Conference losing streak continues for CMU baseball
Fifth inning dooms the Chippewas against Kent State
In the top of the fourth inning, Kent State Baseball senior right fielder Jake Casey hit a rocket over the right-center wall, scoring the first run of the game for the Golden Flashes and igniting a spark that led to five total runs in the inning.
After losing the first two games in the weekend series, Central Michigan took an early 3-0 lead against Kent State in the third game. The Chippewas’ bats, however, went quiet as the team struggled to score more runs. Kent State took the lead with a dominant fourth inning and never looked back, winning the game 9-4.
The Chippewas now have an overall record of 11-21 and sit in sixth place in the Mid-American Conference with a 5-7 record.
“We're gonna keep our heads up,” head coach Jake Sabol said. “I don't think we have any other choice. We're right in the thick of it (the standings). That's where we want to be. I think we got to try to play better baseball.”
Chippewa sophomore right-handed pitcher Jared Hanson got the starting nod for Central Michigan as the game got underway.
In the bottom of the first inning, junior left fielder Rees Campanale reached first base on a fielder’s choice to third base and junior catcher Aydin Wright was able to score the first run of the ballgame for the Chippewas on the play.
Campanale was able to steal second on the next at-bat because of a failed pickoff attempt. Junior second baseman Aaron Piasecki was able to get home on the play, making the score 2-0, Chippewas.
In the bottom of the second inning, Central Michigan added to its lead when Wright hit one into left field, allowing sophomore third baseman Bryson Webb to round third and find home plate. At the end of the second, it was the Chippewas with a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Golden Flashes finally found a run as Casey crushed a solo home run to put Kent State on the board.
The Golden Flashes seized control of the game as they rattled off four more runs to take a 5-3 lead before the top of the fourth finally came to a merciless end for the Chippewas.
The Golden Flashes scored their sixth run of the game using back-to-back triples in the top of the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Chippewas found themselves with the bases loaded and only one out. Kent State, however, got a double play to end the inning with its lead still intact.
The Golden Flashes scored a seventh run in the top of the seventh inning. Central Michigan responded in the bottom of the frame as Piasecki doubled to right center and Wright was able to score, closing the gap on the scoreboard.
In the end, the Golden Flashes were too much for the Chippewas as Kent State added an eighth and a ninth run in the final inning to seal the win.
Central Michigan will look to bounce back on the road as it heads to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
“As long as we keep our heads up and keep pushing to try to get better every day, we're gonna do it one of these times and we're gonna come through with that big hit, we're gonna make that big pitch and we're gonna get that win that gets us rolling,” Sabol said.
