Gulliver Powers Eagles to 9-5 Win Over Buckeyes

Box Score.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Junior shortstop Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) continued to swing a hot bat Tuesday afternoon, as his two home runs, including a second inning grand slam, helped the Eastern Michigan University baseball team register a 9-5 victory over the Ohio State University Buckeyes in front of a packed crowd at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

The Eagles improve to 21-32 with the win, while the Bucks drop to 36-15 with the loss.

Gulliver, the reigning Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI in the win. In his last four games, Gulliver has hit five homers and has tallied 11 RBI.

Gulliver put the Eagles on the board in the early stages of the contest, as his solo blast over the right field wall in the first and grand slam in the second gave EMU early momentum and a six-run advantage.

The Buckeyes got on the board in the bottom of the second, as a sac-fly to right by Michael Arp plated Ryan Dew to make it a 6-1 game. The Buckeyes threatened later in the inning putting a pair of runners on base, but freshman pitcher Kendall Lewis (Huntsville, Ohio-Indian Lake) managed to get out of the inning without any further damage to keep EMU's five-run lead intact. Lewis five innings, giving up just one run on seven hits to earn the win, putting his record at 4-4 this season.

Senior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) extended the Eagles' lead in the top of the third, as his one-run double to deep center field plated sophomore Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley), who single earlier in the inning, to give EMU a 7-1 lead. An RBI groundout by freshman Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) scored junior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) in the top of the fifth to make it an 8-1 game.

Senior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) recorded his 31st stolen base of the season in the top of the sixth, tying Brian Bixler and Greg Howe for the all-time single season record. In his career, Rhoad has 65 stolen bases, tying him for third all-time with Pat Sheridan and Don DeDonatis. Rhoad scored later in the inning on an RBI single by sophomore Matt Skirving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow) to extend EMU's lead to 9-1.

The Buckeyes made it a four-run game in the bottom of the seventh, as a two-run single by Cory Kovanda, an RBI single by Matt Streng, and a sac-fly by Shawn Forsythe made it a 9-5 game.

But the Eagles managed to maintain their lead, as a solid relief effort by sophomores Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne), Jordan Goldschmidt (Ft. Loramie, Ohio-Ft. Loramie), and senior Kevin Wammes (Fremont, Ohio-St. Joseph) allowed EMU to leave Buckeye Country with the win.

The Eagles' victory over the Buckeyes marks the first since EMU registered a 2-1 win over OSU in Columbus, March 31, 2004. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series over the Eagles, 11-3. The victory also gives the Eagles a 5-4 record this season against Big Ten opponents.

The Eagles wrap up the regular season at home this week when they host Central Michigan University, May 14-16, for a MAC three-game set at Oestrike Stadium. Both the Eagles and Chippewas stand with 11-13 record in league play, as both teams are vying for a spot in the MAC Tournament, May 20-23, at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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