Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Kent State
EMU Falls, 5-0, to Kent State in Series Finale
4/11/2010 3:31:03 PM | Baseball
EMU offense stymied by the Golden Flashes in the series finale
Box score
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Six walks by Eagle pitching combined with just four hits sent the Eastern Michigan University baseball team to a 5-0 loss against Kent State University Sunday afternoon, April 11, at Oestrike Stadium.
The Eagles (14-18; 5-4 MAC) lose their first home Mid-American Conference series after a string of winning seven straight. The last time EMU dropped two or more games in a MAC three-game set was versus Ohio University last season in Ypsilanti. With the victory, the Golden Flashes move to 18-16 overall and 6-3 in the MAC.
Sophomore starter Colin Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio-Lakota West) took the loss to drop to 2-4 on the season. Taylor gave up just four earned runs over six and one-thirds innings, but walked six while striking out two. Kyle Hallock (3-2) cruised to the victory, allowing no earned runs on only three hits with six strikeouts.
Senior Todd Graves (St. Marys, Ohio-St. Marys Memorial) paced the Eagles offensively, going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Kent State wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as a weakly hit ball by Anthony Gallas found its way through the right side to plate Travis Shaw for the game's first run with one out in the first inning.
Junior transfer Bo Kinder (Wapella, Ill.-Clinton Community-Kaskaskia C.C.) started-off the bottom of the third with a solid single to left field. Redshirt sophomore Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. With a sharp knock to left field off the bat of Graves, Kinder rounded third but was cut down at home plate to keep the Eagles scoreless.
Eagle batters were kept off the base-paths until the sixth inning, when Graves drew a one-out walk. Senior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) then hit into a double play to end the EMU threat.
Taylor worked himself into trouble in the top of the fourth with back-to-back walks to begin the frame. With the EMU defense anticipating a bunt, David Lyon tallied a single up the middle to score Gallas for a 2-0 lead. The Flashes then went ahead, 3-0, on a Ben Klafczynski double play which scored Kyle McMillen.
After the Flashes loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, Jimmy Rider used a sacrifice fly to center field to score Klafczynski for a 4-0 KSU advantage. KSU added an insurance run in the following inning to make it 5-0.
In the bottom of the eighth, Battiston doubled to deep center to give the Eagles their first hit since the third inning. However, Magsig could not bring him across as he fouled out to end the inning.
EMU is back in action Wednesday, April 14, for the first of two non-conference meetings with in-state rival Oakland University. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at OU Baseball Field in Rochester, Mich.
