Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Olivet
Baseball Sweeps Olivet
5/2/2007 12:10:46 AM | Baseball
Eagles play Oakland at 1 p.m. and Siena Heights at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 2
YPSILANTI, Mich.
– The Eastern Michigan University baseball team swept a seven-inning doubleheader 7-4 and 4-0, against Olivet College in non-conference action here Tuesday night at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles were led by the hot bat of senior Brian Blackburn who went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI in game one and the hot arm of freshman pitcher Corey Chaffins (1-2) who tallied a career-high 12 strikeouts en route to his first career win in game two. Sophomore Matt Shoemaker tallied his ninth save of the season moving him into first place all time in EMU history for saves in a season.Eastern (20-17) used a four-run sixth inning to erase a 4-2 deficit in its game one victory with 10 total hits and seven runs scored. Freshman Robert Wendzicki also went 2-for-2 with a RBI and run scored in game one while hitting his first career home run.
In game two, Chaffins and sophomore Bobby Henderson tallied a combined shutout win over Olivet (13-21). In addition to his 12 strikeouts, Chaffins allowed only two hits in 6.0 innings of work while Henderson finished the final inning to pick up his first career save. Sophomore Kyle Rhoad led EMU going 2-for-2 driving in three RBI and a run scored with a triple and double.
Olivet took an early 4-0 lead on three hits in the second inning of the first game. EMU responded in the bottom of the inning as Kenneth Battiston notched an RBI single to score Mike Boyd to pull the Eagles within three, 4-1.
Eastern cut the lead in half, 4-2, on a RBI double by Blackburn to plate Rhoad in the third inning.
The Eagles broke the game open in bottom of the fifth inning with four runs on two hits. Aaron Crooks reached on an error by the shortstop, Rhoad walked and Jimmy Gulliver was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Blackburn delivered a clutch double to left center field to clean the bases. Wendzicki’s home run capped off the inning with EMU leading 6-4.
EMU added another run in the sixth on a Gulliver RBI single to score Andrew Marshall and give the Eagles a 7-4 lead. Shoemaker came in and notched his record breaking save.
In the nightcap, EMU got three runs off a Rhoad triple and Boyd sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
An RBI double by Rhoad scored Blackburn to put EMU up 4-0 which was all the run support Chaffins and Henderson would need to notch the shutout victory.
EMU continues non-conference with two games on Wednesday, May 2 at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles will take on Oakland University at 1 p.m. and Siena Heights at 6 p.m.
