The game wasn’t the prettiest in the world, but getting the win is what counts. A late-game surge and sharp relief pitching gave the Mavericks a 5-4 win on the first game of Leadoff Weekend at Suplizio Field Friday afternoon against the Yellowjackets of Montana State University.
Although victorious, the Mavericks struck out 15 times and seemed off-balance for the majority of the game against the Yellowjackets staff. Starter Jarrod Molnaa struck out nine for MSU and gave up three hits and one run in 5.0 innings.
“I think we weren’t super dialed in,” CMU coach Chris Hanks said. “I wasn’t happy with our practice all week. I don’t know what else to say. We seemed a step slow today in a lot of areas. They’re a good club. They just missed out on their regional in their region last year. They’re throwing two good arms at us tomorrow so we’ll be tested.
“It looked like we were swinging wet sporting news today. I mean really, It was frustrating to watch. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a team strikeout 15 times.”
The game’s first run came after Molnaa surrendered a bases-loaded walk that brought in Dominic DeMarco who started the inning with a single through the right side. The rally didn’t continue, however, as Molnna received a hat trick of strikeouts when Chase Hamilton, Hunter Douglas, and Caleb Farmer struck out swinging.
JR McDermott’s made his second start of the season and his 13-inning scoreless streak ended in the top of the fifth. The Yellowjackets tied the score at 1-1 after Sam Powers hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop Farmer. The sophomore muffed the grounder, the second Maverick error of the game, and allowed Matt Dillon to score from third.
Even with the end of the streak, it was a second consecutive strong outing for McDermott coming off last year’s injury. On 72 pitches, the righty pitched 6.0 innings of one-run ball with three hits and three strikeouts.
Jared Winslow came in relief for Molnaa. Leading off the bottom half of the sixth, DeMarco roped a solo shot to right field off Winslow, his first of the season, to give the Mavericks a 2-1 lead. The third baseman went 3 for 4 on the day with an RBI.
“[Winslow] was throwing me a lot of changeups,” DeMarco said. “He threw me a good change-up down and away, and I was fouling off fastballs so I thought he was gonna come back [changeup] so I was sitting on that and he threw me that.
“I was trying to get something I could drive and I took a big 2-0 hack and started slowing it down. He threw me a good changeup down and away and I took it then it was 2-2. So I shortened up and he threw that changeup.”
Matt Dillon, who scored MSU’s only run earlier in the game, hit a no-doubt shot to left field that left fielder Matt Turner just watched sail out of Suplizio.
MSU took the lead with a bases-loaded sac fly in the seventh from Andrew Schleusner but found themselves doubled up on second. CMU left Jeff Wodiuk got Chris Arpan to line out to the left to end the threat. Wodiuk picked up the win with 2.0 scoreless innings.
In the seventh, two consecutive walks from Winslow to Jordan Stubbings and Turner put runners on first and second for DeMarco. The third baseman pulled the ball down the first base line and it deflected off Chazz Ishikawa. Ishikawa threw the ball toward Winslow but the ball bounced of DeMarco and into right field and allowed Stubbings to score to tie the game at 3-3.
The error was the fourth committed by the Yellowjackets.
CMU wasn’t done. Mesa regained the lead 5-3 once catcher Tyler Sandoval hit a two-run single to left off lefty Sam Muskatt.
Frankie Fitzgerald came in for the save in the ninth and found trouble after getting two quick outs. Arpan’s double to left center scored Jalen Garcia to inch the score to 5-4 but Fitzgerald struck out Conner Linebarger swinging to secure the save.
