Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, May 25
Chillicothe, Ohio
9 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Northern Illinois
EMU Set for MAC Tournament Opener Against NIU
5/24/2011 10:26:53 PM | Baseball
The EMU baseball team makes its sixth straight MAC Tourney appearance
Game Notes (.pdf)
Live Stats
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Watch Live
Tournament Bracket
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team is primed for a strong showing in the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament after making it as far as the semifinals in 2010 and posting its best overall record since 1976 with a 34-20 mark leading into this week. EMU will take on Northern Illinois (29-25, 16-11 MAC) in the opening round of the tournament. The Eagles and Huskies will open up tournament action with a 9 a.m. start time Wednesday, May 25.
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SIX IN A ROW: For the sixth straight time, Eastern Michigan has qualified for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. It topped out as a No. 1 seed in 2007, but the Eagles were upset in the championship game by Kent State in a close, 3-2, decision. In 2008, EMU claimed the No. 2 seed and again met Kent State in the final, defeating them this time by a score of 12-4. It was first year that the MAC Tournament was held at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio and the last time EMU has won the eight-team tournament.
RISE AND SHINE WITH EAGLE ALL-ACCESS: Each game EMU plays during the 2011 MAC Tournament will be broadcast on Eagle All-Access including the tournament opener May 25, at 9 a.m. when the Eagles take on Northern Illinois. Fans can access the live broadcast by logging on to http://www.emueagles.com/showcase.
A MAC baseball tournament subscription package is being offered for a discounted rate of $5.95 to allow fans to tune in for every EMU contest. Chad Bush will provide the play-by-play with Greg Steiner and Luke Pattarozzi serving as the analysts. The production is a combined effort between the EMU Media Relations Office and SIDEARM Sports.
PITCHING PROBABLES: Senior left-hander Robert Wendzicki (5-5, 3.45 ERA) will start on the mound for the Eagles (34-20, 16-11 MAC) when they take on Northern Illinois (29-25, 16-11 MAC) in the MAC Tournament opener at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 25. His counterpart will be right-hander Zach Oates (4-6, 4.15 ERA) of the Huskies.
Wendzicki and Oates have faced each other already this season in game one of their three-game series back on May 6. Oates got the best of Wendzicki that day as he threw eight innings and allowed three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking three. The EMU southpaw matched his effort with eight innings, but allowed four runs on 12 hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. NIU won that game, 4-3, thanks to a run in their last at-bat.
EMU VERSUS NIU: The Eagles and Huskies have met 98 times in their respective histories with EMU leading the all-time series 61-37. The Huskies invaded Ypsilanti earlier this season to take two-of-three from the Eagles at Oestrike Stadium back on May 6-8. Each game was decided by one run.
THE COACHES: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander enters the MAC Tournament with a 247-235 career record, including an 86-87 mark in three seasons with the Eagles. Northern Illinois Head Coach Ed Mathey has compiled a 237-258-1 career record in his ninth season at NIU, while amassing more than 400 wins over his 17-year career. He has led the Huskies back to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2008.
A TELL-TALE SIGN: The Eagles are 25-1 this season when they record more hits than their opponents. EMU has tallied 10 or more hits in a game 29 times this season. It has recorded 20 or more hits twice, topping out at 23 hits in an 18-2 win over Toledo back on May 13. The Eagles are 6-18 when being out-hit and 3-1 when hits are tied between them and their opponent.
ABOVE THE CUT: Eastern Michigan has boosted its runs per game average by at least 14 percent from the regular season to each MAC Tournament since 2007. Last season, the Eagles averaged 6.1 runs per game entering the MAC Tournament and boosted that to seven runs per game, a 14.7 percent increase. In 2010, the Eagles elevated their runs per game total by 68 percent in the MAC Tournament, going from 6.55 runs per game in the regular season to 11 runs per game in tournament play. In 2008, EMU increased their scoring average by 51.5 percent and in 19.2 percent in 2008. EMU is averaging 6.1 runs in 2011.
