Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Toledo
Eagles Fall, 6-3, to Rockets in Series Opener
5/14/2010 8:22:30 PM | Baseball
Chaffins’ fifth complete game of the season and Marshall’s home run not enough for EMU
Box score
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team dropped game one of its final three-game homestand of the season Friday night, May 14, at Oestrike Stadium, as the University of Toledo Rockets downed the Eagles, 6-3, in a Mid-American Conference West Division tilt.
EMU drops to 25-25 (13-9 MAC) with the loss, while UT improves to 29-19 (15-7 MAC) with the win.
Senior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season in the loss, finishing the contest 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI.
Junior pitcher Corey Chaffins (New London, Ohio-New London) notched his MAC-best fifth complete game of the season, but took the loss for the Eagles. Chaffins (4-5) gave up six runs and tallied six strikeouts.
The Rockets scored the first runs of the game to take a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, as Jared Hoying's grand slam over the right field wall plated three of his teammates and gave UT the lead.
The Eagles cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth, as Marshall's towering two-run homer over the left field wall plated junior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) to limit the Rockets to a 4-2 lead. Leonard finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI.
Leonard helped limit the lead to one run an inning later, as his Texas League single through the right side scored senior Aaron Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills), who doubled to right field earlier in the inning, to make it a 4-3 game. Crooks finished 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and one run scored.
The Rockets came back to take a two-run edge in the top of the eighth inning, as a sacrifice fly to center scored one to make it a 5-3 game. UT tacked on one more in the top of the eighth to go ahead, 6-3.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as a walk to Crooks and a single through the left side by pinch hitter Wally Gerbus (Fairfield, Ohio-Stephen T. Baden) with two outs gave EMU momentum. However, it would be short-lived, as UT reliever Kyle Shaw managed to get the third and final out of the game and allow the Rockets to escape Oestrike Stadium with the game one win.
Toledo's Chris Dudics extended his hitting streak to 32 games, tying former Eastern Michigan All-American Brian Bixler for the MAC record.
The Eagles and Rockets are back in action again tomorrow, May 15, with first pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium. Sophomore right-hander Kendall Lewis (Huntsville, Ohio-Indian Lake) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Eagles, while UT right-hander Mike Hamann will start for the Rockets.
