games to start the year is a little bit of a challenge for the guys. They had a lot of energy today, which is always nice to see."
The Chippewas finished with seven hits, a relatively low number for a team that came in averaging 11.2 per game and was hitting .307 as a team. Just one of those seven hits went for extra bases.
"Today was probably one of our worst days swinging the bat this spring," Bischel said. "We picked it up by bunting, running the bases, doing the little things."
Ohio 1, Marshall 6
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio Baseball team (5-17, 1-2 MAC) was defeated by Marshall (15-8, 4-2 CUSA), 6-1, on Tuesday night at Bob Wren Stadium.
Redshirt freshman OF Trevor Lukkes (Tustin, Calif.) led the way for Ohio, going 2-for-4 with two singles. Redshirt junior Nathan Mallott (Omaha, Neb.) was 1-for-3 with a single.
Marshall jumped on the scoreboard first when Erik Rodriquez brought home a run on a sacrifice fly to left field in the top of the third.
Ohio tied the game in bottom half of the inning. Sophomore INF Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, Ohio) started the inning with a single to right field and ended up reaching third on an error. Redshirt freshman OF Trevor Lukkes (Tustin, Calif.) knocked home Funderburg with a single.
Funderburg ended the day 1-for-3 with a single and one run scored.
Marshall adds two more runs in the top of the sixth and top of the seventh to go up 5-1.
The Thundering Hurd added one run in the eighth for the final score of 6-1.
Redshirt junior LHP Tony Iero fell to 0-1 after allowing one earned run.
Freshman RHP Braxton Kelly (Ulysses, Ky.) started the game for Ohio and tossed 3.0 innings while allowing one earned run on one hit. Kelly fanned two batters.
Freshman RHP Eamon Horwedel (Ann Arbor, Mich.) tossed a scoreless inning in the ninth. Horwedel struck out the side.
Freshman LHP Joe Rock (Aliquippa, Pa.) and redshirt senior Nick Kamrada (Grand Ledge, Mich.) eached tossed a scoreless inning in the fourth and fifth. Each struck out one batter and faced the minimum.
Sophomore RHP Chace Harris (New Marshfield, Ohio) pitched the sixth and seventh inning and allowed three earned runs while striking out two batters.
Ohio will continue MAC play this weekend when the Bobcats welcome Bowling Green. Ohio will face BG on Friday at 6 p.m., on Saturday 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Kent State 5, Dayton 12
Box Score
DAYTON, Ohio –The Kent State University baseball team dropped a midweek matchup to Dayton, 12-5, at Woerner Field at DP&L Stadium Tuesday afternoon. The Flashes notched ten hits in the loss while Redshirt sophomore Ben Carew led the offense going 3-for-5 at the plate.
The Kent State offense scored five runs on ten hits and two Dayton errors. Carew led with three hits with an RBI and a run scored, while senior Pavin Parks added two hits with a run. Junior Alex Ronnebaum tallied two RBIs and a run on the day and senior Pete Schuler and freshman Grant Vera rounded out the day with an RBI apiece.
The Flyers put up the first run of the day in the bottom of the first inning, however the Flashes tied the game in the top of the third. Schuler came up with a clutch two-out single through the right side to score Carew from second base.
The Flashes went ahead an inning later when junior Alex Ronnebaum smoked a two-run double down the right field line that narrowly stayed in fair territory. Freshman Grant Vera followed with an RBI-single up the middle, scoring Ronnebaum and extending the Kent State lead to 4-1.
Dayton clawed their way back an inning later, scoring four runs with two outs to take a 5-4 lead, however with two outs and a runner at third, Carew legged out an infield single to tie the game in the next frame.
The Flyers secured the win in the bottom of the eighth inning, putting up seven runs to bring the final score to 12-5.
Redshirt freshman Peyton Deats made his second start of the season, tossing 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and just four hits allowed. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Drabick added 3.0 innings of relief, picking up five punch outs. Freshman Max Rippl and redshirt senior Chris Martin each made appearances out of the bullpen to close the game.
Next up, the Flashes will travel to Bloomington, Ind. to face the Hoosiers at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27.
Eastern Michigan 13, Northwest Ohio 3
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team opened its 49th season at Oestrike Stadium on a winning note Tuesday, March 26, defeating the University of Northwestern Ohio, 13-3, in a seven-inning, run-rule shortened contest.
Back on campus following a 23-game road swing encompassing five states, the Eagles (4-19-1, 0-3 MAC) scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to finish off the Racers (8-17-1, 3-1 WHAC).
Junior Zach Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a pair of runs scored. Redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) also went 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBI, and three runs scored, while junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) ended the day 1-for-3 with a two-run double and a run scored. Additionally, sophomore Nate Jones(Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) reached base four times, going 1-for-1 with a single, two walks, an RBI, and a run scored.
Senior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) made his fourth start of the year and tossed four innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out five. Sophomore Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Brother Rice) was credited with his second win of the 2019 campaign after striking out a pair during one scoreless inning of relief.
UNOH opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the first inning, but the Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Timko and Owings reached base to lead off the inning, and scored when Nick Joneslined a double into the gap in left-center. After moving to third when sophomore Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) grounded out, Nick Jones advanced another 90 feet on a passed ball to increase EMU's lead to 3-1.
The Green and White padded their margin with another three-spot an inning later. With runners on the corners and one down, Timko tripled into right-center to drive in Nate Jones and freshman Drake Peggs (Flat Rock, Mich.-Gibraltar Carlson). Owings then singled up the middle past a drawn-in infield to plate Timko and give the Eagles a 6-1 advantage.
