#MACBats Digest: Bats stay blazing in high-scoring weekend of conference play

UMass at Eastern Michigan

• UMass 4, Eastern Michigan 2
• UMass 10, Eastern Michigan 0
• UMass 19, Eastern Michigan 15

After a Monday afternoon drubbing at the hands of Michigan, EMU welcomed UMass to Ypsilanti for their fifth conference series of the season. The Minutemen, fresh off a blowout loss of their own to Boston College, rolled into the series in desperate need of a win, having dropped 12 of their last 13 games. 

Junior second baseman Braden Sullivan and sophomore third baseman Reece McCarthy led the offense with three hits apiece, while redshirt freshman right fielder Ty Fox added two. UMass broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run sixth inning, highlighted by a string of small ball from Sullivan, redshirt junior infielder Matt Travisano and junior catcher Ryan Kolben.

On the mound, towering right-handed pitcher Callen Powers earned his second straight win, allowing one run over seven innings with eight strikeouts. Senior pitcher Jack Niedringhaus closed it out with a scoreless ninth to secure his third save of the season.

The Minutemen won the first matchup between the schools, 4-2.

UMass carried their momentum into the second game, powered by another strong pitching performance. Minutemen pitchers sophomore Adam Merritt and redshirt sophomore Ben Thomason combined for nine innings of shutout baseball, with the former tossing a no-hitter through seven before Thomason finished the final two innings while allowing two hits. 

Once again, the offense backed their pitchers up. Left fielder Gavin O’Brien drilled a first-inning home run, and added a double later in the contest. O’Brien, Anthony Tirado and Ty Fox combined for seven hits and seven RBIs as the 1-2-3 hitters in the UMass order. 

The Minutemen secured a 10-0 win, and their first MAC series win of the season. 

In contrast to the first two, the finale was a barnburner as both teams combined for 34 runs. 

Sullivan led the offensive explosion with a career-high five hits, two home runs and five runs scored, tying a single-game program record. O’Brien added four hits, two home runs, including a grand slam and a career-best eight RBIs. Graduate student infielder Jack Beverly drove in six runs, while Fox scored four times.

The Eagle offense was led by senior center fielder John Hale, who hit home runs in the second and sixth innings, and senior left fielder Devan Zirwas added four RBIs and a home run of his own. 

After multiple lead changes and a 13-13 tie, UMass pulled ahead late with key runs in the eighth and a four-run ninth. Jack Niedringhaus earned the win, while Brandon Wingenroth secured the save.

UMass baseball completed its first Mid-American Conference series sweep with the 19-15 win. 

The Minutemen improved to 9-18 overall and 5-13 in conference play, while the Eagles dropped to 5-13 in MAC play and 10-23. 

Series Standout: UMass OF/IF Gavin O’Brien (7-for-16, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs)

Ohio at Miami (OH)

• Ohio 7, Miami 6 
• Miami 15, Ohio 5
• Miami 17, Ohio 6

After a sweep at the hands of Kent State, and a non-conference loss to Morehead State, last-place Ohio traveled to Oxford to take on Miami for the baseball edition of the “Battle of the Bricks”.

The Bobcats pounced early, scoring four runs in the first inning behind junior catcher Tyler Stack’s two-RBI single and redshirt freshman infielder Grant Wilson’s two-run homer.

Stack finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, while Wilson drove in three. Ohio added insurance runs in the middle innings to build a 7-3 lead.

On the mound, freshman pitcher Mason Gass earned the win with five innings of three-run ball, and senior left-handed pitcher Dillon Masters secured a four-inning save. Miami rallied late, but Ohio held on to seal the 7-6 victory.

In the second game, Ohio briefly tied the game at 2-2 in the third, looking for a major series upset, but the RedHawks responded immediately and never looked back, plating four runs in the fourth inning to seize momentum.

Freshman infielder Diego Cruz led the offensive surge, going 4-for-5, highlighted by a four-run triple, while Miami continued to pile on with another four-run inning fueled by walks, errors and clutch at-bats. The Bobcats attempted to chip away late, scoring three runs across the sixth and seventh innings, but the deficit proved too large. Miami ended the game early, 15-5. 

