Skirving's Walk-Off Leads EMU to 8-7 Win Over NIU

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. – A walk-off solo home run by sophomore Matt Skirving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow) in the bottom of the ninth made the difference Sunday afternoon, April 26, at Oestrike Stadium, as the Eastern Michigan University baseball team registered an 8-7 win over Northern Illinois University to take two out of three this weekend against the Huskies.

The Eagles improve to 14-28 (7-11 MAC) with the win, while NIU drops to 15-25 (6-11 MAC) with the loss.

With the score tied 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth, Skirving belted Tom Zelasko's first pitch over the wall in right center field to propel EMU to victory and clinch the victory in the three-game series. Skirving finished 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in the win.

Junior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) belted his 11^th home run of the season for EMU, as he finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.

Senior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) went 3-for-4 with three runs and two stolen bases, while junior Todd Graves (St. Mary's, Ohio-St. Mary's Memorial) and redshirt freshman Wally Gerbus (Fairfield, Ohio-Stephen T. Baden) each cracked home runs for EMU.

Down by a pair of runs mid-way through the game, the Eagles pulled within a run in the bottom of the fifth, as a solo homer by Gerbus and a three-run shot by Marshall made it a 6-5 game.

EMU made it a tie game in the bottom of the seventh, as an error by NIU second baseman Joe Buonavolanto plated Rhoad to make it a 6-6 game.

But the Huskies reclaimed the lead in the top of the eighth, as a solo homer over the centerfield wall by Matt Behren put NIU ahead, 7-6.

Graves made it a tie game in the bottom of the eighth, as his solo homer over the left field wall made it 7-7.

EMU hits the road for two mid-week games in East Lansing next week, as the Eagles face the Spartans of Michigan State University, April 28-29.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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