Eagles Fall to No. 12 Florida

Box Score.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team dropped a high scoring affair Wednesday night, Feb. 25, at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. as the Eagles fell 17-6 to the No. 12 Gators of the University of Florida.

The loss drops EMU to 2-4 this season, while UF improves to 5-0 with the victory.

Freshman Johnny Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) provided some fireworks for the Eagle offense in the top of the third inning, as his two-out grand slam was his first collegiate hit and it gave EMU a 5-4 lead. Crooks finished the game 1-for-5 at the plate with one run and one RBI.

Sophomore Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) extended his hit-streak to 12 games, as he went 2-for-4 at the plate in the loss. Leonard has hit safely in every game dating back to game one of last year's Mid-American Conference Tournament.

The Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as back-to-back singles in the top of the first by Leonard and junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) led to a sacrifice fly by sophomore Matt Skirving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow), giving the Eagles a 1-0 advantage. Gulliver notched his fourth multi-hit game in the loss, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI, while Skriving walked twice in the contest, scoring one run and tallying one RBI.

However, the Gators would swiftly answer in the bottom half of the inning, as a leadoff solo homer by Avery Barnes made it a 1-1 game. Florida tacked on three more runs in the first to take a 4-1 lead.

The Eagles regained the lead in the top of the third, as Crooks' grand slam scored senior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston), junior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) and Skirving to put EMU ahead, 5-4.

The Florida offense responded two innings later, as Riley Cooper hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to score Clayton Pisani, Brandon McArthur and Matt den Dekker to put the Gators ahead, 8-5. Florida tallied one more in the inning to take a 9-5 advantage.

Florida would all but seal a victory an inning later, as the Gators scored seven runs on five hits, including a three-run homer by Buddy Munroe, to take a commanding 16-5 lead.

Sophomore Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) took the loss for EMU, putting him at 0-2 this season, while Kevin Chapman picked up the win in relief for the Gators.

The loss drops EMU to 1-5 all-time against the Gators, as team's only win over Florida occurred March 7, 1985, when the Hurons registered a 7-6 victory over the Gators.

The Eagles travel to Atlanta, Ga. for a weekend series with the Panthers of Georgia State University, Feb. 27-March 1. Senior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland) is scheduled to start on the mound in game one for EMU, while Adam Knight will get the nod for the Panthers.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos