Eagles Rally for 12-9 Win over Broncos

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team remained perfect at home in Mid-American Conference play with a 12-9 come-from-behind win today over the visiting Western Michigan University Broncos. The Eagles rallied for a four-run eighth to win their second consecutive game and increase their West Division lead over Ball State.

With the win the Green and White improve to 12-24, 9-2 MAC while the Broncos fall to 20-12-1, 5-6 MAC.

“I thought our guys showed a lot of character today, coming behind for the win here at home,” said first-year head coach Jake Boss Jr. “[Steve] Bradshaw and [Jeff] Davis really showed how important senior leadership can be. When you have two guys that don’t know how to quit, its easy for the rest of the team to follow their lead.”

Picking up the win today was senior Dan Puls (Alpena, Mich.-Alpena), giving up three hits and three runs in one inning of work. Junior Matt Shoemaker (Trenton, Mich.-Trenton) pitched seven innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out one and walking two in the no decision. Sophomore Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) recorded his second save in as many days, pushing his season total to six. Three Eagles recorded multi-hit performances today, led by senior Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West) who went 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and a run scored.

EMU took an early 2-0 lead after the first two innings, plating a run in both the first and second. After leading off the bottom of the first with a hard single up the middle, Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) scored on a Bradshaw sacrifice fly to left field to put the Green and White out in front 1-0. In the second frame, senior Josh Ivan (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) made it 2-0 after scoring on a Mike Sacha (Farmington Hills, Mich.-St. Clair C.C.) sacrifice fly to left field.

Western battled back in the top half of the third, managing five runs on three hits after the first two batters of the inning grounded out. Chris Lewis’ two-run double down the left field line tied the game at two before Matthew Abro put WMU ahead 5-2 with his three-run roundtripper.

Down 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles bats exploded for six runs on six hits to regain the lead at 8-5. Back-to-back singles by Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) and Rhoad put the Eagles in scoring position with just one out. Bradshaw’s RBI single through the right side drove in Gulliver before junior catcher Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) singled home Rhoad. With two on and two out, Davis stepped to the plate and drilled a Billy Morrison offering over the right-field wall, clearing the bases for his third home run of the year. Ivan followed in Davis’ steps, launching a shot over the center field wall for his third home run of the year to round out the scoring in the fifth for EMU.

WMU cut into the lead in the seventh when Grant Simontes homered to left field, bringing the score to 8-6. One inning later, in the top of the eighth, the Broncos offense again picked up, scoring three to take a 9-8 lead with an inning and a half to play.

The Eagles answered in the bottom half of the eighth frame, batting around the order to recapture the lead at 12-9. After Ivan singled to left field and freshman Zack Leonard (Canton, Mich.-McKinley) was hit by a pitch, Mike Boyd (Huntington Woods, Mich.-Berkley) laid down a sacrifice bunt, allowing Ivan and Leonard to advance. Gulliver walked before Rhoad was hit by a pitch, scoring Ivan to knot the game at nine all. Back-to-back singles by junior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) broke the tie and put EMU up 12-9 for good.

The Eagles and Broncos will conclude their series tomorrow, April 20, here at Oestrike Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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