Watkins lifts baseball to win in first game of Northern Illinois doubleheader
It took a freshman pinch hitter and his 10-pitch at-bat for the Central Michigan baseball team to pick up its second Mid-American Conference victory of the season.
Designated hitter Jarrod Watkins came off the bench in the eighth inning and scorched a RBI double off Northern Illinois reliever Ryne Blanton. The Chippewas defeated the Huskies 7-6 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in DeKalb, Illinois.
Watkins used a full count to score freshman infielder Jason Sullivan, who singled in sophomore outfielder Daniel Jipping in the previous at-bat. CMU used a three-run eighth inning to take the lead for the first time since the third inning.
The Chippewas allowed four runs in third inning. Redshirt freshman pitcher Pat Leatherman gave up six earned runs in three innings of work.
Senior left-handed pitcher Jimmy McNamara and junior right-handed pitcher Jordan Grosjean combined to pitch six innings of scoreless relief. McNamara threw four innings, giving up four hits.
The Huskies stranded a runner at third base with one out in the ninth before a groundout to sophomore shortstop Zach McKinstry and a strikeout from Grosjean sealed the win.
CMU scored in the top of the first inning when Jipping hit a two-run home run, his fifth of the season. The Huskies answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning to tie the game at 2-2.
Two NIU miscues in the third inning led to two more CMU runs. A NIU throwing error scored McKinstry and a passed ball by catcher Tony Brandner scored Jipping.
The Huskies' four-run third inning included a two-run single from designated hitter Austin Stout. After going 3-for-7 in six games this season, Stout went 3-for-3 on Saturday.
NIU starter Ryan Olson pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits. He walked four and struck out three.
Jipping led CMU offensively by going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
NIU first baseman Tommy Hook went 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored.
Game two of the doubleheader is slated for 30 minutes following the completion of the first game.
