Eagles Rally Late, But Fall Short to Toledo, 7-6

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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – A late rally by the Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell just short late Thursday night, May 21, at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio, as the No. 6 seeded Rockets of the University of Toledo edged the No. 7 Eagles, 7-6, in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

With the loss, the Eagles move into the bottom portion of the bracket where they now face the No. 3 Bobcats of Ohio University at 12:30 p.m. The Eagles went 1-2 against Ohio this season, as the team took the series opener, 7-1, but dropped the final two contests.

Facing a one-run deficit in the top of the ninth, the Eagles loaded the bases with two outs, as back-to-back singles by juniors Todd Graves (St. Mary's, Ohio-St. Mary's Memorial) and Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) and a walk to sophomore Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) gave the Eagles a chance. But Toledo closer Matt Zahel managed to get out of the game and managed to get EMU freshman Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) to fly-out to center field to end the game and hand the Eagles the loss.

Junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) and sophomore Matt Skirving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow) each collected two hits in the loss, while Leonard finished 2-for-2 with one run scored and one RBI for the Eagles. Leonard has recorded 26 multiple hit games this season, the most by any EMU player.

Down 7-3 in the top of the eighth, the Eagles pulled within a run with one swing of the bat, as a three-run double down the left field line and off the wall with the bases loaded by freshman Johnny Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) plated three Eagles and made it a 7-6 game. Crooks is a perfect 4-for-4 in bases loaded situations this season.

After a rough start in the first, freshman hurler Jordan Glover (Toronto, Ontario-Ontario Schools) settled down to hold the Rockets to just two runs in four innings. Glover fanned six Rockets, but took the loss for EMU, putting his record at 3-5 this season.

With the win, the Rockets stay in the winner's bracket where they will meet the winner of EMU and Ohio. Both the Eagles and Bobcats will have to knock off the Rockets twice in order to advance to the MAC Tournament title game, as Toledo has yet to lose and has knocked off both EMU and Ohio.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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