MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team was held to three hits Saturday afternoon in an 11-0 loss in seven innings to the Central Michigan Chippewas at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.
 
Central Michigan (16-10, 11-1 MAC) got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning. Mario Camilletti drew a lead-off walk off of NIU starting pitcher Reagan Klawiter (Verona, Wis./Madison College), followed by a single from Jacob Marsee. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with one out. Danny Wuestenfeld drew a walk to load the bases for Aidan Shepardson. Klawiter got Shepardson to hit a groundball to Andre Demetral (Rochester, Mich./Florence Darling Tech) at shortstop who flipped the ball to Paddy McKermitt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) at second base to start a double play. However, McKermitt's relay throw to first base was off target allowing both Camilletti and Marsee to score and put the Chippewas up 2-0. Klawiter got out of the inning by striking out Garrett Navarra.
 
The Chippewas extended their lead in the second. Robby Morgan and Drew Stengren drew back-to-back walks leading off the frame, and advanced to second and third on a double steal. A Camilletti sacrifice fly drove home Morgan to make the score 3-0. Marsee followed with a double down the right field line to score Stengren and put Central Michigan up 4-0.
 
NIU (6-23, 6-10 MAC) had a chance to cut into the Chippewas lead in the top of the third. McKermitt led off with a single, the Huskies' first hit of the game, followed by a Demetral walk. Carlos Aranda moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt for the first out. However, CMU starting pitcher Andrew Taylor struck out Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland CC) and Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) to end the threat. Scott Combs (Northville, Mich./Michigan State) notched NIU's second hit of the day with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth. He was left at first as Taylor retired the side.
 
Central Michigan took a 7-0 lead in the fourth on a three-run home run by Wuestenfeld. The Chippewas then scored four runs in the fifth to go up 11-0.
 
"We need to have a short memory and move on tomorrow's game one and focus on getting back in the series," said head coach Mike Kunigonis.
 
The two teams wrap up their Mid-American Conference series with a doubleheader on Sunday, April 10 with game one starting at 11 a.m. CT.
 
--NIU--