Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Belmont
Eagles Finish Weekend With Split Against Bruins
3/6/2010 8:38:05 PM | Baseball
EMU falls, 7-5, in game one, but tops Belmont, 8-7, in game two
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (EMUEagles.com) – Following a heartbreaking loss a night earlier, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team rebounded Saturday, March 6, to split a doubleheader against previously unbeaten Belmont University at Shelby Park in Nashville, Tenn. The Eagles fell just short, 7-5, in game one, but came back in game two to knock off the Bruins, 8-7.
The Eagles finish the weekend with a 4-7 overall record, while Belmont moves to 10-1 on the year. All three games in the weekend series were decided by a total of four runs.
Following an impressive performance a day earlier, junior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) had another stellar day against the Bruins, as he finished the doubleheader 5-for-9 at the plate with four doubles, five RBI and one run scored. In three games this weekend, Leonard went 9-for-15 at the dish with one home run, five doubles, four runs scored and 10 RBI.
Redshirt sophomore transfer Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) finished the doubleheader 3-for-8 with four runs scored and a pair of walks. In his last four games, Magsig has reached base safely in 15 out of his last 20 plate appearances, and going into today's doubleheader, the junior college transfer and 2009 Division II Junior College batting champion had reached base safely in 10 straight plate appearances.
Facing a 5-3 deficit going into the top of the fifth in game two, the Eagles put up four runs on the board, as a two-run single by senior Aaron Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) and a two-run double by Leonard made it a 7-5 game. EMU tacked on one more in the sixth to go ahead, 8-5. Crooks finished the doubleheader 3-for-9 with five RBI.
The Bruins threatened in the bottom of the ninth in game two, as a pair of two-out RBI singles by Vinny Casha and Mark North made it an 8-6 game. But freshmen pitchers Joe Battistelli (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) and Taylor Dimmerling (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) buckled down and managed to get out of the inning without any further damage, giving the Eagles the win and Belmont its first loss of the season.
Down 7-1 going into the eighth of game one, the Eagles gained momentum and made it a two-run game, as RBI singles by seniors Todd Graves (St. Marys, Ohio-St. Marys Memorial), Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason), sophomore Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) and an RBI double by Crooks made it a 7-5 game.
But the Bruins managed to keep the Eagles' bats at bay in the top of the ninth, as closer John Ivie retired EMU in order to win game one of the doubleheader.
Sophomore right hander Jordan Glover (Toronto, Ontario-Ontario Schools) took the loss for the Eagles, as he gave up six earned runs on 10 hits and five walks in seven innings, while striking out six Bruins. Chase Brookshire earned the win for Belmont, as he went seven and two-thirds innings, giving up four earned runs on 11 hits and one walk.
The Eagles are back in action Friday, March 12, when they head to Jacksonville, Ala. for a three-game set with Jacksonville State University. But before playing JSU at 3 p.m. on March 12, the Eagles will square off against instate rival Michigan State University at noon at Rudy Abbott Field.