In the rubber game, Miami closed out the series with a bang, powered by a monster game from redshirt freshman infielder Ignacio Gonzalez. 

After working out of a first-inning jam, Miami struck early, loading the bases with no outs for  Gonzalez, who plated two with a single before sophomore catcher Carson Raether added a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead. Ohio answered in the third, tying the game at three after capitalizing on three straight singles and a sacrifice fly.

The tie didn’t last long. Miami erupted for eight runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by sophomore infielder Jamie Rasmussen’s towering two-run homer and a two-RBI double from Gonzalez to make it 11-3.

Ohio chipped away with three runs across the fourth and sixth innings, but Miami slammed the door shut in the sixth. 

Fittingly, Ignacio Gonzalez delivered the knockout blow. He pulled a chest-high fastball high over the left field fence for a game-icing grand slam, capping an eight-RBI performance and pushing the lead to 17-6.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Gay struck out the side in the seventh to seal a second-straight run-rule victory.

The RedHawks improve to 22-12 and 12-6 in the MAC, while the Bobcats fall to 7-28, and 4-14 in the conference.

Series Standout: Miami INF Ignacio Gonzalez (7-for-14, 1 HR, 9 RBIs)

Akron at Ball State

• Ball State 13, Akron 8
• Ball State 3, Akron 2
• Akron 7, Ball State 6

After snapping a five-game skid in a non-conference win over Manchester, Ball State welcomed an Akron team on short rest after a standalone loss to Kent State on Wednesday. 

The first game broke open in a single inning. Trailing 6-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, Ball State erupted for seven runs, turning a four-run deficit into a 9-6 lead.

The Cardinals got RBIs from senior infielder Brett Griffiths, junior catcher Max Kalk, junior outfielder Kenskey Thomas and senior utilityman Gavin Balius before graduate utility player Ryan Muizelaar delivered the decisive blow.

He took a low and away pitch the other way, sending an opposite-field three-run shot over the right field fence. The Cardinals kept piling on with two more in the seventh and a two-run homer from junior first baseman Jacob Gillis in the eighth, capping an 11-run unanswered stretch with a 13-8 win. 

Gillis finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while senior pitcher Owen Quinn tossed 4.2 lights-out innings, striking out four and earning the win. 

In contrast to the first game, the second game was a pitchers’ duel. 

Ball State managed just one hit through eight innings against Akron’s freshman pitcher Brady Bowen, while Akron was stifled by Ball State’s senior pitcher John Chambers, who threw 7.2 innings of two-run baseball, fanning eight. 

In the ninth inning, the Cardinals finally found their stride. Muizelaar sparked the rally with a single, scoring on an error to tie the game. 

Moments later, Griffiths clubbed a high pitch down the left field line, securing a 3-2 win and the series. 

Akron struck back in Sunday’s finale, riding two two-homer performances from redshirt junior catcher Mitchel Szymczak and redshirt sophomore Brody Chrisman. One of Szymczak’s never left the park, a rare inside-the-park homer. 

The pair combined for seven RBIs to power the Zips, the most important coming on Chrisman’s first homer, a 454-foot bomb to give Akron a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. 

The Cardinals threatened late thanks to RBI singles from Gillis and sophomore catcher DJ Shuemann, but came up a run short as Akron held on to avoid the sweep.

Ball State claimed the series, improving to 18-17 and 12-6 MAC, while Akron moved to 15-20 and 6-12 in conference play.

Series Standout: Ball State INF Brett Griffiths (5-for-13, 2 XBH, 4 RBIs, walk-off double)

Toledo at Western Michigan

• Toledo 3, Western Michigan 2
• Western Michigan 8, Toledo 6
• Western Michigan 6, Toledo 3

After sweeping Eastern Michigan in their last series of MACtion, Toledo suffered back-to-back non-conference losses before traveling to Kalamazoo to face a red-hot Broncos team coming off a sweep of UMass.

Toledo struck first in the first game and never trailed, displaying clutch hitting throughout. The Rockets launched two-out rallies in the first, second and fifth innings, giving their starting pitcher run support as he went deep into the game. 

