Sunday’s Baseball Results
Bowling Green 4, Western Michigan 3
Western Michigan 4, Bowling Green 2
Ohio 8, Eastern Michigan 2
Ohio 6, Eastern Michigan 3
Kent State 10, Northern Illinois 3
Ball State 6, Miami 1
Miami 7, Ball State 5
Central Michigan 7, Toledo 1
Central Michigan 18, Toledo 3
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Bowling Green 4, Western Michigan 3 -- Boxscore
Western Michigan 4, Bowling Green 2 – Boxscore
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team split a doubleheader on Easter Sunday at Steller Field with the Western Michigan University Broncos. After Ty Suntken's walk-off single gave the Falcons a 4-3 win in the first game of the day, WMU claimed the weekend series with a 4-2 win in the night cap.
BGSU entered the bottom of the nighth inning down, 3-2, in the first game of the afternoon. After a Riley Minorik walk and sacrifice bunt, Jake Wilson singled home Minorik to knot the ballgame. Brad Croy proceeded to single to left, and then Neil Lambert walked to load the bases. A fly out gave WMU two outs, but Suntken stepped up to the plate and single into left field to give Bowling Green the walk-off win.
Will MacLean picked up the win for the Orange and Brown, as he pitched 4.0 innings of one-hit baseball in relief of Tyler Hays, who struck out seven and surrendered three runs over 5.0 innings on the mound. MacLean allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out four.
The Falcons were five outs away from the doubleheader sweep, but Western Michigan scored three runs in the top of the eighth to steal one away from the Falcons. A single with one out in the inning tied the game at 2-2, and then a two-run single from Nate Grys propelled the Broncos to victory.
Chase Antle got the start, and did not allow a hit over 4.0 innings. Antle struck out six and took the no-decision. In fact, the Falcons did not allow a hit until the top of the sixth inning. Bowling Green's only offense in the second game was provided by Jeff Scott, who hit a two-run bomb in the first to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead.
Bowling Green is now 13-22 on the season following the split. The Falcons are 6-9 in Mid-American Conference play. Western Michigan is 13-23 (6-7 MAC).
Ohio 8, Eastern Michigan 2 -- Boxscore
Ohio 6, Eastern Michigan 3 – Boxscore
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Ohio Baseball team (13-24, 8-7 MAC) completed the sweep of Eastern Michigan (8-32-1, 3-12 MAC), after winning both games of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Oestrike Stadium. Ohio won the first game, 8-2, and won the second game, 6-3, behind a complete game effort from senior RHP Kenny Ogg (Indianapolis, Ind.).
GAME ONE – Ohio 8, EMU 2 (Box Score PDF)
Junior INF Trevor Hafner (Perrysburg, Ohio) led the way for the Bobcats at the plate after knocking in three RBI on a 2-for-3 day with a triple.
Redshirt freshman Jack Liberatore (Greensburg, Pa.) was the winner for Ohio after pitching 6.1 innings. Liberatore tossed two earned runs and struck out four batters. Liberatore improved to 5-4 this year. Liberatore now has a 2.52 ERA this season and has struckout a team best 44 batters.
Ohio jumped on the board first in game one when
Redshirt freshman INF Michael Richardson (Cambridge, Md.) singled through the right side to score sophomore INF Aaron Levy (Cincinnati, Ohio). Levy reached with a double down the right field line.
Richardson knocked in two RBI during the game and was 3-for-4 with a two runs scored added to his two RBI.
EMU tied the game in the bottom of the second with a Taylor Hopkins single to right field.
The Bobcats retook the lead in the fourth inning with a single to right of their own, this time from redshirt junior Nathan Mallott (Omaha, Neb.) that scored sophomore INF Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, Ohio).
Mallott reached base twice in the win and was 1-for-4 with a single, walk and RBI.
Richardson added to Ohio's lead in the bottom of the fifth with a single to right field. Hafter had a sacrifice fly to bring home senior INF Rudy Rott (Holmen, Wis.) to put Ohio up 4-1. Redshirt freshman INF Cole Revels (Charlotte, N.C.) broke the game open with a two out single to center field that scored two.
Revels ended the day 2-for-5 with two RBI.
The Eagles were able to cut the Ohio lead down to 6-2 when Zach Owens had a double to right field.
Hafner brought home two runs for Ohio with triple to left center that scored Richardson and Rott in the eight for the final score of 8-2.
Sophomore LHP Brett Manis (Port Huron, Mich.) tossed the final 2.2 innings of the game and did not allow an earned run. Manis fanned three batters in his outing.