EMU continued to pull away with insurance runs in the third and fourth innings. Seniors Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) and John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) drew back-to-back walks before Nate Jones smashed a base hit into center to score Cruz. The lead ballooned to 8-1 after Owings doubled into center, advanced to third on a fly-out, and scored when Kauffman ripped a two-base hit down the right-field line.
The hit parade continued as the Green and White loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth. Timko's infield single to third brought in Nate Jones, while Owings grounded a fielders' choice to short that allowed freshman Stephen Karis (Zionsville, Ind.-Zionsville Community) to score.
Northwestern Ohio eventually trimmed the deficit to 10-3, but the Eagles wrapped up the contest with three runs in the last of the seventh. Sophomore Shane Easter (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Comstock) was plunked with the bases loaded, before redshirt junior Jacob Bolton (Lewis Center, Ohio-Bishop Watterson (Sinclair C.C.)) and redshirt sophomore Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline) picked up consecutive walks to bring the mercy rule into effect.
Eastern Michigan returns to action Wednesday, March 27, as it welcomes Concordia University (Mich.) to Oestrike Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Northern Illinois 3, UIC 8
Box Score
CHICAGO – The Northern Illinois University baseball team had its three-game winning streak snapped at Curtis Granderson Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, losing 8-3 to the UIC Flames.
"It was a disappointing outcome today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We grinded out three runs in the fifth to give ourselves a lead but it wasn't enough. We'll bounce back with a great day of practice tomorrow and be ready to go at Central Michigan this weekend."
NIU's (7-17) Ryan Anderson (Palatine, Ill./McHenry C.C.) and UIC's Braeden Toikka were locked in a pitcher's duel to start Tuesday's game. Toikka scattered three hits in the first four innings with five strikeouts, while Anderson retired the first nine batters he faced in order before a Matt Bottcher leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth. He then hit Ryan Lin-Peistrup with a pitch before a Scott Ota single brought in Bottcher to give UIC a 1-0 lead. The Flames then went up 2-0 as a David Becker sacrifice bunt scored Ota.
The Huskies rallied back in the top of the fifth. Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) and Connor Montgomery (Newport Beach, Calif./Canyon) led off with back-to-back singles. Paddy McKermitt(Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) then reached on a bunt as Larson beat Toikka's throw to third base. With one out, Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) ripped a two-RBI single to right field to tie the game. NIU then took the lead on a Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) sacrifice fly that scored McKermitt and gave the Huskies a 3-2 lead.
UIC (8-11) answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ota delivered a one-out RBI single off Eric Hammer (Rochester, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) to tie the game 3-3. Thomas Smart followed with a double, which led to an NIU pitching change. Blake Walker (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) entered the game and struck out Becker for the second out. Thomas Hampe then laced a double down the left field line, scoring Ota and Smart to give the Flames a 5-3 lead. UIC loaded the bases with a walk and a single, then grew the lead to 6-3 on a Dominic Smith walk. The Flames added two runs in the seventh to go up 8-3.
"Ryan Anderson gave us a quality start today," Kunigonis said. "He put us in a great spot to have a chance to win. It was nice to see that from him."
After scoring three runs in the fifth, NIU was held to two hits in the final four innings. Hammer took the loss for NIU, allowing two runs in 1.1 innings. Anderson allowed two runs on two hits in four innings. Larson and Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) each went 2-for-4 at the plate. Tuesday marked Dunham's fourth straight game with at least two hits.
NIU goes on the road this weekend for a three-game MAC series at Central Michigan, beginning Friday at 2 p.m.
Bowling Green 15, Youngstown 5
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team registered 17 hits en route to a 15-5 victory over Youngstown State University on Tuesday (March 26) afternoon at Steller Field. Bowling Green scored three runs in the bottom of the first and led the rest of the way to secure its fourth-straight win.
After taking a 3-0 lead after one, the Falcons broke the game open with a five-run second. Bowling Green went on to plate one in the third, three in the fourth, one in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Gage Schenk picked up his first-career win, as he allowed two hits and one run over 3.0 innings of work. Damon Egnor and Daniel Buratto worked scoreless appearances, as well, logging 2.0 innings and 1.1 innings, respectively.
Eight different Falcons recorded at least one hit on the day, led by a 4-for-6 effort from Dylan Dohanos. Mike Malewitz and Ty Suntken posted three hits apiece, while Brad Croy and Neil Lambert each had two hits. Cam Daugherty led the Falcons with three runs scored.
Miami 1, Louisville 6
Box Score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Miami University baseball team outhit 11th-ranked Louisville 6-5 on Tuesday, but four errors and seven walks helped the Cardinals take a 6-1 victory. The RedHawks fall to 18-5 on the season, while Louisville improves to 19-6.
Miami got on the board first with a run in the top of the second. Junior shortstop Will Vogelgesang reached second base after the Louisville left fielder dropped a fly ball. A double down the right field line by senior right fielder Mackay Williams brought him home and made it 1-0 in favor of the RedHawks.
Two hits, an error and four walks allowed the Cardinals to score four runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Junior pitcher Nick Urbantke came into the game and pitched well in relief, allowing only three hits in four innings, but a pair of errors in the bottom of the fourth scored two for Louisville and completed the scoring for the night.
Junior third baseman Landon Stephens and junior first baseman Charlie Harrigan both finished 2-for-4 for Miami, each hitting a double.
The RedHawks return to Mid-American Conference play this weekend when they welcome Eastern Michigan to McKie Field at Hayden Park. Friday's game begins at 5 p.m., Saturday's starts at 4 p.m. and Sunday's first pitch is at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on RedHawks All-Access for those who have a subscription.
