Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Kent State
Eagles Advance With 12-4 Win Over Flashes
5/26/2010 7:01:24 PM | Baseball
Todd Graves drives in six runs to help EMU advance in the MAC Tournament
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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – A first inning grand slam from senior first baseman Todd Graves (St. Marys, Ohio-St. Marys Memorial) set the tone for the Eastern Michigan University baseball team Wednesday afternoon, May 26, at V.A. Memorial Stadium, as the No. 7 seeded Eagles upset the No. 2 seeded Mid-American Conference East Division champions from Kent State University with a 12-4 victory.
Graves finished the contest 3-for-5 at the plate with a career-high six RBI after hitting a pair of home runs.
Not to be outdone, senior third baseman Aaron Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) also hit a pair of home runs in the victory, as he finished the game 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBI.
Sophomore Kendall Lewis (Huntsville, Ohio-Indian Lake) had another stellar outing on the mound to improve his record to 7-4 this season. Lewis went seven innings, giving up four runs on 10 hits and three walks, while striking out three Kent State batters.
With the win, the Eagles (26-30) advance in the MAC Tournament to play the No. 3 seeded Rockets from the University of Toledo, who topped No. 6 seeded Miami University in earlier action today. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night. The victory marks the second time the Eagles have topped the Flashes in tournament play, with their last victory coming in the 2008 title game with a 12-4 decision.
The Eagles got on the scoreboard early, as a towering grand slam homer over the left field wall by Graves gave EMU momentum and an early 4-0 advantage.
After the Flashes limited EMU to a three-run edge in the bottom of the first, the Eagles responded with a two-run inning in the top of the third, as a two-run blast by Graves over the wall in center field propelled the Eagles to a 6-1 lead, one they would not relinquish down the stretch, as two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth, and one in the ninth gave EMU insurance and a first round victory.
It marks the second year in a row the Eagles have knocked off a divisional champion in the first round, with the team topping No. 2 seeded and MAC West winners Ball State University, 19-16, last year.
Former Chillicothe Paints Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) and Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) both finished with a pair of hits in their return to V.A. Memorial Stadium as well.
