Eagles Welcome Cardinals to Varsity Field for Three-Game Set

Softball vs. Ball State
Date	Friday, April 27 - 3 p.m. \| Saturday, April 28 - 1 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Varsity Field
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Listen	Eagle All-Access (FREE)
Twitter	@EMUSoftball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University softball team welcomes Ball State University to Varsity Field for a three-game set this weekend, Friday-Saturday, April 27-28. The three-game set, which will be EMU's final home Mid-American Conference series, will get started Friday with a 3 p.m. first pitch. EMU and BSU will then close out the weekend with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
   Live stats will be available for all three games of the series, while Greg Steiner will also call Friday's game on Eagle All-Access. Links can be found on the softball schedule page. Additionally, fans can follow the action through Twitter by following the team's account, @EMUSoftball.

WONDER WOMAN: Senior Haley Hostetler has been one of EMU's most reliable players during her time in Ypsilanti. In fact, the New Haven, Ind. native has played in 193 consecutive games since stepping foot on campus, and is set to play in more games than any other Eagle in program history needing just two this weekend. Currently, Jessica Richards holds the program record, having played in 194 games from 2009-12.
   Additionally, Hostetler already holds the program record for starts, having made 192 during her tenure between center field and shortstop.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Eastern Michigan and Ball State have squared off on the diamond 100 times since the series began in 1981. The Cardinals lead the all-time series against the Eagles by a 61-39 tally, including taking two-of-three last year.
   After falling 8-0 and 9-0 in a pair of run-rule games, the Eagles bounced back with a 1-0 shutout in the series finale. Lucy Lopez singled through the left side to score Angel Schilke in the top of the seventh to give the Eagles all they needed. In the circle, Nicolle Miranda tossed a complete game gem, allowing just four hits and striking out three en route to the shutout.

SHE'S EFFICIENT, THAT'S FOR SURE: Haley Hostetler has been successful on 25-of-28 steal attempts during her career, good for a stolen base percentage of 89.3, the highest in program history.

SPEEDSTER: Senior Angel Schilke has served as one of EMU's top threats on the base paths during her career. Primarily used as a pinch runner in each of her first three seasons, Schilke has racked up 31 stolen bases for her career, the 11th-most in EMU history. Schilke had 10 steals as a freshman, nine as sophomore, five last season, and has added seven to her career total this year.

DOUBLES FOR DAYS: Amanda Akles and Haley Hostetler currently lead the Eagles in doubles with 12 and 10, respectively. Akles' dozen ranks tied for 11th in EMU single-season laurels, while Hostetler is just outside the top-12. Meanwhile, both find themselves ranked inside EMU's top-20 for career doubles as Hostetler's 28 two-baggers rank tied for 14th all-time and Akles is slotted 18th with 27.

K CLUB: In the latest Mid-American Conference statistical rankings, Eastern Michigan has two pitchers ranked inside the league's top-15 in strikeouts. Junior Nicolle Miranda and senior Trisha Trujillo have fanned 72 batters apiece, and are currently tied for 11th-most in the MAC. It marks the first time the Eagles have had two pitchers slotted inside the conference's top-15 since Jenna Ignowski (11th-104) and Lauren Wells (15th-90) did so in 2013.

THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE: Junior Amanda Akles finds herself amid one of the best offensive streaks the Eagles have ever seen. Akles has 15 hits, seven of which have been homers, in her last 27 at bats, with 16 RBI's and eight intentional walks. Additionally, the La Habra, Calif. native has reached base safely in 11 of the last 12 games.

GETTING BETTER WITH AGE: Trisha Trujillo has been a pivotal piece to EMU's pitching staff since stepping foot in Ypsilanti, but she has saved her best for her senior season. Trujillo picked up a win and a save, April 10-13, while owning a 2.21 ERA over the five-game span. The Whittier, Calif. native's impressive week was capped by the first save of her career, only to be out-done by a complete game shutout against Central Michigan, April 13.
   For the season, Trujillo has set a career-high in strikeouts with 72, a mark that is nearly 30 above her previous career-best, while also holding the opposition to its lowest batting average of her career (.304).

MOVING ON UP: With three more home runs last week, April 11-13, junior Amanda Akles moved her season HR total to nine, tied for eighth-most in EMU single-season history. She has recorded 23 round-trippers in her career, good for sixth, and needs just one more dinger to tie Lauren Clark and Nellie Coquillard for fifth-most in EMU's laurels.

ON DECK: The Eagles host the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University Wednesday, May 2, for a non-conference doubleheader. The twin bill marks EMU's final non-conference games of the season, while also serving as Eastern Michigan's final home game.

Eagles Welcome Cardinals to Varsity Field for Three-Game Set

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Players Mentioned

Amanda Akles

Haley Hostetler

Lucy Lopez

Nicolle Miranda

Angel Schilke

Trisha Trujillo

Eastern Michigan Athletics