Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Grand Valley
Baseball Edges Grand Valley, 2-1
4/11/2006 8:37:15 PM | Baseball
Freshman Craig Bate throws 5.0 innings of 2 hit baseball
Box score.
YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team held off a ninth inning rally by Grand Valley State to claim a 2-1 decision Tuesday evening at Oestrike Stadium. A pair of manufactured runs in the first and sixth innings would be all the Eagles needed as freshman Craig Bate pitched five scoreless innings of two hit baseball.
With the victory EMU improves to 14-15 on the season while GVSU drops to 24-8.
Sophomore Steve Bradshaw had two hits and a RBI, while sophomore Jeff Davis added a pair of hits and a run scored. Three other Eagles recorded hits in the win, as EMU pounded out six hits combined.
Bate (2-1) picked up the win and combined with two other Eagle hurlers to hold Grand Valley to just six hits on the afternoon.
The Eagles got on the board in the first inning via their speed as Davis singled to center and then promptly stole both second and third base with just one out in the inning. Two batters later, Bradshaw singled up the middle to plate the contest's first run and give EMU a 1-0 edge.
Both pitchers settled into a grove and neither team would threaten again until the sixth, when sophomore Josh Ivan stretched a single through the left side into a double to lead off the inning. Following a ground out to advance Ivan to third, junior Derek Lehrman drove a 1-0 offering past a diving first baseman to plate to second and eventual winning run to make it 2-0.
The Lakers, the 14th ranked team in Division II, finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth, as Lee VanStreain led off the frame with a single to left. He stole second and then advanced to third on a ground out to second base. A Jeff Carrero single to right plated VanStreain to cut the margin to one, 2-1.
In the final stanza, it was GVSU that was once again knocking on the door as freshman Kevin Wammes was brought in to close it out. After retiring the first batter of the inning, Wammes walked Nick Smith and saw Casey Robrahns single to right field. Smith advanced all the way to third and Robrahns took second on the throw to third. With out one away in the inning, Wammes stuck out Chad Rohacs and then induced to ground out to end the threat and seal the 2-1 victory.
Seventeen players saw action for Eastern Michigan, as the Eagles improved to 10-1 at home this season.
EMU returns to action this weekend, April 14-16, against Mid-American Conference foe Ohio University at Bob Wren Stadium in Athens, Ohio. Game time for Friday and Saturday are set for 6 p.m. with the series finale on Sunday scheduled for 1 p.
