Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 26
Cookville, Tenn.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5
at
1
Tennessee Tech
Steve Weber
Weber Leads Baseball to 5-1 Victory Over TTU
2/26/2011 5:37:21 PM | Baseball
Sophomore right-hander Steve Weber struck out seven in eight innings for his first win of 2011.
Box Score
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (EMUEagles.com) – Behind solid pitching from sophomore Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton) the Eastern Michigan University baseball team evened up the series at one game apiece, defeating Tennessee Tech, 5-1, at Bush Stadium, Saturday, Feb. 26. The two teams will play the rubber match of the three-game set tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. central time.
The right-hander Weber (1-1) turned in one of the best performances of his career, going eight innings and allowing just a run on five hits while striking out seven and walking just three. Meanwhile, the Eagle offense tallied nine hits and scored five runs on TTU starter Matthew Shepherd (0-1) en route to the win.
With its victory, the Eagles improve to 2-4 on the season while TTU falls to 1-5.
After each team was retired in order in the first, EMU came up in their half of the second and put together a two-out rally in which junior Matt Hitt (Fishers, Ind.-Fishers-Kishwaukee College) singled home senior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKInley), who reached on a single earlier. With Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) at the plate, Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) – who was standing on third after reaching on an error – scored on a wild pitch by Shepherd to make it 2-0. Battiston then made it 3-0 by doubling home Hitt.
With a chance to do even more damage, Shepherd got Daniel Russell to strike out, leaving three Eagles on base to end the inning.
The Golden Eagles responded in their half of the second with run to cut the deficit. Zack Stephens singled with one out in the frame and then Zeph Guyear walked, advancing Stephens a station. With two outs, Chad Hayes stepped to the plate and singled up the middle to drive home Stephens to make it 3-1.
Weber went on to retire the next six batters in a row and nine of the next 10 overall as he kept TTU at bay.
Meanwhile, the Eagles added an insurance run in the fourth inning when Russell redeemed himself with an RBI single to right field, scoring Battiston from second base. Russell would add another RBI later on after grounding into a fielder's choice in the sixth. Battiston, after going 3-for-4 in game one of the series, put together another good day at the plate by turning in a 1-for-2 effort with a walk, two runs and an RBI from the No. 9 hole in the order.
Weber faced just one over the minimum in innings 5-7 before getting out of a jam in the eighth. TTU started the inning with a walk and ended up putting runners on first and second with just one out. Weber would respond by striking out Chad Oberacker and getting Ben Burgess to ground out into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Senior Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) relieved Weber in the ninth and, despite a pair of walks, got out of the inning unscathed.
It was a much-needed quality start by Weber as it rests the bullpen for the rubber match tomorrow. Good days were had by several Eagles at the plate in addition to Battiston. Leonard finished the day 2-for-5 with a run scored while Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) went 2-for-3 at the dish.
Tennessee Tech starter Shepherd went six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking two.
Sophomore Neil Butara (Euclid, Ohio-St. Ignatius) will get the ball for his first start of the season in game three tomorrow and go up against Nick Price (0-1) of TTU. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (EMUEagles.com) – Behind solid pitching from sophomore Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton) the Eastern Michigan University baseball team evened up the series at one game apiece, defeating Tennessee Tech, 5-1, at Bush Stadium, Saturday, Feb. 26. The two teams will play the rubber match of the three-game set tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. central time.
The right-hander Weber (1-1) turned in one of the best performances of his career, going eight innings and allowing just a run on five hits while striking out seven and walking just three. Meanwhile, the Eagle offense tallied nine hits and scored five runs on TTU starter Matthew Shepherd (0-1) en route to the win.
With its victory, the Eagles improve to 2-4 on the season while TTU falls to 1-5.
After each team was retired in order in the first, EMU came up in their half of the second and put together a two-out rally in which junior Matt Hitt (Fishers, Ind.-Fishers-Kishwaukee College) singled home senior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKInley), who reached on a single earlier. With Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) at the plate, Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) – who was standing on third after reaching on an error – scored on a wild pitch by Shepherd to make it 2-0. Battiston then made it 3-0 by doubling home Hitt.
With a chance to do even more damage, Shepherd got Daniel Russell to strike out, leaving three Eagles on base to end the inning.
The Golden Eagles responded in their half of the second with run to cut the deficit. Zack Stephens singled with one out in the frame and then Zeph Guyear walked, advancing Stephens a station. With two outs, Chad Hayes stepped to the plate and singled up the middle to drive home Stephens to make it 3-1.
Weber went on to retire the next six batters in a row and nine of the next 10 overall as he kept TTU at bay.
Meanwhile, the Eagles added an insurance run in the fourth inning when Russell redeemed himself with an RBI single to right field, scoring Battiston from second base. Russell would add another RBI later on after grounding into a fielder's choice in the sixth. Battiston, after going 3-for-4 in game one of the series, put together another good day at the plate by turning in a 1-for-2 effort with a walk, two runs and an RBI from the No. 9 hole in the order.
Weber faced just one over the minimum in innings 5-7 before getting out of a jam in the eighth. TTU started the inning with a walk and ended up putting runners on first and second with just one out. Weber would respond by striking out Chad Oberacker and getting Ben Burgess to ground out into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Senior Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) relieved Weber in the ninth and, despite a pair of walks, got out of the inning unscathed.
It was a much-needed quality start by Weber as it rests the bullpen for the rubber match tomorrow. Good days were had by several Eagles at the plate in addition to Battiston. Leonard finished the day 2-for-5 with a run scored while Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) went 2-for-3 at the dish.
Tennessee Tech starter Shepherd went six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking two.
Sophomore Neil Butara (Euclid, Ohio-St. Ignatius) will get the ball for his first start of the season in game three tomorrow and go up against Nick Price (0-1) of TTU. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
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