Falcons sweep CMU baseball in weekend series
Chippewas unable to hold the lead against the Falcons
Central Michigan redshirt sophomore starting pitcher Jared Hanson throws a four-seam fastball at Keiltiz Field at Theunissen Stadium, Sunday, March 30, 2025. Hanson pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits. This was his longest outing of the season. (CM-Life | Mark Hoover)
At the end of the third and final game of the weekend, Central Michigan was looking to defend a three-run advantage over Bowling Green after dropping the previous two matchups earlier in the series.
Heading into the eighth inning, the Falcons needed a spark, and that’s exactly what they got. With two runners on base, sophomore left fielder Garrett Wright hit a single up the middle of the field, allowing a run to score.
The Falcons kept the pressure on by loading the bases and scoring two more runs before the end of the inning, tying the game and shifting the momentum.
In a game which required extra innings to crown a winner, it was Bowling Green that came out on top, coming from behind and stealing the win from the Chippewas, 6-5. The loss ended a weekend to forget for Central Michigan as the Chippewas lost all three games to the Falcons.
“You play well and you lose, it's not a good feeling,” head coach Jake Sabol said about the weekend as a whole. “I think they came in here, challenged us, and we weren't ready for it. We didn't answer the challenge.”
It was a rainy afternoon at Theunissen Stadium as both teams took the field for the final game of the weekend series. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jared Hanson was on the mound for the Chippewas as the game began.
The Falcons couldn’t get much going on offense in the top of the first inning, recording zero hits and stranding one runner on base. The Chippewas got off to an equally slow start as their first two batters flied out and the third struck out looking.
Bowling Green recorded the first hit of the game as the leadoff batter in the second inning hit a line drive into left field. The Falcons’ baserunner was able to steal second base and then advance to third on a fly out, but Hanson finished off the top of the second with a strikeout to keep Bowling Green off the scoreboard.
The Chippewas earned their first hit of the game as junior second baseman Aaron Piasecki hit a double to begin the bottom of the second. Junior designated hitter Rees Campanale was then walked, putting two Chippewas on base with zero outs.
On the next at-bat, sophomore first baseman Nathan Ball hit a rocket into right-center field, allowing Piasecki to cross home plate, putting the Chippewas up 1-0.
Central Michigan put up its second run on a wild pitch by the Falcons’ pitcher and its third run on a hit by junior catcher Aydin Wright as the Chippewas quickly seized the momentum.
The bats stayed hot as junior center fielder Zach Knowlton hit a double into left-center field to get Wright home for another Central Michigan run. Bowling Green finally ended the second inning but not before surrendering a total of four runs.
Bowling Green got its first run of the game in the top of the fourth and its second in the top of the sixth, closing the gap on the scoreboard.
After four scoreless innings, the Chippewas added a fifth run to their tally in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore left fielder Mikey Murphy hit a single into left field which gave sophomore third baseman Bryson Webb the opportunity to cross home plate and add to the Chippewa lead.
Bowling Green found some life on offense to start the eighth as the Falcons began the inning putting two runners on base, forcing a pitching change from the Chippewas. Bowling Green scored its third run of the game on the next at-bat and then loaded the bases shortly after with just one out.
The Falcons proceeded to tie the game at five with a single launched down the first-base line that scored two runs, setting up a tight finish.
Nine innings was not enough to decide the game as the teams remained tied at five, giving way to extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, Bowling Green got a runner across home plate to take the lead late, leaving the pressure on Central Michigan to respond.
In the end, the Chippewas could not find another run, dropping the final game of the series.
Sabol was somewhat pleased with his pitchers’ performances over the afternoon. Hanson was a bright spot for the team, pitching six innings and only allowing five hits and two runs. Freshman left-hander Max Hammond pitched an inning in relief and freshman right-hander Cayden Smith finished the game for the Chippewas.
“(Hanson’s) been big for us,” Sabol said. “So that was a pretty impressive performance, and I think Max and Cayden were darn good too, just maybe not as good as they needed to be in a few moments.”
The Chippewas are on the road again as they travel down to Indiana to play Purdue Fort Wayne in a non-conference matchup.
