The Central Michigan baseball program saw its season come to an end on Sunday evening with a 14-2 loss to No. 10 national seed Notre Dame in the NCAA Regional Finals. CMU advanced to the finals with a 14-9 victory over UConn earlier in the day.
A core group of seniors and juniors that led the Chippewas to a 42-18 overall record has also returned the Maroon and Gold to its deserved status as a top program not only in the Mid-American Conference, but also in the Midwest region.
Since head coach Jordan Bischel took over the program before the 2019 season, CMU has:
● Claimed three MAC titles (two regular season and one tournament).
● Made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1995.
● Become the first MAC program to advance to the regional finals since Kent State in 2012.
● Won two games in the same NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988.
● Gone 100-38, getting Bischel to 100 victories at CMU in just two-and-a-half seasons (the 2020 season was shut down after 17 games due to COVID-19).
● Posted back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time since 1987-88.
"I couldn't be prouder of this team, how they represented our university, our state, themselves," Bischel said. "I think, for our guys, nothing more appropriate than spending 12 hours at the ballpark our last day of the season. Because these guys just love to play. Win or lose, the opportunity to spend all that time together means the world to them."
The Chippewas also had amazing support over the weekend, as they have had all season.
"Our fans, they have to be the best in the country," Bischel said. "I know there are other places with more fans but, pound-for-pound, they are the best that there is."
In the day's opening game, CMU hit four home runs and used timely pitching to down UConn.
The Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the CMU offense came to life in the third and fourth innings, scoring nine runs to give the Chippewas a lead they would never relinquish.
Mario Camilletti opened the scoring for CMU with a home run over the left field fence, his third of the season. An error and a bunt single got two on for Zach Heeke, who singled through the left side to score Jakob Marsee. A pair of two-out hits gave CMU the lead as Aidan Shepardson drove in two with a single and Justin Simpson hit a double that made it 5-3 CMU.
CMU tacked on four more runs in the fourth to stretch its lead to 9-3. Marsee scored from second courtesy of a UConn throwing error following a Zach Gilles bunt single. Home runs from Heeke (two-run shot to left) and Garrett Navarra (solo shot to right center) extended the lead.
The Huskies scored twice in the fifth and three times in the seventh to draw within 9-8 before Central Michigan sealed it with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Chase Rollin opened the frame with a solo homer to left, and seven of CMU's next eight batters reached base with Camilletti, Gilles, Heeke and Shepardson all driving in runs.
Navarra got the start and ran his record to 6-0, going five innings while allowing five runs on nine hits. He struck out two and walked one. Grant Frazer closed it for CMU, allowing just one run and two hits over the final 2 1/3 innings, striking out two.
CMU was led at the plate by Gilles, who went 4-for-6 with all four hits by the way of a bunt. He also scored three runs and had two RBIs. Camilletti was 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in two, while Heeke was 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in four.
In the regional final, Central Michigan took the early lead by way of a Griffin Lockwood-Powell home run in the fourth inning. It was his second of the tournament after hitting just one during an injury-shortened regular season.
The Fighting Irish answered in the bottom half of the fourth with a pair of runs and used a grand slam in the fifth to build a 6-1 lead.
CMU made it 6-2 in the sixth when Simpson scored on a Marsee ground out but Notre Dame was too much, scoring three in the seventh and five in the eighth to advance to the Super Regional round next weekend.
Cam Brown started on the hill for CMU and went four innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
With the game out of reach in the eighth inning, CMU subbed out four veterans who have been critical to the program's success the past two-and-a-half seasons: Gilles, Heeke, Lockwood-Powell and Rollin.
"Those guys, what they've done for us is probably beyond words," Bischel said. "And once it got a little out of control, I just thought there couldn't be anything more special."
Lockwood-Powell, Simpson and right-hander Jordan Patty were named to the All-Region team. Lockwood-Powell finished the weekend 6-for-16 with two home runs, four runs scored and three RBIs. Simpson was 6-for-14 with a pair of doubles and scored three runs, while Patty threw a gem in a victory over Michigan on Saturday, surrendering just one run on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks over 7 2/3 innings.
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June 07, 2021 at 11:17AM
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Baseball Ends Season in the Regional Finals - Central Michigan University Chippewas
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