Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Kent State
Baseball Completes Seven-Game Home Stand Versus Kent State
4/8/2010 11:37:23 AM | Baseball
Eagles and Golden Flashes set to meet Friday through Sunday, April 9-11, at Oestrike Stadium
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats
Listen Live (Friday, April 9)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Winners of three out of its last four games, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team (13-16, 4-2 MAC) will conclude a seven-game home stand this weekend, April 9-11, at Oestrike Stadium, as the Eagles host the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champions from Kent State University (16-15, 4-2 MAC). Game one is slated for Friday, April 9, at 6 p.m., while games two and three Saturday and Sunday, April 10-11, are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
An audio only broadcast of Friday's game will be available on Eagle All-Access via EMUEagles.com with Chad Bush and Dan Wyar providing the coverage, beginning at 2:50 p.m. live from Oestrike Stadium. Click here to register for the broadcast and click here for a complete Eagle All-Access spring sports schedule.
PITCHING PROBABLES: Junior ace Corey Chaffins (2-2, 4.89 ERA) will start the series opener opposite Kent State left hander David Starn (4-1, 5.03 ERA) Friday, April 9, at 6 p.m. In game two, the Eagles will start sophomore right hander Kendall Lewis (2-2, 5.93 ERA), while the Golden Flashes will go with right hander Robert Sabo (1-3, 4.62 ERA). The series finale Sunday, April 11, will feature sophomore left hander Collin Taylor (2-3, 5.92 ERA), while Kent State could start Ryan Mace or Kyle Hallock.
EMU VERSUS KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes lead the all-time series, 45-38, and won all three meetings versus the Eagles in Kent, Ohio last season. The last time EMU topped KSU was in the MAC Tournament title game, May 24, 2008, as the Eagles came away with a 12-4 win en route to an NCAA Regional appearance. The last time the Eagles and Golden Flashes met at Oestrike Stadium was May 26, 2007, in the MAC Tournament title game, as KSU came away with a hard-fought 3-2 victory to earn an automatic NCAA Regional bid. The last team to win the MAC Tournament other than Eastern Michigan or Kent State is Ball State University (2006).
THE COACHES: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander enters Friday's contest with a 199-199 career record, including a 38-51 record in two seasons with the Eagles. Kent State's Scott Stricklin enters Friday's game with a 199-118 career record in five seasons with the Golden Flashes. Barring a tie game, one of the two coaches will record their 200th career win in Friday's contest.
LOOKING BACK: In mid-week action Tuesday, April 6, the Eagles picked up their second win of the season over Detroit-area rival Wayne State University, as EMU drew nine walks en route to a 6-4 win. For Jay Alexander, it was the second time facing his former squad since arriving at EMU last season. The Eagles were out-hit, 8-4, by the Warriors, but WSU walked nine and hit two batters, while committing three errors.
STREAK ENDED: Senior Andrew Marshall saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end in EMU's 6-4 win over Wayne State, April 6. Despite scoring a run, Marshall finished the contest 0-for-2 with a pair of walks to see his hitting streak come to an end. Marshall's nine-game hitting streak is tied with junior Ken Battiston for the third longest by an EMU player this season. Senior Todd Graves had a team-best 11-game hitting streak this season, while senior Aaron Crooks had a 10-game hitting streak. Currently, redshirt sophomore Ben Magsig is riding a team-best three-game hitting streak.
MARSHALL LAW: Senior Andrew Marshall is leading the Eagles with a .478 batting average in six MAC games this season. Marshall carries a team-best .652 slugging percentage in MAC play into this weekend's series versus Kent State and is 11-for-23 with a double and home run in league action.
ONLY BY THE NIGHT: Junior Matt Skirving and freshman Daniel Russell are batting a team-best .429 in night games this season. Skirving has tallied a team-best three home runs and nine RBI in night caps this season, while leading EMU with a .952 slugging percentage. On the mound, junior Corey Chaffins has a 1-0 record in two starts, tallying a team-best 18 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. The Eagles are 3-3 as a team in night games this season.
