Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 27
Oestrike Stadium
6:25 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
15-23, 0
4
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6
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Western Michigan
17-17, 0
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4
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6
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8
9
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H
E
Western Michigan
1
0
2
0
2
1
0
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6
13
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Eastern Michigan
0
0
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4
4
6
2
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Furious Ninth-Inning Comeback Comes Up Short for EMU Versus WMU
4/27/2018 9:58:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern trailed by six in the ninth before scoring four runs
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team had a valiant ninth-inning comeback, but it fell just short in a 6-4 setback in the Mid-American Conference series opener to Western Michigan University Friday evening, April 27, at Oestrike Stadium.
EMU (15-23, 8-8 MAC) brought the tying run to the plate in the final frame, but WMU (17-17, 7-7 MAC) was able to get out of the jam to preserve the two-run decision.
Before that ninth inning, the Eagles' offense was stymied, as they only could muster two hits and a walk on the evening. In the ninth, they used four hits to score the four runs. Six different players recorded a hit, led by a two-RBI single from junior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge). Freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) extended his hitting streak to 12 games as well.
On the mound, another freshman, Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) extended a streak of his own, upping his scoreless-inning tally to nine-straight frames after tossing two scoreless in the eighth and ninth, including a career-tying four strikeouts.
Western opened the scoring with a run in the first, followed by two in the third to lead 3-0 early. Meanwhile, EMU's bats were mostly silent after four. The Broncos tacked on two more in fifth and an unearned run in the sixth to take a six-run lead into the final three frames. After scoreless tops of the seventh through ninth innings, Eastern mounted its comeback in the last stanza.
The ninth was led off with back-to-back singles, followed by a third single, this one an RBI knock by junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) to break up the shut out. After a walk, Rensel stepped up with the bags loaded, and singled in two more, cutting the deficit in half.
After a strikeout, runners were on the corners with one out. On a second strikeout, the ball squirted passed the catcher, scoring the fourth run, and keeping two on with just one out. Despite the ideal situation, back-to-back fly outs to centerfield ended the comeback, saddling EMU with the tight 6-4 defeat.
EMU and WMU return to the field tomorrow afternoon, April 28, for game two of the series. First pitch from Oestrike Stadium is set for 3 p.m.
EMU (15-23, 8-8 MAC) brought the tying run to the plate in the final frame, but WMU (17-17, 7-7 MAC) was able to get out of the jam to preserve the two-run decision.
Before that ninth inning, the Eagles' offense was stymied, as they only could muster two hits and a walk on the evening. In the ninth, they used four hits to score the four runs. Six different players recorded a hit, led by a two-RBI single from junior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge). Freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) extended his hitting streak to 12 games as well.
On the mound, another freshman, Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) extended a streak of his own, upping his scoreless-inning tally to nine-straight frames after tossing two scoreless in the eighth and ninth, including a career-tying four strikeouts.
Western opened the scoring with a run in the first, followed by two in the third to lead 3-0 early. Meanwhile, EMU's bats were mostly silent after four. The Broncos tacked on two more in fifth and an unearned run in the sixth to take a six-run lead into the final three frames. After scoreless tops of the seventh through ninth innings, Eastern mounted its comeback in the last stanza.
The ninth was led off with back-to-back singles, followed by a third single, this one an RBI knock by junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) to break up the shut out. After a walk, Rensel stepped up with the bags loaded, and singled in two more, cutting the deficit in half.
After a strikeout, runners were on the corners with one out. On a second strikeout, the ball squirted passed the catcher, scoring the fourth run, and keeping two on with just one out. Despite the ideal situation, back-to-back fly outs to centerfield ended the comeback, saddling EMU with the tight 6-4 defeat.
EMU and WMU return to the field tomorrow afternoon, April 28, for game two of the series. First pitch from Oestrike Stadium is set for 3 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LAIO, Nic (3-3)
L: McMurtrey, Justin (3-6)
S: TOWNSEND-CHASE, Jim (6)
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Batting:
2B: SMITH, Connor 1 ; DUNN, Blake 2
3B: SMITH, Connor 1
RBI: STONE, Andrew 1 ; ROCHE,Jimmy 1 ; GRYS, Nate 1 ; DUNN, Blake 3
SF: GRYS, Nate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SMITH, Connor 3 ; STONE, Andrew 1 ; ROCHE,Jimmy 1 ; FORESTELL, Jesse 1
HBP: HAJDUKOVIC, Ethan 1
Batting:
RBI: Schuemann, Max 1 ; Rensel Jr., John 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Nate 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 1 ; Schuemann, Max 1 ; Owings, Zachary 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
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