Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, March 27
Oestrike Stadium
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
6
vs
5
Buffalo
Ken Battiston
Photo by: Jeremy Allen
Eagles Walk-Off with Extra-Inning, 6-5, Win Over Bulls
3/27/2011 5:52:43 PM | Baseball
The EMU baseball team swept Buffalo in the season's first Mid-American Conference series.
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A relentless come-from-behind victory was capped off with a game-winning RBI single by senior Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) in the bottom of the tenth inning, propelling the Eastern Michigan University baseball team to a 6-5 Mid-American Conference victory and a sweep over the University at Buffalo Bulls at Oestrike Stadium, Sunday afternoon, March 27.
Battiston and junior Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) each tallied a pair of hits while junior Kyle Klein (Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Catholic) recorded his second three-hit game of the series. Joe Battistelli (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) picked up the win with two hitless innings in relief to move to 3-1 on the season.
The Eagles improve to 15-8 overall, 3-0 in the MAC with the win, while the Bulls drop to 7-14 (0-3 MAC).
The Eagles manufactured its first run of the ballgame after Battiston led off the inning with a walk and a steal of second base. He advanced to third and then to home on a pair of groundouts to get the Green and White on the board in the first inning.
EMU added an unearned run in the third as junior Kyle Peterson (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton-Chandler-Gilbert C.C.) led off the inning with a walk and eventually came around to score after a throwing error by the left fielder on Brent Ohrman's single.
The Bulls came back with a big fourth inning, taking advantage of two Eagle miscues to take a 3-2 lead.
With a runner on second and nobody out, River McWilliams looked to have grounded out to the second baseman, but the throw to first was mishandled and put runners on the corners. The next batter, Jordan Camp singled home Tom Murphy to cut the Eagle lead in half, 2-1.
A sacrifice bunt advanced runners to second and third with one out and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Smietana tied the game at 2-2. Jason Kanzler then grounded to third, but an overthrow prolonged the inning and allowed Camp to score, giving the Bulls a 3-2 advantage.
UB extended its lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. McWilliams and Camp each recorded RBI singles and, with EMU starter Steve Weber's (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton) pitch count running high, Head Coach Jay Alexander made the change.
Defensive miscues cut Weber's day short as three errors extended scoring innings for the visitors. Weber lasted just four and two-thirds and allowed five runs (2 earned) on six hits, but struck out seven while walking just one.
Meanwhile, Buffalo right-hander Copping retired 11 of the final 14 batters he faced, blanking the Eagles for the final four frames he pitched before exiting after the seventh inning.
Copping, who entered the game with an ERA above 13, lowered it to 7.45 after allowing just two runs (1 earned) on three hits over seven innings pitched and left the game with a 5-2 lead.
Jeff Thompson relieved Copping in the eighth and it turned out to be just what the Eagles were waiting for. Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon-Glendale C.C.) stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and a full count and looped a single to right center field to drive home two runs and cut the Bulls lead to 5-4.
Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) then stepped into one and drove an RBI single to right field to tie the game. Magsig finished with a 2-for-4 effort.
Kevin Hughes relieved Thompson and got Peterson to ground out in another bases loaded opportunity to end the inning.
After two perfect frames in relief by Battistelli, Rubino led off the tenth with a walk and advanced to second on Magsig's sacrifice bunt. Klein then singled to center advancing Rubino to third and, two batters later, Battiston singled him home with a walk-off single to left.
The Eagles win their 15th game of the season 10 games sooner than last season when they defeated Oakland 11-1 back on April 14, 2010. They continue to have their best start in 23 years when the then-Hurons began the season 16-6-1 through their first 23 games.
EMU will be back in action this week as they host a pair of midweek non-conference games against Cleveland State Tuesday, March 29, and Michigan Wednesday, March 30. Both games are slated to begin at 3 p.m.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A relentless come-from-behind victory was capped off with a game-winning RBI single by senior Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) in the bottom of the tenth inning, propelling the Eastern Michigan University baseball team to a 6-5 Mid-American Conference victory and a sweep over the University at Buffalo Bulls at Oestrike Stadium, Sunday afternoon, March 27.
Battiston and junior Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) each tallied a pair of hits while junior Kyle Klein (Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Catholic) recorded his second three-hit game of the series. Joe Battistelli (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) picked up the win with two hitless innings in relief to move to 3-1 on the season.
The Eagles improve to 15-8 overall, 3-0 in the MAC with the win, while the Bulls drop to 7-14 (0-3 MAC).
The Eagles manufactured its first run of the ballgame after Battiston led off the inning with a walk and a steal of second base. He advanced to third and then to home on a pair of groundouts to get the Green and White on the board in the first inning.
EMU added an unearned run in the third as junior Kyle Peterson (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton-Chandler-Gilbert C.C.) led off the inning with a walk and eventually came around to score after a throwing error by the left fielder on Brent Ohrman's single.
The Bulls came back with a big fourth inning, taking advantage of two Eagle miscues to take a 3-2 lead.
With a runner on second and nobody out, River McWilliams looked to have grounded out to the second baseman, but the throw to first was mishandled and put runners on the corners. The next batter, Jordan Camp singled home Tom Murphy to cut the Eagle lead in half, 2-1.
A sacrifice bunt advanced runners to second and third with one out and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Smietana tied the game at 2-2. Jason Kanzler then grounded to third, but an overthrow prolonged the inning and allowed Camp to score, giving the Bulls a 3-2 advantage.
UB extended its lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. McWilliams and Camp each recorded RBI singles and, with EMU starter Steve Weber's (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton) pitch count running high, Head Coach Jay Alexander made the change.
Defensive miscues cut Weber's day short as three errors extended scoring innings for the visitors. Weber lasted just four and two-thirds and allowed five runs (2 earned) on six hits, but struck out seven while walking just one.
Meanwhile, Buffalo right-hander Copping retired 11 of the final 14 batters he faced, blanking the Eagles for the final four frames he pitched before exiting after the seventh inning.
Copping, who entered the game with an ERA above 13, lowered it to 7.45 after allowing just two runs (1 earned) on three hits over seven innings pitched and left the game with a 5-2 lead.
Jeff Thompson relieved Copping in the eighth and it turned out to be just what the Eagles were waiting for. Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon-Glendale C.C.) stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and a full count and looped a single to right center field to drive home two runs and cut the Bulls lead to 5-4.
Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) then stepped into one and drove an RBI single to right field to tie the game. Magsig finished with a 2-for-4 effort.
Kevin Hughes relieved Thompson and got Peterson to ground out in another bases loaded opportunity to end the inning.
After two perfect frames in relief by Battistelli, Rubino led off the tenth with a walk and advanced to second on Magsig's sacrifice bunt. Klein then singled to center advancing Rubino to third and, two batters later, Battiston singled him home with a walk-off single to left.
The Eagles win their 15th game of the season 10 games sooner than last season when they defeated Oakland 11-1 back on April 14, 2010. They continue to have their best start in 23 years when the then-Hurons began the season 16-6-1 through their first 23 games.
EMU will be back in action this week as they host a pair of midweek non-conference games against Cleveland State Tuesday, March 29, and Michigan Wednesday, March 30. Both games are slated to begin at 3 p.m.
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