Baseball hosts Toledo fresh off non-conference win
After ending a three-game losing streak with a 16-10 win at Oakland Wednesday, Central Michigan baseball is looking to end a four-game Mid-American Conference losing streak.
Toledo is in town today, two days after the Chippewas (27-18, 12-6 in MAC) used a season-high 17 hits to top the Golden Grizzlies.
“It’s like brushing your teeth (ending the losing streak),” said head coach Steve Jaksa. “You get a better taste and feel a bit better. It was good to get back on the field and play. I told them, ‘the past is the past’ and that’s just what it is, we have to move forward.”
Five CMU players had multiple hits. Junior catcher Tyler Huntey went 2-for-6 with four runs batted in.
Junior first baseman Cody Leichman was 4-for-5 with three RBIs including a home run against Oakland.
All this just days before the Chppewas were shut out 9-0 against Ball State last weekend.
“We got ourselves in a good mental frame to go back out and play,” Jaksa said. “I felt we were good last weekend for the most part, but Wednesday was a good day for us overall, offensively. Now we look forward into going into this weekend.”
The Rockets (17-25, 9-10 MAC) hold the eighth and final spot in the MAC tournament currently with three weekends remaining in the season.
CMU comes into their first weekend outside of first place in the MAC as they sit two and a half games behind the Cardinals.
Toledo is 4-5 in its last nine MAC games, which included a win against Ball State, Miami (Ohio) and two wins against Ohio.
“I don’t think (the team) has thought about this being the first weekend not in first,” Jaksa said. “That’s been put to rest, we have an opportunity to play starting (today) and we have to take it one game at a time.”
BREAKOUT BOX MATERIAL
CMU vs Toledo pitching matchups
Friday: Jr. RHP Jordan Foley (5-3, 3.00 ERA) vs Sr. LHP Ryan Wilkinson (4-4, 2.64 ERA)
Saturday: Sr. RHP Pat Kaminska (6-2, 2.38 ERA) vs Fr. RHP Sam Shutes (3-2, 3.81 ERA)
Sunday: Fr. LHP Nick Deeg (3-4, 4.24 ERA) vs So. RHP Kyle Slack (3-5, 4.97 ERA)?
