Eagles and Spartans Meet for Home-and-Home Series

Game Notes (PDF)

Live Stats (Tuesday, April 27)

Live Stats & Listen Live (Wednesday, April 28)

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Winners of eight out of its last 10 games, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team will play a home-and-home series Tuesday and Wednesday, April 27-28, this week versus the Michigan State University Spartans. The Eagles will host the Spartans Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium before heading to Cooley Law School Stadium, formerly Oldsmobile Park, in Lansing, Mich. Wednesday, April 28, for a 7:05 p.m. game.

Wednesday's game at Michigan State's Cooley Law School Stadium will be available on Eagle All-Access via EMUEagles.com with Chad Bush, Dan Wyar and Greg Steiner providing all of the coverage, beginning at 6:50 p.m. live from Lansing. Click here to register to listen to all of the action live on Eagle All-Access.

EMU VERSUS MSU: The Spartans hold a 67-53-1 all-time mark versus the Eagles, including a 1-0 record this season. EMU dropped its home opener to MSU, 9-6, March 17 at Oestrike Stadium. Since 2007, the Eagles have a 2-3 record versus the Spartans Last season, MSU took two out of three meetings versus EMU.

COMMON THREADS: Michigan State Head Coach Jake Boss Jr. was the Eagles' head coach for the 2008 season, leading EMU to the Mid-American Conference Tournament title and the program's first NCAA Regional appearance since the 2003 season.

THE COACHES: Eastern Michigan Head Coach Jay Alexander enters Tuesday's game with a 207-202 career record, including a 46-54 mark in his second season with the Eagles. Michigan State's Jake Boss Jr. enters Tuesday's contest with a 74-76 career record.

GOING THE DISTANCE…AND MORE: Sophomore Kendall Lewis did something simply unheard of in baseball, April 24, versus Western Michigan. Lewis went all 11 innings in EMU's 1-0 11-inning win over WMU, tallying 10 strikeouts and giving up just three hits and one walk in the win, pitching the first complete game of his career. His 11 innings are the most by any pitcher in Division I baseball this season. Lewis was named MAC West Pitcher of the Week, as well as a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for his performance.

ANOTHER COMPLETE PERFORMANCE: Junior right handed pitcher Corey Chaffins notched his fourth complete game of the season in EMU's series opener versus Western Michigan, April 23, but his 10 strikeouts were not enough to help the Eagles top the Broncos. Chaffins leads the MAC in innings pitched (72.1) and strikeouts (69) this season. His 69 strikeouts tie his season total from last season and his 72.1 innings are already more than his season total from last season (66.2). Currently, Chaffins ranks 10th all-time in EMU baseball history with 180 career strikeouts. The New London, Ohio native needs 21 strikeouts to tie former EMU hurler Joe Linde (1999-2002) for ninth all-time.

MAGICAL NUMBER 10: The Eagles have had four pitchers tally 10 strikeouts in a game this season. Freshman right hander Steve Weber fanned 10 batters at Cleveland State, March 23, en route to MAC West Pitcher of the Week honors. Corey Chaffins has tallied 10 twice this season, once versus Bowling Green, April 2, and in his last start versus Western Michigan, April 23. Sophomore Kendall Lewis reached the 10-K mark in his last start versus WMU, April 24, striking out 10 over 11-innings in a wild 1-0 victory in extra innings at Oestrike Stadium.

FRESHMEN IN THE PEN: Freshmen hurlers Joe Battistelli, Neil Butara and Taylor Dimmerling have been solid in relief this season for the Eagles. In 12 appearances, Battistelli is 3-0 with a 4.23 ERA and three saves in 27.2 innings pitched. In 12 appearances, including one start, Butara is 2-0 with a 4.57 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched. Dimmerling leads all EMU pitchers with 13 appearances this season and has tallied 13 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos