Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ohio (MAC Tournament)
Stapf Leads Eagles to Championship Game
5/23/2008 7:36:18 PM | Baseball
Freshman throws 8.2 solid innings
Box score.
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team advanced to its second consecutive Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game with a 9-6 win over Ohio University here today at VA Memorial Stadium. True freshman Jake Stapf (Hamilton, Ohio-Stephen T. Badin) pitched eight and two thirds innings, scattering six hits and five earned runs while fanning six Bobcat batters. Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) and Mike Boyd (Huntington Woods, Mich.-Berkley) provided power to the Eagles offense, recording key home runs on the day.
With the win, Eastern Michigan improves to 24-32 on the season and eliminates the Bobcats from the tournament. First-year head coach Jake Boss Jr. became just the fourth first-year head coach in MAC history to make it to the championship game.
With the first pitch of the game, Rhoad set the tone and put the Eagles on top, jacking a Kevin Mementowski pitch over the left-field wall for his eighth home run of the season.
The Eagles added to their lead in the third, pushing the score to 3-0. True freshman Zach Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) singled to left field, knocking in Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) and Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West). Leonard’s two RBI on the day pushed his tournament total to eight, a team-high.
The Bobcats, hitless until the third inning, roughed up Stapf (3-4) for five runs on just two hits. With the bases loaded, Stapf walked Jeremie Rehak, allowing Zach Hartle to plate the first Ohio run of the day. A grand slam by Marc Krauss gave Ohio its first lead of the game and rounded out the scoring in the third with the Bobcats up 5-3.
EMU fought back in the top of the fourth to retake the lead, scoring four runs on five hits. Boyd’s second roundtripper of the year brought the Eagles to within one at 5-4. Back-to-back singles from Rhoad and junior designated hitter Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) put the Eagles in scoring position early on. Bradshaw’s second double of the tournament tied the game at five. A Davis sacrifice fly to right field scored Powell and was followed by a Josh Ivan (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) single through the right side, scoring Bradshaw.
Bradshaw’s second double of the day and third of the tournament pushed the Eagle lead to 9-5 in the top of the sixth.
A solo home run by Matt Stiffler in the bottom of the seventh closed the gap to three for the Bobcats, but was the final run as Stapf and Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) kept Ohio in check over the remaining two innings. Wendzicki, making his first appearance since May 2 due to injury, entered the game needing just one out in the ninth to put the Eagles in tomorrow’s championship game. A Stiffler groundout to third gave Wendzicki his ninth save of the season and set a date for the Eagles in the MAC Tournament Championship.
Eastern Michigan and Kent State University will meet once again in the championship game, held tomorrow at VA Memorial Stadium. EMU looks to avenge a 3-2 loss the Golden Flashes a year ago. First pitch tomorrow is slated for 1 p.m.
