Baseball team finds big win against Notre Dame
If there were a game near the end of the schedule that could spring the Central Michigan baseball team toward a Mid-American Conference tournament run, the Notre Dame game would be one of those games.
CMU beat Notre Dame 9-4 Wednesday afternoon in South Bend, Ind.
“I thought it really was a complete game for us,” head coach Steve Jaksa said.
An important four-run second inning propelled the Chippewas to victory in a game where they were behind early.
Junior Reid Rooney took a walk from ND freshman Matt Ternowchek to start the second inning and senior Eric Wrozek singled through the right side. That set up junior Patrick MacKenzie’s two-run single up the middle on a 1-0 count.
“I was just going up there looking for something good to hit,” MacKenzie said. “I was looking fastball, especially after the first pitch was a ball.”
After a bunt single from senior Tyler Hall, junior Jordan Dean capped the scoring with a two-run double.
He hit the double down the left-field line off a 1-1 pitch from Ternowchek. With that, Ternowchek was relieved for the game in favor of sophomore Donnie Hissa.
The middle relief, including Hissa, kept the Chippewas from adding additional damage in a 5-3 game, but after cutting it to a one-run game, senior Steve Sabatino and sophomore Sean Fitzgerald allowed CMU to break the game open.
Sabatino gave up two runs, one earned in an inning and 2/3 pitched. Dean hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring MacKenzie.
Senior Nate Theunissen walked and scored when freshman Joe Houlihan singled.
Freshman Jordan Foley started for the Chippewas, but lasted four and 2/3 innings, despite the three-run first inning he surrendered.
Foley couldn’t find the strike zone throughout his outing, walking seven batters, but managed to settle down after the first inning.
“He’s just a young kid getting better,” Jaksa said. “It’s a process and I think he’s in a good place, he did a good job and I think he’ll continue to get better. He’s a smart kid. He’s good and he’s picking things up.”
Senior Ryan Longstreth earned the victory for the Chippewas. Ternowchek received the loss, giving up six runs, five earned with in an inning and 1/3 pitched.
CMU continues its road trip at 3 p.m. Friday as it faces Akron in Akron, Ohio for a weekend series.
