Eastern Michigan Athletics
Baseball Heads South for Season Opener
2/18/2009 9:28:12 AM | Baseball
The EMU baseball team begins its season Friday, Feb. 20, in Rock Hill, S.C.
YPSILANTI, Mich. – With winter all but winding down, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team begins its season Friday, Feb. 20, as the Eagles trek to Rock Hill, S.C. for the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament, hosted by Winthrop University. EMU has two games slated for Friday, beginning with a 11:30 a.m. match-up with George Washington University, followed by a 3:30 p.m. tilt with the Winthrop Eagles.
WINTHROP TOURNAMENT: The Eagles will face Winthrop University and George Washington University in the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament, both first-time opponents for EMU. Winthrop finished 26-34 overall last season (11-10 Big South), while GWU tallied a 26-29 mark, going 11-16 in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
A SEASON OF FIRSTS: The 2009 season marks a season of first for the Eastern Michigan University baseball team, as Jay Alexander enters his first year at the helm of the historically successful program. A Detroit, Mich. native, Alexander spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Wayne State University where he compiled a 161-148 record. As a team, the Eagles have three first time opponents slated for 2009, including Winthrop, George Washington and Georgia State. The team also welcomes seven first-year players.
ON THE HILL: Senior pitcher Sean Hoffman enters his final season as the team's top pitcher, after going 5-3 last season in 15 starts and 19 appearances. Hoffman tallied a team-high 56 strikeouts last season and pitched a team high 97 innings. Going into this season, Hoffman ranks 16th all-time in innings pitched (209.1).
STOP, THIEF!: Senior center fielder Kyle Rhoad was named the Mid-American Conference's best base runner by the league's coaches in College Baseball Insider, a year after he pilfered a 19 stolen bases last season (4th in MAC). In three seasons, Rhoad has tallied 34 stolen bases (13th all-time).
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP: After having one of the most successful freshman campaigns in EMU baseball history, sophomore Zach Leonard is looking for similar success in 2009. Leonard belted a team-best nine home runs last season and was named the Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP after tallying 11 RBI in EMU's four-game run to the tournament title. Leonard was also named to the Ping! College Baseball All Freshman team last season.
LOOKING AHEAD: After competing in the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament at Winthrop University, the EMU baseball team treks to Florida and Georgia for several key games. The Eagles will take on the University of Florida Gators in Gainesville Feb. 24 and 25, before heading to Atlanta, Ga. for three games against Georgia State University from Feb. 27 through March 1.
HOME, SWEET HOME: Originally scheduled for March 24, the EMU baseball team will play its home opener March 18 when the Spartans of Michigan State University come to Oestrike Stadium for a 3 p.m. in-state match-up. The Eagles went 1-1 against the Spartans last season, and MSU leads the all-time series, 64-52-2. The Spartans are under the tutelage of first-year head coach Jake Boss Jr., who coached the Eagles last season to a MAC West Division and MAC Tournament title and an NCAA Regional appearance.
OESTRIKE HONORED: Legendary EMU head baseball coach and EMU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Ron Oestrike will be honored at the Class of 2008 Hall of Fame ceremony Feb. 21. The E-Club is honoring Oestrike with a Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the University and the letterwinners club. A special presentation will be made to Oestrike, a 1979 EMU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, during the Hall of Fame ceremony.
2009 NEWCOMERS: The Eagles welcome seven newcomers this season, including Kyle Klein, Austin Grate, Johnny Crooks, Jordan Glover, Kendall Lewis, Brent Ohrman and Steven Young.
BUCKEYE STATE MAJORITY: The EMU baseball team features 17 players from Ohio, including Wally Gerbus, Kyle Rhoad, Corey Chaffins, Aaron Crooks, Jordan Goldschmidt, Kevin Wammes, Kevin Battiston, Robert Wendzicki, Johnny Crooks, Zack Leonard, Todd Graves, Kendall Lewis, Tim Combs, Kevin Sikora, Collin Taylor, Chris Pfund and Jake Stapf.
DEFENDING HOME FIELD: Since Oestrike Stadium opened in 1971, the EMU baseball team has compiled a 443-295-2 (.599) overall mark at home. The EMU Hurons did not disappoint in the first-ever game at Oestrike Stadium, as the team scored seven runs in the first inning and never looked back, claiming a 9-7 victory of the University of Detroit.
