Eagles Battle Arizona, Fall 13-7

Regional Tournament Central

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Playing in its first NCAA Regional Tournament since 2003, the Eagles dropped a 13-7 game to the No. 1 seed Arizona Wildcats here at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. Despite pounding out 11 hits against one of the top pitching staff’s in the country, the Green and White could not keep the UA offense in check in the late innings, as the Wildcats posted eight runs over the final three innings.

Junior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland) was charged with the loss. Hoffman (5-3) threw five and a third innings, yielding seven hits, six earned runs and two walks while striking out two. Four Green and White batters each collected two hits, led by senior Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) who went 2-for-5 with three RBI.

After a scoreless first inning form both sides, the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three complete innings of play. Jon Gaston was hit by a Hoffman pitch and advanced to third on a C.J. Ziegler single to left center to start the second. A hard hit grounder to third baseman Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) forced a play at the plate, but Gaston was able to maneuver around catcher Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason), scoring the first of four second inning runs for Arizona. Ziegler made it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly to right field while Bryce Ortega’s RBI single through the left side scored T.J. Steele. Dillon Baird rounded out the scoring in the second, crossing home off a Rafael Valenzuela sacrifice fly to left field.

Brad Glenn on a Ziegler RBI single to center field, giving UA a 5-0 advantage through the first third of the game.

The Eagles threatened in the top half of the third, with Marshall reaching in an error and senior Mike Boyd (Huntington Woods, Mich.-Berkley) doubling down the left field line to put the Eagles position to make up some ground with just one out. Guilmet was able to get Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) to line out to second and junior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) to groundout to third to end the scoring threat for EMU.

The Green and White quickly loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with three consecutive singles from Leonard, Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) and Marshall. Boyd’s second hit of the day, an RBI single through the left side, scored Leonard and cut the deficit to 5-1. Rhoad was hit by a Guilmet pitch, driving in Gulliver before Powell singled through the left side, scoring Marshall, bringing the score to 5-3. Bradshaw brought the Eagles to within one at 5-4 when his sacrifice fly to left field scored Boyd from third. With runners on first and second and just one out, Arizona turned to its pen, bringing in Ryan Perry to relieve Guilmet. Davis gave the Eagles their first lead of the game with a two-run double down the right-field line, rounding out the scoring for EMU in the fifth.

A pitcher’s dual between Hoffman and Perry was underway as Hoffman made quick work of the Wildcats in the bottom half of the fifth, going one-two-three for the first time since the opening inning of play. Perry matched, striking out the side in the EMU sixth.

Senior reliever Dan Puls (Alpena, Mich.-Alpena) took over for Hoffman after the Wildcats tied the game and loaded the bases in the sixth. Puls struck Mike Weldon on a 3-2 count to get the second out of the inning, but then walked Colt Sedbrook and Glenn, allowing two runs to score and give UA the 8-6 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

The Eagles battled back in seventh, again cutting the deficit to one run at 8-7. Rhoad singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a Bradshaw groundout to the pitcher. Davis’ second hit of the game, a single to right field drove in Rhoad and made it a one-run game.

A one-two-three seventh from Puls put the Eagles back at the plate in the top of the eighth. Leonard singled to right field and advanced to second on Gulliver’s groundout to third. A wild pitch from Dan Schlereth moved Leonard to third before and forced UA to again turn to their pen with Boyd making his way to the plate. Arizona’s closer, sophomore Jason Stoffel, made his way to the mound with two outs and a runner on third in the top of the eighth, striking out Boyd on three straight pitches.

Puls lasted one out into the bottom of the eighth before giving way to sophomore closer Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark). Diallo Fon reached on a single to the six-hole before Wendzicki got Sedbrook to groundout and intentionally walked Glenn. With the bases loaded, Gaston singled to right field, knocking in Dwight Childs to give the Wildcats a two-run cushion. A bases-clearing double from Ziegler gave UA the 12-4 lead, forcing the Eagles to bring in freshman Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) in relief of Wendzicki. Steele tacked on another run, upping the score to 13-7 before Baird struck out looking to end the inning.

The Eagles comeback attempt in the top of the ninth fell short as Stoffel struck out Ivan, giving the Wildcats the 13-7 win.

EMU will be in action tomorrow, Saturday, May 31, awaiting the loser of the No. 2 Michigan – No. 3 Kentucky game to be played at 7 p.m. tonight. First pitch for tomorrow’s elimination game will be at 2 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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