Eagles Soar Past Colonials, 10-5

Box Score.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team wrapped up the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament in impressive fashion Sunday afternoon, Feb. 22, as the Eagles registered a 10-5 victory over the George Washington University Colonials at Winthrop Ballpark.

The victory puts EMU at 2-2 this season, while GWU drops to 0-3 with the loss.

Freshman hurler Kendall Lewis (Huntsville, Ohio-Indian Lake) went six innings in his first collegiate start, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out three Colonial batters to pick up the win. Chris Neary took the loss for the Colonials.

After reaching second base on an error to lead off the game, senior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) set the table early for the Eagles, as he stole third and later scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) to give EMU a 1-0 lead. Singles later in the inning by sophomore Matt Skriving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow), senior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) and freshman Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Ohio-Adrian) led to three more runs, giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead.

Powell finished 2-for-5 at the plate with two runs and three RBI, while Ohrman and Leonard each tallied two RBI in the win for the Eagles. Despite going hitless, Rhoad finished the game with one run scored and two stolen bases for EMU.

The Colonials cut into EMU's lead in half in the bottom half of the inning, as a sacrifice fly by Tim Reeves would score Tom Zebroski and an RBI single by Sean Rockey scored Chris Holland, who earlier doubled, making it a 4-2 game after one inning.

The Eagles increased their lead in the top of the fifth after a double to the gap in left-center by junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) led to an RBI single by Leonard, giving EMU a 5-2 advantage. Gulliver finished 1-for-3 with one run scored in the victory, ending his streak of three consecutive multi-hit games.

The Colonials pulled within two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as base hits by Curtis Eward and Gavin Swanson and an EMU error score one run, limiting the Eagles to a 5-3 lead.

EMU took a commanding lead in top of the eighth, as RBI singles by Powell, Ohrman and junior Aaron Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) coupled with two GWU errors made it a 9-3 game. Crooks finished 2-for-4 with one RBI in the win.

The Eagles continue their trip south, as the team travels to Gainesville, Fla. for back-to-back night games against the No. 23 University of Florida Gators, Feb. 24 and 25. EMU looks to reverse its fortunes after last year's trip to Gainesville when the Gators outscored the Eagles, 31-10, to sweep the doubleheader.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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