Eagles Hold Off Warriors for 9-7 Win

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Behind a strong early start and solid play from seniors Mike Sacha (Farmington Hills, Mich.-St. Clair C.C.) and Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West), the Eastern Michigan University baseball team got back to winning ways, defeating Indiana Tech 9-7, here today at Oestrike Stadium.

With the win the Eagles move to 16-26, 11-4 MAC and snap a two game losing streak while the Warriors fall to 29-24 overall on the year.

Junior Bobby Henderson (Milford, Mich.-Detroit Catholic) picked up his first career win, throwing three innings of shutout ball and recording three strikeouts. Also picking up a career first was junior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland). Hoffman (2-2) registered his first save after retiring all three batters faced in the top of the ninth inning to preserve the win for the Green and White. Sacha was 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored while Bradshaw upped his batting average to .394 after a 2-for-4 day at the plate with three RBI and a run scored.

The Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning of play, powered behind Bradshaw’s second home run of the year. After Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) singled and stole second, junior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) was hit by a pitch, putting two on with no outs and the Eagles’ leading hitter at the plate. On a 1-0 count, Bradshaw put the Green and White up 3-0, smashing a shot over the right-field wall. True freshman Zack Leonard’s (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) RBI sacrifice fly brought in Josh Ivan (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville), who had walked earlier, making it a 4-0 game. The final run of the inning came by way of a Sacha single down the left-field line, allowing senior Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) to easily make his way home from third.

Indiana Tech regrouped, scoring one in the second and two in the third to cut the deficit to 5-3. Jeremy Parker scored the first Warrior run after a Powell error in left field. The Warriors shook up starter Jake Stapf (Hamilton, Ohio-Stephen T. Badin) in the third for two runs on four hits. Stapf (1-2) pitched three innings, scattering four hits and two earned runs while striking out three in the no decision.

EMU increased its lead to 6-3 in the fifth inning after Sacha’s second hit of the day, an RBI single to left center scored Davis, who had reach on a fielder’s choice.

The Green and White plated two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth, extending its lead to 8-3. After drawing a walk on four straight balls, sophomore Aaron Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) scored on Powell’s triple that found the gap in left-center field. A pass ball by Warrior catcher Johnny Crane allowed Powell to make his way home, ending the scoring for the Eagles in the sixth.

Indiana Tech rallied to put two up in both the seventh and eighth innings, but could manage no more after Hoffman entered the game in the ninth, needing just 11 pitches to seal the win for EMU.

The Eagles are in action tomorrow, April 30, as they travel to the Buckeye State for a single game against Ohio State University. First pitch in Columbus, Ohio is slated for 6:35 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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