Bradshaw’s Single Keys 4-3 Win Over Huskies

Box Score

DEKALB, Ill. — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team increased its lead in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference with a 4-3 win over Northern Illinois University here at Ralph McKinzie Field in DeKalb, Ill. Eight Eagles recorded a hit today with Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) leading the way, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.

Picking up the win today was junior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland), pitching seven and a third innings, scattering eight hits, giving up three runs and striking out three. Sophomore Robert Wendzkicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) earned his MAC leading eighth save of the season, throwing one and two-thirds hitless innings, striking out one in the process.

The Eagles went to work in the top half of the first, taking a 1-0 lead. Junior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) singled to left field and stole second, putting the Green and White in scoring position early on. Junior designated hitter Aaron Powell’s (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) single to center field scored Rhoad from second.

The Huskies answered in the bottom half of the first frame to knot the game at one each. Jordin Hood doubled to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Justin Behm singled to the left side.

Hoffman and Trevor Feeny both cruised through the following three innings before the Huskies bats awoke in the bottom of the fifth. Tim Kamin was hit by a Hoffman pitch to start the inning. Anthony Maziur entered as a pinch runner for Kamin and advanced to second a sacrifice bunt by Pat Minogue. With one out, Bobby Stevens doubled to left center, scoring Maziur and giving the Huskies their first lead of the day. Hood smacked his second double of the game down the right-field line, scoring Stevens to increase the lead to 3-1.

The Green and White matched NIU, scoring two in the top half of the sixth to tie the game 3-3. Rhoad led off with a double to left field before an errant throw by Hood at third base off a Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West) grounder advanced him to third. A Feeny wild pitch scored Rhoad and allowed Bradshaw to move to second. Senior Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) singled to center field, scoring Bradshaw to round out the scoring for EMU in the fifth.

Tied at three in the eighth, Rhoad led off with a single and advanced to third on a Feeny throwing error to first. Bradshaw’s single to left field allowed Rhoad to easily score from third and give the Eagles a 4-3 lead. The Huskies attempted rally in the bottom of the ninth fell short as Wendzicki was able to get Stevens to fly out to right with a runner on second.

EMU and NIU will be back in action tomorrow, April 26, at Ralph McKinzie Field. Tomorrow’s game time has been switched from 1 p.m. to noon, with a possibility of a double header being played.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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