Eagles Hold on for 5-4 Win Over Broncos

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team continued its dominance in Mid-American Conference play with a 5-4 victory over the visiting Western Michigan University Broncos. EMU broke open a scoreless game with a three-run sixth behind Andrew Marshall’s (Mason, Mich.-Mason) RBI infield single. Sophomore Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) picked up his fifth save of the season after entering the game in the ninth inning for the Eagles.

With the win EMU moves to 11-24, 8-2 MAC while Western Michigan falls to 20-11-1, 5-5 MAC.

Junior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland) picked up his first win of the season, going seven and two-thirds innings, scattering nine hits and three earned runs while striking out five Bronco batters. Five different Eagles registered an RBI on the day, led by senior Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview), going 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI.

It was a pitchers’ dual through the first five innings of play at Oestrike Stadium between Hoffman and his counterpart, Ethan Hollingsworth, with each pitching shutout ball. After holding the Eagles in check, Hollingsworth (4-3) was rocked in the sixth inning as the Eagles plated three runs on just two hits to take the 3-0 lead.

Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) started the inning off with a walk and advanced to second after junior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) was hit by a pitch. Steve Bradshaw’s (Lapeer, Mich.-West) groundout allowed Rhoad and Powell to advance to second and third before Marshall came through in the clutch, roping an infield single for the first RBI of the game. Davis’ 0-2 single to right field scored Powell to make it 2-0 before Josh Ivan’s (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) fielder’s choice scored Marshall and rounded out the inning for the Green and White.

The Eastern bats continued the rally in the seventh inning, with Mike Boyd (Huntington Woods, Mich.-Berkley) scoring on a Rhoad single and ensuing fielding error by left-fielder Chris Lewis to increase the lead to 4-0. Powell’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park), ending the scoring for the Eagles in the seventh.

The Broncos climbed back into the game in the eighth, scoring three runs off home runs by Matthew Abro and Neal Miller. WMU again threatened in the ninth, cutting the deficit to 5-4 off a Lewis bloop single to right field, scoring Grant Simotes. With runners on the corners, Wendzicki was able to get Abro to ground out to Gulliver, ending the game and giving the Eagles their eighth conference win.

The Eagles and Broncos are back in action tomorrow, April 19 at Oestrike Stadium. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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