Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
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Western Michigan
EMU Captures MAC West Division Title
5/19/2007 5:43:08 PM | Baseball
Eagles nip Broncos, 5-4, to claim first West Division title since 2003
2007 Mid-American Conference Tournament Bracket (PDF)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – For the first time since the 2003 season, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team captured the Mid-American Conference West Division title by defeating in-state rival Western Michigan, 5-4, to complete the series sweep here Saturday afternoon at Haymes Field. With the victory, EMU will host the 2007 MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 29-22 over all record and 21-4 MAC mark. The 21 conference wins also set the all-time school record for MAC victories in a season eclipsing the 1990 team who went 20-12. EMU will open tournament play against No. 6 seed Toledo at Oestrike Stadium Wednesday, May 23. Game time is 4 p.m.
Both teams were held scoreless over the first five innings as sophomore Sean Hoffman (7-1) and WMU’s Dan Coberley were solid on the mound. However, Hoffman got the upper hand of the pitchers duel picking up his seventh win of the season pitching seven scoreless innings allowing three runs (two earned) on six scattered hits with four strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work. Coberley picked up the loss going six innings allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Sophomore Matt Shoemaker picked up his 13 save of the season to move into sole possession of second place on the all-time career saves list.
For the game, EMU tallied four runs on 11 hits and were led by senior Brian Blackburn who went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored. Senior Trumaine Riley went 2-for-3 with a team-high three RBI while Steve Bradshaw and Jeff Davis hit 2-for-3 and 2-for-4 respectively with a run scored.
EMU broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning on a Bradshaw sacrifice fly to score Jeff Hehr. After a Blackburn single, Josh Ivan hit a RBI single to score Derek Lehrman to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning, Riley hit a clutch three-run double to put EMU up 5-0. Western responded in the bottom of the frame scoring three runs on four hits to pull within two runs at 5-3.
The Broncos got a run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs to pull within one but Shoemaker was able to get Matt Abro to fly out to center field to preserve the 5-4 win.