GAME TWO – Ohio 6, EMU 3 (Box Score PDF)
Ogg went all nine innings in Ohio's 6-3 win to close the series out. Ogg threw the complete game in 111 pitches, striking out six batters. Ogg allowed three earned runs and walked just two batters. Ogg's complete game was his first of the season and he's fanned 43 batters, one behind Liberatore.
Sophomore OF Sebastian Fabik (Lebanon, Ohio) and Levy each had two RBI in the win.
Ohio hit four home runs in the win with Fabik, Levy, Rott and junior C Tanner Piechnick (Canonsburg, Pa.) going deep.
Levy started the Bobcats off in the first with a two-run home run that score Lukkes, who reached on a single through the left side.
EMU punched back with a run in the fourth and tied the game in the sixth with a John Rensel Jr. sacrifice bunt.
Fabik grabbed the lead back for Ohio in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to center field to score Piechnick, who reached on a fielder's choice. Fabik has hit two home runs this season.
It was Rott's turn to go deep in the eighth, hitting a solo home run to right field. Rott has a team-high eight home runs this season. Rott also leads the team in RBI with 30 and is hitting .343.
Eastern Michigan cut the Ohio lead to 5-3 on a fielder's choice in the bottom half of the eighth.
Piechnick hit his second home run of the year in the ninth, giving Ohio a 6-3 lead.
Ball State 6, Miami 1 -- Boxscore
Miami 7, Ball State 5 – Boxscore
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami's conference lead is down to one game. The Ball State baseball team did what no other MAC team has done yet this year - beat Miami in a 3-game series.
After winning a suspended game 3-2 on Friday/Saturday, the Cardinals split a Sunday doubleheader with Miami to improve to 9-4 in league play.
John Baker dominated Miami in the Sunday opener to clinch the series, leading the Cards to a 6-1 win. Ball State led for much of the finale before Miami rallied in the 7th inning to win 7-5.
For the day, Ross Messina went 4-for-9 with 3 RBIs and Aaron Simpson also had 4 hits.
Here's what happened in each game of the Easter Sunday doubleheader:
GAME 1: Ball State 6, Miami 1 (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Baker dominated Miami in Sunday's noon game that clinched the series win. He pitched 8 shutout innings and the Cardinals bats gave the junior right-hander a lead Miami wouldn't threaten. Baker struck out 8 while scattering 6 hits and 4 walks. He was really only pushed when Miami loaded the bases with nobody out in the 6th. In that inning, Baker rolled a 1-2-3 double play and then got the next batter on a check swing to get out of the inning.
Baker improved to 5-1 with the win, picking up his 3rd conference win in 4 league starts. Baker is now 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 innings against MAC competition.
The top third of BSU's order did the damage, as Simpson, Noah Navarro and Messina combined to go 6-for-12 and score 3 runs. Each had an XBH and the trio combined for 4 RBIs. Simpson's RBI triple in the 2nd gave BSU a 3-0 lead and then Navarro pushed a single through the right side to make it 4-0. Simpson added an RBI single in the 9th to provide the final score. Ball State scored twice on sac flies.
GAME 2: Miami 7, Ball State 5 (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Miami went for 5 runs in the 6th and 7th innings to erase a Ball State lead and salvage the last game 7-5. Ball State got quality innings out of Mike Pachmayer, who pitched 4.2 innings in relief. The Cardinals led 5-2 before the host RedHawks had the crooked innings.
Messina went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs and made a spectacular running grab in right field in the game. Sprinting in foul territory, he flipped over the fence and made a sensational play. He had a double in each game and now has a league-best 18 doubles. Justin Conant went 2-for-3 and had a 2-run triple that gave Ball State an early lead.
Miami (30-9, 11-4) got 5.0 innings of scoreless relief pitching and held off the Cardinals once it took the lead late.
Ball State (25-14, 9-4) will be the home team Tuesday night against Indiana at Victory Field. Game time in downtown Indy is 7 p.m. The Cardinals then host Bowling Green next weekend at Ball Diamond.
Kent State 10, Northern Illinois 3
Boxscore
DEKALB, Ill. – The Kent State University baseball team (18-19, 7-6 MAC) notched eight hits in a 10-3 victory over Northern Illinois (12-27, 8-7 MAC) to win the Mid-American Conference series 2-1 at Ralph McKinzie Field Sunday afternoon. Senior Kian O'Brien accounted for six of Kent State's ten runs, going 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs and two runs scored.