Senior pitcher Nathan Leininger shoved, throwing seven scoreless frames and striking out four. 

The Broncos strung some hits together after Leininger exited, pushing across two runs in the eighth, but a timely double play halted the rally. Redshirt freshman pitcher Nate Langbehn shut the door in the ninth, finishing a two-inning save and sealing a 3-2 win.

In the second game, the Broncos flipped the script, scoring five runs in the third inning to knock freshman pitcher Hayden Frey out of the game early. Toledo had struck first, scoring one after a double from junior outfielder Cade Baker, but Western Michigan’s counter-punch was stronger. 

RBI hits from graduate student infielder Michael Maloney, junior infielder Josh Polubinski and senior infielder Avery Thielman built a cushion they wouldn’t relinquish. Redshirt junior Sam Carlisle took over from there, settling in after an early run, working seven strong innings while striking out eight. 

Toledo chipped away late, including a two-run ninth, but couldn’t close the gap in an 8-6 final.

The series finale followed a similar path. The home crowd saw early pressure from Toledo, followed by a decisive response from Western Michigan. 

The Rockets plated a first-inning run and after four quiet innings, loaded the bases in the sixth with a chance to break things open, but Bronco graduate student pitcher Ricky Kidd escaped the jam and kept the deficit at one. 

In their half of the inning, the Broncos exploded. Taking advantage of an error and stringing together key hits, Western Michigan plated six runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from junior outfielder Cooper Hums and a triple from senior outfielder Drew Howard.

Kidd handled the rest, shoving for a career-high eight innings and holding Toledo scoreless after the first. The Rockets made one last push in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Western Michigan recorded the final out with senior pitcher DJ Thompson to lock down a 6-3 win and the series.

Western Michigan took two of three, improving to 17-15 and 12-6 in the MAC, while Toledo fell to 16-18 and 12-5 in the conference.  

Series Standout: Toledo P Nathan Leininger (7 IP, 0 ER, 4 Ks, Win [seventh-straight])

Kent State at Northern Illinois

• Northern Illinois 12, Kent State 2
• Kent State 9, Northern Illinois 8
• Northern Illinois 5, Kent State 2

Riding a five-game winning streak as one of the MAC’s best teams, Kent State rolled into DeKalb to play a Northern Illinois squad hot on their heels in the standings.

The Huskies had other plans. Northern Illinois struck early with a run in the first, then broke things open with a three-run homer from senior infielder Cole Smith in the second. 

A four-run third inning pushed the lead to 9-0, fueled by timely hitting up and down the lineup. 

Kent State managed a pair of runs in the middle innings, but the deficit proved too large as NIU added insurance late after a calamitous pitching display in the sixth to secure a 12-2 run-rule win in seven. 

Senior pitcher Max Vaisvila set the tone on the mound, retiring the first 11 batters he faced, finishing with eight strikeouts across six innings.

Kent State responded in a back-and-forth battle that saw the lead change hands multiple times. 

After falling behind early, the Golden Flashes surged ahead with a four-run third inning, highlighted by a triple from redshirt junior infielder Ripken Reese and a two-run homer from sophomore outfielder Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe. 

Northern Illinois answered, but Reese delivered again with a go-ahead home run to put Kent State back in front. The Huskies quickly evened things up, only for Luke Matthews to drive in the decisive run in the seventh. From there, Kent State’s bullpen held firm, stranding late scoring threats to lock down a 9-8 win.

Sunday’s finale shifted back toward pitching and execution, and Northern Illinois capitalized on their pitchers’ support early. The Huskies plated three runs in the second inning, taking advantage of walks and clutch hits to build a cushion. Kent State answered with two in the third to cut the deficit to one, but that was as close as they would get. NIU responded immediately with two more runs in the fourth, restoring control of the game.

Sophomore pitcher Carter Cox handled the rest, working seven strong innings and limiting Kent State’s lineup to two runs while consistently escaping trouble. Senior pitcher Blake Gaskey closed it out with two scoreless innings, stranding the tying run in the ninth to secure the win and the series.

Northern Illinois takes two of three, improving to 20-11 and 12-6 in the MAC, while Kent State moves to 25-9, but retains first place in the conference at 13-5.

