Sunday’s Baseball Results
Ball State 8, Central Michigan 7
Virginia Tech 16, Toledo 5
Northern Illinois 15, Western Michigan
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Ball State 8, Central Michigan 7
Boxscore
MT. PLEASANT, Michigan - Down two runs in the 9th inning. The veteran heart of the order up to bat. The scene was set for a thrilling comeback and the Ball State baseball team delivered, scoring three runs in the final at bat to beat league leader Central Michigan 8-7 on Sunday. The victory earned BSU a series split and allowed it to keep pace with CMU atop the MAC standings with 12 games to play.
"The atmosphere between the teams was electric. After the win, our huddle was special," head coach Rich Maloney said. "I'm happy for our boys to experience this when their backs were against the wall do or die. Long way to go, but a moment they will never forget."
Aaron Simpson went 3-for-4 and added a sac fly and Adam Tellier and Noah Navarro each had three hits at the top of the batting order.
Virginia Tech 16, Toledo 5
Boxscore
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The University of Toledo baseball team wrapped up its weekend series at Virginia Tech, falling by a score of 16-5 to the Hokies.
Virginia Tech scored multiple runs in the first, second, and third innings and the Rockets weren't able to overcome the early deficit. Toledo did score five runs in the final three innings, but it was too little too late.
Darryn Davis contributed three of the Rockets' runs on a three-run home run in the ninth inning, his second homer of the weekend. Thomas Eitniear and Zach Schwartzenberger were credited with the other two RBIs. Brant Hunt had two at-bats off the bench and recorded his first career hit and scored two runs. Scott Mackiewicz reached base three times in the leadoff spot, tallying two hits and a walk.
Seven pitchers saw time on the mound for Toledo. Connor Brandon, Jamie Myers, Jason Young, Sam Servello, Brendan Collins, Bryce Davis, and Nicky Winterstein all pitched for the Rockets on Sunday, with Young and Collins the lone hurlers to not allow any VT runs.
Toledo will visit Eastern Michigan for a doubleheader on Tuesday, then host Bowling Green for a four-game series next weekend. The Rockets' Friday battle against the Falcons will take place at Fifth Third Field, and tickets can be purchased at this link through the Toledo Mud Hens.
Northern Illinois 15, Western Michigan
Boxscore
DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team scored a season-high 15 runs on Sunday to defeat the Western Michigan Broncos 15-5 in eight innings at Ralph McKinzie Field to split this weekend's four-game series.
"It was a good job by our guys to be ready to go and take the last game of the weekend," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "Our guys were focused and made the right adjustments from the first two games to come away with wins in game two yesterday and today."
Senior catcher Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run and three RBI, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. He also extended his current hitting streak to 11 games. Shortstop Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) also had three RBI as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate. The bottom third of the Huskies lineup – Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage), Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel) and Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) – combined to go 4-for-9 with five RBI.
NIU (12-30, 11-17 MAC) broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Peters double which scored Larson from first base to give the Huskies a 5-4 lead. The Huskies broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth. Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) led off with a single to Western Michigan Drew Devine, whose errant throw to first base allowed Erato to reach second. Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland C.C.) followed with his third walk of the game up to that point. Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) then put down a sacrifice bunt, but reached base on an error by pitcher Tyler Thorington that allowed Erato to score to put NIU up 6-4.
Dunham drove in Barnes with a single deep in the hole at shortstop to make the score 7-4. Lonteen and Brady Huebbe (Peru, Ill./Illinois Valley C.C.) followed with back-to-back RBI doubles to put NIU ahead 9-4. With the bases loaded and one out, Joyce hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that drove home Huebbe to make the score 10-4. Erato drove in the sixth run of the inning with a double down the left field line for his second hit of the inning, putting the Huskies ahead 11-4. In the sixth, Dunham cracked his sixth home run of the season with a solo shot over the right centerfield fence to make the score 12-4.
"Jake's really staying within himself and using the whole field," Kunigonis said. "He's finally becoming the hitter we knew he can be by hitting to all fields."
Western Michigan (17-21, 16-12 MAC) got a run back in the top of the eighth on a Jimmy Allen leadoff home run to put the score at 12-5. The Huskies loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half on singles from Dunham and Lonteen as well as a Huebbe walk. Larson reached base on a catcher's interference to bring Dunham around to score and put NIU up 13-5. Peters then drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 14-5. Joyce took one for the team to end the game, as he was hit by a pitch from Luke Pappas to bring in Lonteen and make the final score 15-5.
Connor Langreder (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) started the game on the mound for NIU and went four innings, allowing four runs on two hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Erik Hedmark (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee-Crown) pitched the final four innings, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts.
NIU is back in action next weekend with four games at Eastern Michigan. The series begins on Friday, May 14 at 5 p.m.
