Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 30
Bowling Green, Ohio
3:05 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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Bowling Green
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Photo by: EMU Athletics/Andrew Mascharka
EMU Blows By BGSU in Series Opener, 9-2
3/30/2018 6:12:00 PM | Baseball
Senior Justin McMurtrey went a career-high 7.1 innings to earn the win
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team trailed early, but ran away with a commanding 9-2 win in the series opener over Bowling Green State University Friday afternoon, March 30, at Steller Field. It was the 100th all-time win for EMU (7-16, 2-2 MAC) over Bowling Green (7-18, 2-2 MAC).
EMU got a dazzling start from senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.) as the veteran went a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing only two runs on eight hits while striking out a season-best five batters. In relief, junior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) went the final 1.2, only yielding one hit.
Offensively, Eastern pounded out 10 hits to score its nine runs, including three multi-hit and four multi-RBI games. Leading the way was junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) who finished with three hits and two RBIs, including his team-leading fifth home run of the season. Fellow junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) had a two-hit, two-RBI day, including a double, while redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) and freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) both had two-RBI days.
It was a quick first three innings for EMU, as they could not get a baserunner through the first trip through the lineup, while BGSU struck for runs in the first and third, to lead it 2-0 into the fourth.
In the fourth, Schuemann was the first Eagle to reach on a hit-by-pitch, which was followed by a single from junior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) for the first EMU hit. With runners on the corners, Timko drove in Schuemann on a fielder's choice groundout to short, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Following a 1-2-3 fifth inning from McMurtrey, Eastern battled back to tie it up in the sixth. Nate Jones led off the frame with a double and, one batter later, Schuemann drove him in with a double of his own to make a 2-2 game into the middle of the sixth. McMurtrey got his second straight three-up, three-down frame in the bottom half to maintain the tie into the final three innings.
The pitching allowed for EMU to finally strike for a lead in the seventh. Schenker started it off by launching a solo home run to deep right field. His fifth of the season gave Eastern the 3-2 lead. Later in the frame, senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) singled and proceeded to steal second and reach third on a fielder's choice.
After a pitching change, Nate Jones drove in DeVenney on a safety squeeze. One batter later, Schuemann singled up the middle for his second hit and second RBI to give Eastern the 5-2 lead into the stretch. McMurtrey continued to mow down Falcon hitters in the seventh, retiring his 11th straight in the frame to maintain the lead.
Eastern tacked on some insurance in the eighth with RBIs from the Jones brothers. With the bases loaded on a single and two hit by pitches, sophomore Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) got the first in on a walk. The next hitter, Nate Jones, got the second runner in on a sac fly, giving Eastern a 7-2 advantage. McMurtrey got the first batter in the seventh, but was relieved for Sparks who stranded a pair of runners to keep it a five-run game into the ninth.
In the ninth, Eastern added even more to the scoreboard, getting a pair on a Timko RBI double and Schenker RBI single, making it 9-2 into the last half of the ninth. There, Sparks gave up a double, but was otherwise solid, sealing the seven-run victory.
EMU gets back into action for game two of the series tomorrow afternoon, March 31. First pitch has been moved up to 11:05 a.m.
EMU got a dazzling start from senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.) as the veteran went a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing only two runs on eight hits while striking out a season-best five batters. In relief, junior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) went the final 1.2, only yielding one hit.
Offensively, Eastern pounded out 10 hits to score its nine runs, including three multi-hit and four multi-RBI games. Leading the way was junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) who finished with three hits and two RBIs, including his team-leading fifth home run of the season. Fellow junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) had a two-hit, two-RBI day, including a double, while redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) and freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) both had two-RBI days.
It was a quick first three innings for EMU, as they could not get a baserunner through the first trip through the lineup, while BGSU struck for runs in the first and third, to lead it 2-0 into the fourth.
In the fourth, Schuemann was the first Eagle to reach on a hit-by-pitch, which was followed by a single from junior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) for the first EMU hit. With runners on the corners, Timko drove in Schuemann on a fielder's choice groundout to short, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Following a 1-2-3 fifth inning from McMurtrey, Eastern battled back to tie it up in the sixth. Nate Jones led off the frame with a double and, one batter later, Schuemann drove him in with a double of his own to make a 2-2 game into the middle of the sixth. McMurtrey got his second straight three-up, three-down frame in the bottom half to maintain the tie into the final three innings.
The pitching allowed for EMU to finally strike for a lead in the seventh. Schenker started it off by launching a solo home run to deep right field. His fifth of the season gave Eastern the 3-2 lead. Later in the frame, senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) singled and proceeded to steal second and reach third on a fielder's choice.
After a pitching change, Nate Jones drove in DeVenney on a safety squeeze. One batter later, Schuemann singled up the middle for his second hit and second RBI to give Eastern the 5-2 lead into the stretch. McMurtrey continued to mow down Falcon hitters in the seventh, retiring his 11th straight in the frame to maintain the lead.
Eastern tacked on some insurance in the eighth with RBIs from the Jones brothers. With the bases loaded on a single and two hit by pitches, sophomore Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) got the first in on a walk. The next hitter, Nate Jones, got the second runner in on a sac fly, giving Eastern a 7-2 advantage. McMurtrey got the first batter in the seventh, but was relieved for Sparks who stranded a pair of runners to keep it a five-run game into the ninth.
In the ninth, Eastern added even more to the scoreboard, getting a pair on a Timko RBI double and Schenker RBI single, making it 9-2 into the last half of the ninth. There, Sparks gave up a double, but was otherwise solid, sealing the seven-run victory.
EMU gets back into action for game two of the series tomorrow afternoon, March 31. First pitch has been moved up to 11:05 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McMurtrey, Justin (2-4)
L: CAREY, Zac (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Schuemann, Max 1 ; Timko, Jeff 1 ; Jones, Nate 1
HR: Schenker, Kolton 1
RBI: Schuemann, Max 2 ; Timko, Jeff 2 ; Schenker, Kolton 2 ; Jones, Nick 1 ; Jones, Nate 2
SH: Jones, Nate 1
SF: Jones, Nate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schuemann, Max 1 ; Sweigart, Joey 1 ; Timko, Jeff 2 ; Schenker, Kolton 2 ; DeVenney, Luke 1 ; Jones, Nick 1 ; Jones, Nate 1
SB: DeVenney, Luke 1
HBP: Schuemann, Max 1 ; Timko, Jeff 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1
Batting:
2B: SMITH, Anthony 1 ; CROY, Brad 1
RBI: RIGHTER, Randy 1 ; DREWES, Derek 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILSON, Jake 1 ; CROY, Brad 1
HBP: DREWES, Derek 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C/IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
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