Series Standout: Kent State IF Ripken Reese (4-of-13, 3 XBHs, 1 HR, 3 RBIs)

Central Michigan at Bowling Green

• Bowling Green 5, Central Michigan 4
• Central Michigan 5, Bowling Green 0 
• Central Michigan 21, Bowling Green 13

Central Michigan, batting through up-and-down form, visited Bowling Green to take on a red-hot Falcon squad that had yet to lose in the month of April. 

With their streak on the line, Bowling Green faced a one-run late deficit in the first game of the series against the Chippewas. Trailing 4-3 in the eighth with two outs, the Falcons pieced together a rally. Redshirt sophomore infielder Alex Laird reached on a fielder’s choice, then consecutive hit-by-pitches loaded the bases. Junior catcher Lance Vickers delivered the breakthrough hit, lining a two-RBI single through the left side to flip the game and extend Bowling Green’s winning streak to six.

The Falcons had struck first earlier in the game, capitalizing on an error in the opening inning before adding another run in the second on a Vickers RBI single. Central Michigan chipped away, tying the game in the fifth and taking a 3-2 lead in the sixth. Bowling Green answered in the bottom half, with Laird driving in redshirt senior infielder Anthony Mitta to even things at three.

After a go-ahead solo homer from Central Michigan’s senior outfielder Joey Milto in the eighth, Bowling Green mounted their decisive response. Vickers finished with two hits and three RBIs, accounting for the bulk of the Falcons’ offense.

On the mound, redshirt senior pitcher Ty Roder earned the win, while redshirt sophomore pitcher Titus Lotz closed the door in the ninth, striking out the final two batters to secure the comeback victory.

One day after their late comeback win, Bowling Green couldn’t solve a four-man pitching effort from the Chippewas, who combined for a three-hit shutout. Senior pitcher Hayden Bailey set the tone, working six scoreless innings while repeatedly pitching out of trouble, stranding runners in the first, second and fifth to keep the Falcons off the board.

Central Michigan gave their starter support in the third, manufacturing runs off a mix of execution and power. A bunt single and throwing error brought home the game’s first run before junior outfielder Harrison Bowman followed with a two-run homer to push the lead to 3-0. The Chippewas added on with a run in the sixth, using a double, stolen base and bunt to extend the margin, and tacked on another in the seventh on a two-out rally.

Bowling Green’s redshirt senior pitcher Ethan Stade, who struck out six of the first eight hitters he faced, was hung out to dry by his offense, who left runners stranded throughout. 

The Falcons managed just three hits on the afternoon and were shut down late as Central Michigan’s bullpen retired six straight across the seventh and eighth innings before closing out the ninth. The 5-0 loss snapped Bowling Green’s six-game winning streak, evening the series heading into Sunday’s finale.

Central Michigan saved their loudest statement for last, erupting offensively to secure a series win over Bowling Green in a 21-13 slugfest.

The Chippewas responded after initially falling behind 8-7, unleashing a relentless barrage at the plate. Senior outfielder Zach Knowlton led the charge, launching two home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot that flipped the game at 11-10 and sparked an eight-run eighth inning. Central Michigan sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame, breaking things open behind a grand slam from senior infielder Brady Krzciok.

The damage didn’t stop there. The Chippewas piled on five more runs in the ninth, finishing with 22 hits, 11 for extra bases, in their most explosive offensive showing of the season.

Knowlton drove in a career-high five runs, while Krzciok and Bowman added four RBIs apiece. Redshirt junior utilityman Bryson Webb set the tone at the top of the lineup, tying a program record with four doubles and scoring four times as one of seven Chippewas to record multiple hits.

On the mound, senior pitcher Jack Potteiger stabilized things out of the bullpen after entering with Central Michigan trailing, limiting further damage before the offense took over.

The win caps a series victory for the Chippewas, who take two of three and improve to 13-18 and 7-11 in the MAC, while Bowling Green falls to 14-18 and 8-9 in the MAC.

Series Standout: Central Michigan IF/OF Bryson Webb (6-of-13, four doubles)