Baseball slides in with 20-8 victory
Chris McCarty
Turns out all the baseball team needed was a little rest to get the offense going.
Brian Lautzenheiser had four RBI in a 13-run fourth inning to lead Central to a 20-6 win Thursday over Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne at Theunissen Stadium. The game came after the weather cancelled the last six games.
“I hope we don’t have to take a week off every time to get an offensive performance like this one,” said Head Coach Steve Jaksa.
CMU improves to 9-14, IPFW falls to 12-16-1.
Junior Jeff Opalewski retired the first seven batters for the Chippewas before surrendering a home run to right fielder Sean Kirk in the third inning. The Mastadons scored one more run in the fourth before Central went on its fourth-inning barrage.
Lautzenheizer’s three-run triple off the center field wall gave CMU the lead. Jim Geldhof hit a pinch-run home run in the inning, his first of the season. Geldhof ended with five RBI.
“That’s the kind of way things go in this game. It can be a very unforgiving game, but confidence breeds confidence,” Jaksa said.
Sophomore Chris Schell retired the Mastadons in order in the seventh to collect his first career victory.
Jason Gotwalt had three hits and played catcher for the first time this season. Jaksa is looking for a reserve catcher to give Brian Campbell as much rest as possible.
The catching need has been furthered because senior Tim Groves’s MRI revealed two bulging discs in his back. The injury could end his career at CMU.
“We have to train Jason to get him ready to play in big games. When you lose someone, you have to cover it up as much as possible,” Jaksa said.
Shortstop David Latour Jr. had an outstanding game in the field. He made a backhand diving stop in the fourth and threw Jacob Abramson out to save a base hit and a run.
The team will return to action with a pair of games this weekend against Bowling Green. The Falcons are 8-11 and lead Central by two games in the MAC West. Central is 1-3 in the conference.
Redshirt freshman Ty Dunham will start Saturday’s game at Theunissen. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and Sunday’s game is at 1 p.m.