ZACK ATTACK AT THE MAC TOURNEY: In three years of MAC Tournament play at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio, Zack Leonard is batting .415 (22-for-53) with four home runs, six doubles, 15 runs scored and 20 RBI. In 2008, Leonard was named the MAC Tournament MVP after leading the Eagles to the title and an NCAA Regional appearance. In 2009, he was a MAC All-Tournament team selection for the second straight time. And last year, he hit .353 with two doubles, two RBI and six runs scored in four starts. He has a 12-game MAC Tournament hitting streak heading into Wednesday's tournament opener.
REMAINING '08 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYERS: The Eagles have just three players left on the roster that were a part of the 2008 MAC Tournament and just two that competed to help capture the crown. Zack Leonard and Robert Wendzicki were active players on the roster during the Eagles' last MAC Tournament title. Corey Chaffins was also on the roster, but missed the season due to Tommy John surgery.
MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: In 11 total appearances at the MAC Tournament, Eastern Michigan has a 25-14 (.641) record. EMU has won the tournament four times: 1981, 1982, 2003 and 2008. In total, Eastern Michigan has out-scored opponents, 316-255, all-time in the MAC Tournament, averaging 8.1 runs per contest.
RECURRING THEME: A date with Kent State has proved to be a recurring theme for the Eagles in MAC Tournament play. The Eagles and Flashes have met seven times in the past five seasons during the MAC Tournament. The only exception was 2009. However, last year, the two teams met three times before KSU eventually ended EMU's improbable run in the semifinal.
This season, the Eagles had the opportunity to avoid Kent State until a possible championship round, but dropped their final regular season series to Central Michigan, which earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament, and the Eagles fell to the No. 5 seed on the same side of the bracket as the top-seeded Flashes.
LEADERS OF THE MAC: EMU finished the regular season leading the Mid-American Conference in overall batting average with an even .300-clip. In conference play-only, EMU is batting .309. Zack Leonard is first in on-base percentage (.453) and second in batting average (.368) while Ken Battiston (.340) and Brent Ohrman (.344) also rank in the top-10. Leonard is second in the league with 78 hits while Battiston leads with 19 doubles, 30 extra-base hits and 119 total bases. Ohrman is tied for third with 19 stolen bases.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: The Eagles are 21-12 on the road this season. That exceeds the most road wins in a season for an Eagle squad since at least 1998. The Eagles have defeated fourth-ranked Clemson, taken two out of three from Kansas, split with West Virginia, swept two games from Louisville and defeated Michigan and Michigan State, all on the road.
SHUTTING THE DOOR: The EMU bullpen has been lights out all season and it's evident by its 26-3 record when leading after six innings, 22-1 mark when leading after seven innings and 24-0 mark when leading after eight innings. Not to mention, the Eagles are 11-5 in one run games and 6-1 in games decided by two runs.
Live Stats
Listen Live
Watch Live
Tournament Bracket
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team is primed for a strong showing in the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament after making it as far as the semifinals in 2010 and posting its best overall record since 1976 with a 34-20 mark leading into this week. EMU will take on Northern Illinois (29-25, 16-11 MAC) in the opening round of the tournament. The Eagles and Huskies will open up tournament action with a 9 a.m. start time Wednesday, May 25.
--
SIX IN A ROW: For the sixth straight time, Eastern Michigan has qualified for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. It topped out as a No. 1 seed in 2007, but the Eagles were upset in the championship game by Kent State in a close, 3-2, decision. In 2008, EMU claimed the No. 2 seed and again met Kent State in the final, defeating them this time by a score of 12-4. It was first year that the MAC Tournament was held at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio and the last time EMU has won the eight-team tournament.
RISE AND SHINE WITH EAGLE ALL-ACCESS: Each game EMU plays during the 2011 MAC Tournament will be broadcast on Eagle All-Access including the tournament opener May 25, at 9 a.m. when the Eagles take on Northern Illinois. Fans can access the live broadcast by logging on to http://www.emueagles.com/showcase.
A MAC baseball tournament subscription package is being offered for a discounted rate of $5.95 to allow fans to tune in for every EMU contest. Chad Bush will provide the play-by-play with Greg Steiner and Luke Pattarozzi serving as the analysts. The production is a combined effort between the EMU Media Relations Office and SIDEARM Sports.