O'Brien reached base three times on the day, collecting a double, triple and walk to lead the offense. Junior Cam Touchette also notched a pair of hits and a walk, tallying two RBIs and two runs scored. Freshman Collin Mathews recorded a multi-RBI game with a pair of sacrifice fly balls.
Redshirt freshman Trevor Pittman (1-0) picked up his first career win, pitching 5.0 innings in his fifth start. He did not give up an earned run with just two allowed and six punch outs on the day. Freshman Luke Albright earned his first career save, tossing 3.0 innings out of the bull pen.
Scoreless until the third inning, the Flashes struck first, scoring on an NIU defensive miscue. Touchette followed with an RBI-single to left field to give the Flashes a 2-0 lead.
Mathews came up with a sacrifice fly to center field in the next inning to extend the lead, before Northern Illinois managed its first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth to bring the score to 4-1.
The Flashes secured the win in the top of the fifth, pouring on five runs on four hits to bring the score to 8-1. Freshman Justin Kirby led off the inning with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Redshirt sophomore Ben Carew was plunked before Touchette singled through the right side to score Kirby for his second RBI of the day. Senior Pete Schuler followed with an RBI-single to right that scored Carew. O'Brien then legged out a two-run triple to force an NIU pitching change. Mathews rounded out the inning with his second sacrifice fly of the day.
In his next at bat an inning later, O'Brien extended the Flashes' lead to 10-1 with a two-run double down the left field line.
The Huskies managed to score two more runs on the day, but the Flashes walked away with a 10-3 win.
The Flashes will return to Schoonover Stadium for a midweek matchup against Canisius Wednesday, April 24 at 4 p.m.
Central Michigan 7, Toledo 1 – Boxscore
Central Michigan 18, Toledo 3 -- Boxscore
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Central Michigan baseball team swept its Mid-American Conference doubleheader Sunday against Toledo at Mercy Field.
The Chippewas took game one 7-1 behind a four-run seventh inning and a strong six innings from junior Cameron Brown.
In the nightcap, CMU downed the Rockets 18-3 behind a combined nine RBIs from Jacob Crum and Jason Sullivan. Crum launched two home runs in the game to up his season total to seven.
"I was really pleased with how we sustained our energy and focus for 18 innings," said coach Jordan Bischel. "Responding to adversity is a huge point of emphasis for us and we did well with it today. Anytime we can go on the road to win a series we will be pleased, especially after a tough first game."
The Chippewas improve to 28-11 overall on the season and 10-5 in conference play. The Rockets slip to 14-13, 3-10 MAC.
CMU scored 28 runs over the three-game stretch, the most in a conference series this season and more than their last two MAC series combined. With the series victory, the Chippewas have now claimed 4-of-5 of this season.
GAME ONE
Leading 2-1 after five innings, CMU earned one run in the sixth off a Zach Heeke bases loaded walk to take a 3-1 lead. The Chippewas added four runs in the seventh off two walks, a passed ball and an RBI single from Griffin Lockwood-Powell to take a 7-1 lead.
Sophomore shortstop Zavier Warren notched three of CMU's eight hits.
Brown claimed the victory on the mound and improved to 7-0 on the season, striking out seven batters and allowing one earned run off four hits. Grant Frazer earned his first save of the season, allowing one hit and earning one strikeout in three scoreless innings of relief.
GAME TWO
CMU scored three runs in the first inning off RBI singles from Crum and Evan Kratt for a 3-0 lead. The Rockets used a home run in the second to pull within two runs, but Crum responded with a two-run home run in the third for a 5-1 lead.
Leading 6-1 entering the sixth after a Warren sac fly in the fourth, CMU earned six runs in the sixth inning off of a Gaoshua Williams RBI single, a wild pitch, a balk, and a three-run double from Sullivan to take a 12-1 lead.
After the rockets pulled to 12-2 after six innings, Warren earned an RBI triple in the seventh and Crum blasted his second home run of the game in the eighth to take a 14-2 lead. Crum finished the game with four hits and five RBIs.
Toledo added one run in their half of the eighth off a bases loaded walk, but the Chippewas responded with four runs in the ninth for an 18-3 lead.
On the mound, Jordan Patty worked five innings allowing one earned run off three hits and eight strikeouts in his first start of the season.
Jack Collins and Garrett Navarra each pitched scoreless innings in relief. Ryan Palmblad, Logan Buczkowski and Zach Kohn made relief appearances for CMU.
