CMU baseball falls at Michigan in extra innings
In the bottom of the 10th, with one out, Michigan’s Jack Van Remortel sent the ball soaring over the left field fence to lift the Wolverines to a victory over Central Michigan baseball.
In a non-conference, extra inning battle, the Chippewas fell to Michigan 6-5 in Ann Arbor in a walk-off home run fashion.
In the bottom of the ninth, with two runners in scoring position Ted Burton doubled off the left field wall to tie the ball game, 5-5 and eventually send the game into extra innings.
The Chippewas are 13-10 overall and 4-2 in the Mid-American Conference.
To kick off the in-state commotion, CMU’s junior Marquis Jackson put the Chippewas on the board first with a leadoff home run to right field.
The Chippewas lead was soon taken as the Wolverines took a 2-1 advantage on an RBI single through the right side and a SAC fly to center field.
With the bases loaded in the top of the third, CMU tied the game at two with an RBI fielder's choice by junior Jacob Donahue.
After the Wolverines took back the lead with a home run in the bottom of the third, the Chippewas scored two runs on an RBI single from Garrett Navarra and an RBI walk drawn by freshman Cole Prout in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead.
After a scoreless sixth inning, redshirt sophomore Robby Morgan IV singled to left field to bring Donahue home to make the score 5-3. Donahue reached base on a leadoff walk.
After Michigan tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, the Chippewas got out of the inning when Donahue made a catch in left field then gunned the ball to catcher Nick Dardas at home to tag the runner at the plate, ending the inning.
The Chippewas were shut down in order by the Wolverines in the top of the 10th leading to Van Remortel to hit a walk-off home run in the bottom half to give Michigan the 6-5 win.
Redshirt junior, Ryan Insco took the loss on the mound where he allowed two runs on two hits. He relieved sophomore Michael Conte in the ninth inning. Conte pitched 2.1 innings allowing one run on three hits.
Junior Ben Vitas got the start on the mound for CMU. In two innings, Vitas allowed two runs on three hits. Sophomore Nate Ross and Freshman Christian Mitchelle also pitched in relief.
The Chippewas will resume MAC play with a series at home against Bowling Green starting at 3 p.m. on Friday at Keilitz Field.
