Site: Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Theunissen Stadium)
Score: Central Michigan University 3, Madonna University 1
Records: MU (10-8) Central Michigan (8-9)
Next MU event: Thursday, March 17 at Goshen College (Goshen, Ind.), 4 p.m. 

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - The Madonna University baseball team held a 1-0 lead over NCAA Division I member Central Michigan University through five and 1/3 innings but three unanswered runs by CMU in the sixth gave the home standing Chippewas the 3-1 win on Tuesday (March 15) at Theunissen Stadium.

"We had every opportunity to execute and win a baseball game today," said Head Coach Greg Haeger. "If we had gotten some timely hitting it could have made the difference."

Sophomore Steve Pelletier (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison) and freshman Victor Barron (Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville) led MU (10-8) with a pair of hits each in the loss. Brendan Emmett was the only Chippewa with two hits. MU stranded eight runners on base while CMU (8-9) left six on base in both teams' first games in Michigan this season.

The Crusaders plated a run in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of Chippewa errors to take the early lead. Junior Drew Adamiec (Walled Lake, Mich. / Western) reached on a one-out error charged to the CMU infield. Adamiec moved all the way to third when the single by Pelletier was misplayed in the CMU outfield to put runners at second and third with just one out. MU capitalized on the CMU miscues when sophomore Brad Lineberry (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) drove in Adamiec from third for a 1-0 lead after half an inning.

Madonna looked to add on another run in the third when senior Jeff Bultinck (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Notre Dame Prep) opened the inning by reaching on a CMU error and was at third after a sacrifice bunt from Adamiec. CMU's Jake Sabol was able to get the next two MU hitters to ground out and strike out to end the threat and keep the score 1-0.

MU sophomore starter Jeremy Gooding (Livonia, Mich. / Divine Child Catholic) worked himself into and out of a jam in the third after a lead off single by Sam Russell. Gooding overthrew first on a pick off attempt and that allowed Russell to get into scoring position at second but Gooding then retired the next two Chips on strikes before getting a pop out to center to end the inning.

MU saw another potential scoring situation erased in the top of the sixth when senior Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill. / Rochester Adams) popped up a squeeze bunt and junior Dan Harder (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton)  - who led the inning off with a single and stole second - was doubled off of third for the double play to end the inning.

CMU then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Hall reached on a one-out walk off of junior lefty Tom Hansen (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Adams). Hall's walk was followed by a single from Brendan Emmett and both runners moved up on a passed ball to put runners at second and third with one out. A wild pitch from Hansen allowed Hall to score to tie the game and a Crusader error allowed Emmett to score to give the Chippewas the lead at 2-1. CMU tacked on another run on a single by William Arnold to put CMU on top 3-1 after six innings.

MU could not advance a runner past second base the remaining three innings, falling by the 3-1 final.

Hansen was saddled with the loss (2-2) as he was charged with all three runs that scored in the sixth and walked two in his 2/3 of an inning of work. Gooding(Livonia, Mich. / Divine Child Catholic) threw the first five, allowing just two hits while striking out eight in taking the no decision. Jon Weaver earned the win for CMU, throwing two innings while giving up a pair of hits. Matt Faiman came in and worked around a walk in the ninth for the save.

MU returns to the field on Thursday (March 17) in a 4 p.m. game at Goshen.