Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagles Host In-State Rival Central Michigan in West Division Showdown
5/4/2007 2:34:11 PM | Baseball
New field dedication set for Saturday, May 5
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Live Stats.
EAGLES HOST IN-STATE RIVAL CENTRAL MICHIGAN IN WEST DIVISION SHOWDOWN: The Eastern Michigan University baseball team hosts in-state rival Central Michigan University for an important Mid-American Conference West Division showdown for first-place supremacy, May 4-6, at Oestrike Stadium. CMU is riding a nine-game winning streak and currently sits in first place with a 16-2 MAC mark and 29-13 overall record. EMU enters the series winning five straight games and 13 of its last 16 and sits one game behind CMU in second place at 14-2, 22-17 overall. Ironically, both teams were in the same situation last season heading into the series at Theunissen Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The Eagles took game one, 10-3, but the Chippewas responded, winning games two and three, 4-2 and 5-1, to take the series. Eastern leads the all-time series against Central, 78-49.
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS: Central Michigan is led by junior Tyler Stovall and senior Ben Humphrey who rank first and second in the conference batting .457 and .375 respectively. Stovall has tallied 75 hits, 49 runs scored 48 RBI with four home runs while Humphrey has notched 66 hits, 45 runs scored, 41 RBI and nine home runs. As a team, the Chippewas are the top ranked team in hitting with a .307 batting average and pitching with a 3.64 ERA. CMU is under the direction of head coach Steve Jaksa, who is in his fifth season.
NEW FIELD DEDICATION SET FOR SATURDAY, MAY 5: The EMU baseball team will be hosting a field dedication Saturday, May 5, before the second game of the series vs. Central Michigan to honor all those who helped the team get a new ProGrass infield at Oestrike Stadium.
PITCHER’S DUEL:
Game one between EMU and CMU will feature two of the MAC’s top pitchers as the Eagles’ ace Jeff Fischer (5-3) will square off against Chippewa junior Josh Collmenter (7-2). Both pitchers are undefeated in MAC play this season. Collmenter ranks first in the conference in ERA (1.72), wins (7), innings pitched (7.61 IP/G), shutouts (2), complete games (4), opponents batting average (.194 avg.) and fourth in strikeouts (8.82 SO/G, 82 total). Fischer ranks second in the conference in shutouts (1), fourth in ERA (2.67), wins (5) and opponents batting average (.230 avg.) and third in strikeouts (9.36 SO/G, 70 total).EAGLES ON FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK: The EMU baseball team matched it longest season winning streak at four consecutive games defeating Olivet in a twin bill, 7-4, 4-0, (May 1), Oakland, 7-4, and Siena Heights, 20-0 (May 2). Earlier this season, the Eagles took the series against Bowling Green (March 24 & 25) and the first game at Buffalo (March 30).
LAUNCHING PAD:
The EMU baseball team hit a staggering seven home runs in its 20-0 thrashing of Olivet (May 3). Sophomore Andrew Marshall hit his first two career home runs while junior Mike Boyd also hit two. Sophomores Kyle Rhoad and Todd Graves along with freshman Robert Wendzicki also hit a home run each.SAVE MACHINE: In EMU’s 7-4 victory over Olivet (May 1) sophomore Matt Shoemaker tallied his season-high ninth save of the season moving him into first place all time in EMU history for saves in a season, eclipsing Phil Kommer who tallied eight saves in 1998. Shoemaker’s nine saves also moved him into fifth place all-time for career saves passing Tom Gallus (8).
EMU Career Save Leaders:
1. Steve Herbst 23 1992-95
2. Ross Winiemko 11 2001-03
3. Brain Reynolds 10 1996-98
Phil Kommer 10 1998-2001
5. Matt Shoemaker 9 2006-Present
STRIKEOUT KING: Junior Jeff Fischer has 70 strikeouts on the season which ranks third in the MAC (9.36 per game). Fischer now has 236 career strikeouts which moved him into third place all time in EMU history passing Woody Mills (225).
EMU Career Strikeout Leaders:
1. Bob Owchinko 306 1973-76
2. Anthony Tomey 249 2000-03
3. Jeff Fischer 236 2005-Present
4. Woody Mills 225 1970-73
FISCHER NAMED MAC WEST PITCHER OF THE WEEK: For the third time in his career, Jeff Fischer was named Mid-American Conference West Division Pitcher of the Week for the period ending April 23. Over that weekend, Fischer notched his fourth consecutive conference victory allowing only one earned run on five hits with nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work in an 8-3 EMU victory over Ball State, April 20. Fischer’s nine strikeouts moved him into third place all-time in EMU history with 230 career strikeouts.
EMU SNAPS MICHIGAN’S 16-GAME WINNING STREAK: The Eastern Michigan University baseball team split a seven-inning doubleheader, 10-2 and 10-7, against the University of Michigan in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon (April 18) at Ray Fisher Stadium. With the win in game one, the Eagles snapped U-M’s 16-game winning streak and handed the Wolverines their first home loss of the season. The victory also marked the first time EMU has won at Michigan since April 18, 1996 when the Eagles defeated the Wolverines 4-1.
FISCHER HURLS COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT: Junior ace Jeff Fischer (3-3) recorded his second career complete game shut out to lead EMU to a 2-0 victory over Ohio University (April 13). Fisher went the distance, allowing just four scattered hits while striking out five to record his sixth career complete game with an 0.00 ERA. Fischer also did not allow an Ohio runner past second base all game. In his last two starts, Fischer is a perfect 2-0 in conference games and has allowed only one run.
BIDDLE ALSO NOTCHES COMPLETE GAME SHUT OUT: George Biddle (3-3) recorded the second straight complete game shutout by an Eagle pitcher allowing seven scattered hits while striking out six in the Eagles’ 1-0 win over Ohio (April 14). The complete game shutout was the second of Biddle’s career since he went the distance in EMU’s 10-0 victory over Buffalo last season (March 31, 2006). For the week, Biddle made two appearances pitching 13.0 innings with 13 strikeouts for an 0.00 ERA.
GOOSE EGGS FOR THE OPPOSITION: EMU recorded back-to-back shutout victories against Ohio, 1-0, and 2-0 (April 13 and 14). The last time the Eagles recorded back-to-back shutout conference victories was in 1975 when they defeated Miami, 8-0 and 6-0. EMU recorded consecutive shutouts against non-conference opponents Wayne State 10-0, and Northwood, 13-0, May 3-4, 1994.
LEAVING THE YARD: So far this season, the EMU baseball team has hit 32 home runs. Here is the breakdown: Derek Lerhman (4), Patrick Dean (4), Todd Graves (4), Jeff Hehr, Jeff Davis (2), Mike Boyd (2), Andrew Marshall (2), Robert Wendicki (2), Aaron Powell (2), Brian Blackburn (2) Kyle Rhoad (1), Josh Ivan (1).
MOVING ON THE BASES: When junior Jeff Davis puts the ball in play, his speed makes him a threat to extend any hit when rounding the base paths. The Avondale, Ariz. native leads EMU with five triples which is second in the conference standings and also moved him into a 13th place tie all time in EMU history for career triples. His five triples are also the most tallied by an Eagle since 2002 when Greg Anglin hit six. Davis also is tied for second on the team with five doubles.
