Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ball State
Baseball Shuts Out Ball State
4/21/2006 11:02:27 PM | Baseball
Fischer tosses first career complete game shut out
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Behind the strong arm of sophomore Jeff Fischer, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team shut out MAC-division rival Ball State, 8-0, on a rainy night here at Oestrike Stadium. Fisher tossed a four-hit complete game en route to his first career shut with nine strikeouts and one walk.
After a lengthy rain delay, EMU (19-16, 8-5 MAC) put up eight runs on 10 hits and were led offensively by senior Isaiah Gainforth and junior Derek Lehrman. Gainforth went 2-for-4 from the plate with two runs scored while Lehrman hit 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Sophomore Josh Ivan also went 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI.
Ball State (20-17, 7-6 MAC) was led by Eric Earnhart who went 2-for-3 from the plate while Ben Snyder picked up his forth loss of the year.
EMU got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning with a base hit by Jeff Davis to score Lehrman from second and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
Heavy rains in the area forced a game delay during in the top of the fifth inning. The delay lasted 2:05 minutes and play was resumed at 9:15 p.m. Fischer remained on the mound for the Eagles and got out of the inning forcing a fielder’s choice with runners in scoring position.
The EMU bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Eagles chalked up three runs off of new Ball State pitcher Jay Broughton. Gainforth got things going with a single to left center, advanced to second on a Lehrman sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ivan doubled down the right field line to score Gainforth. Another double courtesy of Steve Bradshaw scored Jeff Hehr and Ivan giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
Eastern went up 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth as Lehrman singled up the middle to score Gainforth. The Eagles then broke the game open in the seventh with three runs on one hit. A bases loaded walk by Aaron Powell plated Davis. Matt Moffett then doubled driving in Bradshaw and Hehr for an 8-0 lead.
Fischer closed the game out with 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth to seal the victory.
EMU and Ball State will play to second of the three-game series, Saturday, April 22 at 5 p.m.
