Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Central Michigan
Baseball Blanks Central Michigan, 3-0
5/5/2007 9:08:32 PM | Baseball
Biddle notches second complete game shutout of season snapping CMU's 10-game win streak
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team recorded a 3-0 shutout victory over in-state rival Central Michigan in Mid-American action here Saturday night at Oestrike Stadium. With the win, EMU (23-18, 15-3 MAC) snapped CMU’s (30-14, 17-3 MAC) 10-game win streak and is now one game behind the Chippewas in the West Division standings.
Senior Pitcher George Biddle (5-4) prevented the Chippewas, who are the top-hitting team in the MAC, from generating any offense allowing only three hits while striking out seven en route to his second complete game shutout of the season. Central Michigan starter Dan Taylor (5-1) picked up his first loss of the season allowing three runs on 10 hits while striking out two over 4.2 innings of work.
Senior Derek Lehrman led the Eagles’ offense going 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI. Sophomore Kyle Rhoad hit 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Sophomore Aaron Powell also added an RBI in the winning effort.
Cody Allen, Billy Anderson, and Tyler Stovall each recorded one hit for the Chippewas.
Eastern got off to a hot start in the first. With two outs, Junior Jeff Hehr connected on a double to left-center. Lehrman then singled to give the Eagles a quick 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Rhoad singled to give EMU a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The Eagles struck again in the fifth inning. After Lehrman drew a one-out walk, senior Brian Blackburn singled to left-center to advance Lehrman to second. Two batters later Powell notched a RBI single to score Lehrman putting Eastern ahead 3-0.
Central threatened in the top of the seventh when its first two batters reached on singles. However, after a fly out, Biddle was able to get Noah Lankford to ground into a double play to escape the jam.
Blackburn led off with a single in the bottom of the seventh. Rhoad then advanced Blackburn to second with a sacrifice bunt. The Eagles then loaded the bases after a Powell walk and Josh Ivan single. However, the Chippewa defense was able to escape the inning without surrendering a run.
The Chippewas got the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth after Biddle hit two batters. However, Biddle was able to get Bryan Mitzel to fly out to preserve the 3-0 victory.
Both teams return to Oestrike Stadium for the rubber match Sunday, May 6 at 1 p.m.
