Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, April 24
Kalamazoo, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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Western Michigan
Eagles Earn Road Sweep of Broncos With 13-4 Win
4/24/2011 5:11:03 PM | Baseball
The EMU baseball team wins their fifth straight game behind 16 hits and steller relief pitching by Joe Battistelli.
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team turned in a series sweep of Mid-American Conference West Division rival Western Michigan University with a 10-4 win at Robert J. Bobb Stadium, today, April 24.
Six Eagles tallied multi-hit games including Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley), who tallied two hits and four runs scored one day after setting the all-time hits record at EMU. Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) and Matt Hitt (Fishers, Ind.-Fishers-Kishwaukee College) led all hitters with three-hit efforts while driving in five runs combined. Jack Scanlon and Troy Forton were the only two hitters for Western to record multi-hit games as each tallied two hits apiece. The Eagles out-hit the Broncos 16-11 in the game.
EMU's Joe Battistelli (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) earned the win to move to 4-1 on the season after throwing five and two-thirds shutout innings in relief of starter Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton), who lasted just three and one-third innings. WMU starter Steve Laudicina took the loss after allowing six runs (4 earned) on seven hits over four and two-thirds innings.
The Eagles built a 3-0 lead before the Broncos erased it entirely with a four-run fourth inning off Weber. EMU then wasted little time regaining the lead as it scored three in the fifth, three in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
With their second series sweep in MAC play this season, the Eagles reached a new high-water mark this season by improving their record to 24-15 overall, 9-6 in the MAC. Meanwhile, the Broncos fall to 18-21 (7-8 MAC).
EMU built its early lead with two unearned runs in the first inning as Leonard and Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) each came around to score on a throwing error by third baseman Ryan McMillin as he tried to get Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon-Glendale C.C.) at first base.
A Wally Gerbus (Fairfield, Ohio-Stephen T. Baden) groundout in the second made it 3-0 as Hitt scored easily after leading off the inning with a double and advancing to third on a successful Kyle Klein (Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Catholic) sacrifice bunt.
Weber faced just two over the minimum through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. He allowed two singles and a walk to start the inning before Forton's fielder's choice brought Scanlon into for the Broncos' first run of the game. Another walk to Grant Simotes forced Head Coach Jay Alexander to make the call to the pen and bring Battistelli in the game.
The sophomore reliever allowed an RBI bunt single to Brooks Beilke and then a sacrifice fly to Cross. The next batter Jimmy Martinez singled to right and was thrown out by Battiston at second base to end the inning, but not before two more runs scored to give the Broncos a 4-3 lead.
Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) and Leonard led off the fifth with back-to-back singles and were both put into scoring position with a Magsig sacrifice bunt. The next batter, Rubino, grounded out to shortstop, but Ohrman was able to score on the play.
Two batters later, Hitt gave the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish with a two-run double to deep left center, allowing Leonard and Daniel Russell (Grandville, Mich.-Grandville) to score to make it 6-4, Eagles.
A pair of RBI singles in the sixth by Magsig and Hitt ballooned the EMU advantage to 9-4 before a Battiston run-scoring single made it 10-4 after seven innings.
A Eagle three-run ninth was keyed by an Ohrman leadoff single to right. Leonard then reached on an error before Magsig lifted a double to center that scored Ohrman. A sacrifice fly by Rubino and a Russell RBI single capped the scoring for the Eagles, who won their fifth consecutive game overall and fourth in conference play.
EMU will have a busy week as they make up a previous rainout with Michigan State making it a home-and-home series this Tues.-Wed., April 26-27. The Eagles will travel to East Lansing for a 3:05 p.m. start Tuesday before returning home for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Wednesday against the Spartans. EMU will host Ball State in a three-game set next weekend.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team turned in a series sweep of Mid-American Conference West Division rival Western Michigan University with a 10-4 win at Robert J. Bobb Stadium, today, April 24.
Six Eagles tallied multi-hit games including Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley), who tallied two hits and four runs scored one day after setting the all-time hits record at EMU. Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) and Matt Hitt (Fishers, Ind.-Fishers-Kishwaukee College) led all hitters with three-hit efforts while driving in five runs combined. Jack Scanlon and Troy Forton were the only two hitters for Western to record multi-hit games as each tallied two hits apiece. The Eagles out-hit the Broncos 16-11 in the game.
EMU's Joe Battistelli (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) earned the win to move to 4-1 on the season after throwing five and two-thirds shutout innings in relief of starter Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton), who lasted just three and one-third innings. WMU starter Steve Laudicina took the loss after allowing six runs (4 earned) on seven hits over four and two-thirds innings.
The Eagles built a 3-0 lead before the Broncos erased it entirely with a four-run fourth inning off Weber. EMU then wasted little time regaining the lead as it scored three in the fifth, three in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
With their second series sweep in MAC play this season, the Eagles reached a new high-water mark this season by improving their record to 24-15 overall, 9-6 in the MAC. Meanwhile, the Broncos fall to 18-21 (7-8 MAC).
EMU built its early lead with two unearned runs in the first inning as Leonard and Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) each came around to score on a throwing error by third baseman Ryan McMillin as he tried to get Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon-Glendale C.C.) at first base.
A Wally Gerbus (Fairfield, Ohio-Stephen T. Baden) groundout in the second made it 3-0 as Hitt scored easily after leading off the inning with a double and advancing to third on a successful Kyle Klein (Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Catholic) sacrifice bunt.
Weber faced just two over the minimum through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. He allowed two singles and a walk to start the inning before Forton's fielder's choice brought Scanlon into for the Broncos' first run of the game. Another walk to Grant Simotes forced Head Coach Jay Alexander to make the call to the pen and bring Battistelli in the game.
The sophomore reliever allowed an RBI bunt single to Brooks Beilke and then a sacrifice fly to Cross. The next batter Jimmy Martinez singled to right and was thrown out by Battiston at second base to end the inning, but not before two more runs scored to give the Broncos a 4-3 lead.
Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian) and Leonard led off the fifth with back-to-back singles and were both put into scoring position with a Magsig sacrifice bunt. The next batter, Rubino, grounded out to shortstop, but Ohrman was able to score on the play.
Two batters later, Hitt gave the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish with a two-run double to deep left center, allowing Leonard and Daniel Russell (Grandville, Mich.-Grandville) to score to make it 6-4, Eagles.
A pair of RBI singles in the sixth by Magsig and Hitt ballooned the EMU advantage to 9-4 before a Battiston run-scoring single made it 10-4 after seven innings.
A Eagle three-run ninth was keyed by an Ohrman leadoff single to right. Leonard then reached on an error before Magsig lifted a double to center that scored Ohrman. A sacrifice fly by Rubino and a Russell RBI single capped the scoring for the Eagles, who won their fifth consecutive game overall and fourth in conference play.
EMU will have a busy week as they make up a previous rainout with Michigan State making it a home-and-home series this Tues.-Wed., April 26-27. The Eagles will travel to East Lansing for a 3:05 p.m. start Tuesday before returning home for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Wednesday against the Spartans. EMU will host Ball State in a three-game set next weekend.
16th Annual EMU Baseball Golf Outing
Sunday, October 05
Oestrike Stadium Turf Replacement Time lapse
Friday, October 03
Oestrike Stadium Upgrades Reveal
Thursday, October 02
Alumni Achievement Award - Anthony Tomey
Friday, September 26