Baseball takes home-opener with seventh-inning rally
Miami University ace left-handed pitcher Seth Varner kept Central Michigan's offense at bay allowing two runs on five hits in a 8-4 loss Saturday.
Varner didn't come out for the seventh inning and the Chippewas (14-10, 4-0 MAC) did as they pieced together five runs off freshman right-handed pitcher Brad Schwartz.
"We've been a good team when we get into their bullpen," said redshirt freshman third baseman Adam Collins. "We try as hard as we can to get the starter out of the game."
Junior centerfield Nick Regnier started the seventh inning with a single followed by another single from sophomore left fielder Logan Regnier. Junior first baseman Cody Leichman added another single to load the bases for Collins.
Collins, who went 3-for-5 on the day, hit his second RBI with an infield single to shortstop, scoring a run to make it a 4-3 RedHawks (10-13, 2-2 MAC) lead.
Sophomore left fielder Neal Jacobs delivered the lead for CMU with a two-run RBI double down the left field line. He came around to score the fifth run of the inning when sophomore shortstop Morgan Oliver hit a blup-single into right field before Nick Regnier hit for the second time in the inning with a popout to shortstop to end the inning.
"We got a couple infield singles and then a big hit by Neal (Jacobs)," said head coach Steve Jaksa. "All of a sudden the whole game is going our way and we kept the momentum going."
As the Chippewas offense gained momentum, sophomore left-handed pitcher Jimmy McNamara ended Miami's.
With runners on second and third and two down in the seventh, Jaksa turned to McNamara for junior right-handed starter Jordan Foley, who went 6 and one third innings and allowed four runs on nine hits, a walk and six strikeouts. McNamara fielded a comebacker for an out at first.
He finished the game, pitching the eighth and ninth innings without giving up a hit, walking one and ending the game with his only strikeout.
"(McNamra) did a great job going in and executing his gameplan," Jaksa said. "(Foley) always likes to be sharper, but I'll take that outing and he kept us in the game and we cameback and got the win."
The Chippewas were scheduled to conclude the series with a doubleheader at noon Sunday to wrap up the home-opening series.
Senior right-handed pitcher Pat Kaminska will take the mound at 11 a.m. Sunday at Theunissen Stadium to start the doubleheader with freshman left-handed pitcher Nick Deeg taking the mound to start the finale.
