Baseball unable to overcome early four-run deficit, falls to MSU 8-3
Sophomore pitcher Blake Hibbitts made his first start of the season Tuesday afternoon for the Chippewas and struggled.
In Hibbitts' third career start, he went 1.2 innings giving up three runs on four hits and a walk while Central Michigan University lost to Michigan State University 8-3 in East Lansing.
The loss dropped CMU to 15-10 on the season.
Offensively, CMU struggled falling into a four-run hole early on. CMU finished with five hits.
Junior third baseman Joe Houlihan led CMU with three hits while junior right fielder Logan Regnier finished with three runs batted in.
When the Chippewas managed scoring chances, they did not come through, and left the bases loaded in the sixth inning.
A CMU scoring opportunity was also squandered in the third inning. CMU had runners on first and second with one out, but a MSU double play ended the Chippewa threat.
Junior pitcher Adam Aldred relieved Hibbitts in the second inning.
Freshman designated hitter Daniel Jipping got the Chippewas on the board in the fourth inning with his team-leading third home run this season, cutting the Spartans’ lead to 3-1.
A groundout and a single allowed MSU to score two runs in the fourth inning with two outs, which led to Aldred’s departure.
MSU added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run making it a 6-1 ballgame. The Chippewas got into the Spartans’ bullpen in the sixth inning after the first two runners reached base on a pair of CMU walks.
Jipping was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases with Chippewas in the sixth inning.
Junior first baseman Zack Fields struck out and freshman shortstop Zach McKinstry grounded out ending the scoring threat.
MSU added two more runs in the eighth inning and closed out the victory.
CMU (15-10) will play Miami (Ohio) at 6 p.m. Friday in Oxford, Ohio.
