MAC Bats: May 5

Central Michigan 4, Bowling Green 0 (Game 1)

Central Michigan 6, Bowling Green 2 (Game 2)

The Chippewas (34-12, 16-5 MAC) took care of business yesterday as they downed the Falcons (13-30, 6-15 MAC) in a doubleheader to take the lead in the MAC standings. In the first game, CMU took advantage of BG miscues as all four runs were unearned, including four runs in the sixth inning. The Chips had a balanced offensive attack in the following contest as six different players recorded RBIs, including Jacob Crum with his three hits, a walk, and a run scored. CMU returns to action Tuesday as it hosts Oakland while BG hosts IPFW on the same day.

Kent State 5, Toledo 2

The Flashes (25-20, 12-7 MAC) boast the second-longest winning streak in the MAC win four games as they finished the sweep over the Rockets. The teams had the same number of hits with seven, but the difference in the game was KSU’s pitching staff as it recorded 14 strikeouts (compared to the six strikeouts by Toledo). Zach Schultz had a strong start with nine strikeouts, two earned runs, and no walks in six innings of work, while Luke Albright finished the game with three shutout innings. Kent State hits the road this weekend to take on Bowling Green and Toledo hosts Butler on Wednesday.

Northern Illinois 7, Ball State 5

There’s now a cluster of teams in the middle of the pack in the MAC as the Huskies (15-31, 11-10 MAC) pulled off the upset of the Cardinals (30-16, 14-5 MAC) to pull within five games of the conference lead. BSU had a 3-0 lead after the top of the fifth inning thanks to RBIs from John Ricotta and Justin Conant scoring on a wild pitch, but a two-RBI double from Jake Dunham in the bottom of the inning cut the deficit down to one run. A William Baker sacrifice fly extended the Cards’ lead to 4-2, but a five-run explosion from NIU in the bottom of the inning gave the team its first lead of the game. BSU got a run back in the eighth inning with a hit batsman, but a one-two-three inning in the ninth ended its comeback bid. NIU travels to Toledo for a weekend series while BSU hits the road to take on Purdue Tuesday.

Western Michigan 7, Eastern Michigan 6

Wrapping up the action in the conference were the Directional Michigans as the Broncos (16-26, 9-10 MAC) completed the sweep of the Eagles (11-36-1, 6-15 MAC) to remain six games back of the MAC lead. WMU started the game off hot as held a 4-0 lead after four innings of play thanks to a two-RBI triple from Justin McIntyre. However, EMU went on to score six unanswered runs, beginning with a Jeff Timko solo home run in the fifth inning and ending with a sacrifice bunt-RBI from Timko in the eighth inning. The Broncos finally responded in the eighth inning with RBIs from Logan Hudson, Drew Devine, and Cooper Marshall, and stranded the tying run at second in the ninth inning for the victory. WMU hits the road to take on Pittsburgh Tuesday as EMU is at Michigan that same day.