Baseball Splits a Twinbill at ETSU

Box scores: Game 1. Game 2.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team split a doubleheader to open the 2006 season versus East Tennessee State University Friday at Cardinal Park. In the first game, the Eagles used a Aaron Powell grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the contest into extra innings where EMU claimed a 9-6 decision in the 13^th inning. In the nightcap, EMU once again used a late rally to tie the game but a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth gave ETSU the walk-off victory, 8-7.

Powell, a redshirt freshman, went 4-for-6 with six RBI and two runs scored in the twinbill. Sophomore Jeff Hehr also turned in a stellar outing going 6-for-11 with four runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore Jeff Fischer (1-0) picked up the win in game one pitching five soild innings tallying four strikeouts while only gving up three hits and one run. In the nightcap, freshman Kevin Wammes (0-1) tallied one stikeout with one earned run in the losing decision.

In the opener, the Bucs (1-1) took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of scores in the bottom of the second inning, but the Eagles (1-1) got on the board in the top of the fourth as sophomore Jeff Davis singled down the right field line to score Powell. Eastern continued to threaten in the frame as senior Matt Moffett advanced to third on the play, but junior Trumanie Riley grounded out to third to end the inning.

ETSU tacked on two more runs in the fourth and six innings before EMU put a score of its own on the board as Hehr singled to right to score sophomore Josh Ivan to make it 4-2 after six and a half innings.

The Buccaneers added another run in the bottom of the frame and took a 5-2 advantage heading into the ninth. Eastern’s bats began to come to life as Ivan walked and Hehr singled to left. Both runners advanced on a fielding error by the leftfielder, as sophomore Steve Bradshaw draw a walk to load the bases with just one out in the inning. Powell promptly cranked a homerun to right center to give EMU its first lead of the season at 6-5.

But in the bottom of the frame, the Bucs pushed across the tying run on a two out-homerun to force extra innings. The game remained tied until the 13^th inning, when Bradshaw became the hero with two outs, scoring Ivan and senior Isaiah Gainforth on a single to center. Junior Derek Lehrman pushed across the final run singling to center to score Bradshaw.

In the bottom of the 13^th, sophomore Jeff Fischer closed it out, pitching his fifth inning of work to claim the 9-6 victory. Fischer allowed just three hits and a run while striking out four in the relief effort.

In the nightcap, it was Eastern Michigan that got off to the quick start as Hehr opened the game with a double to left. He stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Powell. The Buccaneers (1-1) got on the board in the bottom on the 3^rd, loading the bases before starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker hit Blake Church with a pitch to force in the tying run. Shoemaker was able to work out of the jam as the teams headed to the fourth tied at 1.

In the fourth, Lehrman opened the inning with a triple to right center and was driven in by a Matt Markey double to left. Redshirt freshman Eric Pelot followed up reaching on an error as Markey scored on the play. A fly out by Riley and a strikeout by Ivan ended the inning with EMU up two, 3-1.

East Tennessee answered with three runs of it own on two hits and an error to take the lead, forcing Shoemaker from the contest as the Blue and White went up by a total of 4-3. Eastern answered the call again scoring a run in the top of the sixth as freshman Kyle Rhoad scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Riley.

The Buccaneers added three in the bottom of the inning to go up 7-5, and the Eagles once again went into the final inning down a pair. The Green and White opened the inning with a walk by Hehr which was promptly followed by a double by Bradshaw. With runners on second and third, Powell was walked to set up the force play. Lehrman flied out to center as Hehr came across to score to bring Eastern back within a run. Following a pitching change, Shane Davis added another sac fly to score Bradshaw and knot the score at 7. Moffett pinched hit for Rhoad but flied out to left to end the threat.

It looked like extra innings was once again in store for the two squads, but John Weddle drew a walk off of freshman Kevin Wammes to open the inning. Following a sac bunt, Weddle advanced to second and then on to third via a wild pitch. Eastern loaded the bases with a pair of intentional walks, but Church lifted a fly ball to right to score Weddle and claim the victory.

The wrap-up of the series between ETSU and EMU was scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 5, at 1 p.m., but the weather forecast has forced a change in the weekend schedule. The series finale will now be played Saturday, Feb. 4, at 1 p.m., any further changes will be posted on emueagles.com.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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