Early Offense Leads No. 2 Chippewas to Victory Over No. 7 NIU
MAC Baseball Championship Central
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No.2 Central Michigan 6, No. 7 Northern Illinois 2
Boxscore
AVON, Ohio -- No. 2 Central Michigan scored six runs in the third and fourth inning combined and never looked back as the Chippeaws took down No. 7 Northern Illinois, 6-2, Wednesday afternoon at Sprenger Stadium.
Northern Illinois got on the board early in the bottom of the first inning after Roderick Bynum led off the game for the Huskies with a triple and Samuel Vega brought him home with an RBI groundout. Jacob Dunham walked in the next at-bat, but no further damage was done in the first inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Central Michigan tied the game up with a suicide squeeze by Jason Sullivan that scored Zach Gilles. The Chippeaws then quickly gained the lead, 2-1, when Daniel Jipping hit a hard ground ball to third that resulted in an throwing error, allowing Alex Borglin to score.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Evan Kratt led off Central Michigan with a single to left which was followed by Robert Greenman getting hit by a pitch and a single by Nick Stokowski. In the next at-bat, Zach Gilles drew a walk that brought in a run.
The inning continued with an Alex Borglin single that brought in Robert Greenman, extending the Chippewa lead to 4-1. The four run fourth inning was capped off by a two-run bases clearing double by Jason Sullivan.
The Central Michigan pitching staff shined throughout the game. Starter Pat Leatherman posted an impressive line going sevein innings, giving up three hits, recording 11 strikeouts, and surrendered just four walks. The Chippewas' bullpen pitched two innings of relief, surrendered one hit, one run, and one walk.
Chippewas to face No. 6 Western Michigan Thursday at 4:30 p.m., NIU to take on No. 3 Eastern Michigan in elimination game tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.