PITCHING PROBABLES: Senior left-hander Robert Wendzicki (5-5, 3.45 ERA) will start on the mound for the Eagles (34-20, 16-11 MAC) when they take on Northern Illinois (29-25, 16-11 MAC) in the MAC Tournament opener at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 25. His counterpart will be right-hander Zach Oates (4-6, 4.15 ERA) of the Huskies.
Wendzicki and Oates have faced each other already this season in game one of their three-game series back on May 6. Oates got the best of Wendzicki that day as he threw eight innings and allowed three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking three. The EMU southpaw matched his effort with eight innings, but allowed four runs on 12 hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. NIU won that game, 4-3, thanks to a run in their last at-bat.
EMU VERSUS NIU: The Eagles and Huskies have met 98 times in their respective histories with EMU leading the all-time series 61-37. The Huskies invaded Ypsilanti earlier this season to take two-of-three from the Eagles at Oestrike Stadium back on May 6-8. Each game was decided by one run.
THE COACHES: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander enters the MAC Tournament with a 247-235 career record, including an 86-87 mark in three seasons with the Eagles. Northern Illinois Head Coach Ed Mathey has compiled a 237-258-1 career record in his ninth season at NIU, while amassing more than 400 wins over his 17-year career. He has led the Huskies back to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2008.
A TELL-TALE SIGN: The Eagles are 25-1 this season when they record more hits than their opponents. EMU has tallied 10 or more hits in a game 29 times this season. It has recorded 20 or more hits twice, topping out at 23 hits in an 18-2 win over Toledo back on May 13. The Eagles are 6-18 when being out-hit and 3-1 when hits are tied between them and their opponent.
ABOVE THE CUT: Eastern Michigan has boosted its runs per game average by at least 14 percent from the regular season to each MAC Tournament since 2007. Last season, the Eagles averaged 6.1 runs per game entering the MAC Tournament and boosted that to seven runs per game, a 14.7 percent increase. In 2010, the Eagles elevated their runs per game total by 68 percent in the MAC Tournament, going from 6.55 runs per game in the regular season to 11 runs per game in tournament play. In 2008, EMU increased their scoring average by 51.5 percent and in 19.2 percent in 2008. EMU is averaging 6.1 runs in 2011.
ZACK ATTACK AT THE MAC TOURNEY: In three years of MAC Tournament play at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio, Zack Leonard is batting .415 (22-for-53) with four home runs, six doubles, 15 runs scored and 20 RBI. In 2008, Leonard was named the MAC Tournament MVP after leading the Eagles to the title and an NCAA Regional appearance. In 2009, he was a MAC All-Tournament team selection for the second straight time. And last year, he hit .353 with two doubles, two RBI and six runs scored in four starts. He has a 12-game MAC Tournament hitting streak heading into Wednesday's tournament opener.
REMAINING '08 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYERS: The Eagles have just three players left on the roster that were a part of the 2008 MAC Tournament and just two that competed to help capture the crown. Zack Leonard and Robert Wendzicki were active players on the roster during the Eagles' last MAC Tournament title. Corey Chaffins was also on the roster, but missed the season due to Tommy John surgery.
MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: In 11 total appearances at the MAC Tournament, Eastern Michigan has a 25-14 (.641) record. EMU has won the tournament four times: 1981, 1982, 2003 and 2008. In total, Eastern Michigan has out-scored opponents, 316-255, all-time in the MAC Tournament, averaging 8.1 runs per contest.
RECURRING THEME: A date with Kent State has proved to be a recurring theme for the Eagles in MAC Tournament play. The Eagles and Flashes have met seven times in the past five seasons during the MAC Tournament. The only exception was 2009. However, last year, the two teams met three times before KSU eventually ended EMU's improbable run in the semifinal.
This season, the Eagles had the opportunity to avoid Kent State until a possible championship round, but dropped their final regular season series to Central Michigan, which earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament, and the Eagles fell to the No. 5 seed on the same side of the bracket as the top-seeded Flashes.
LEADERS OF THE MAC: EMU finished the regular season leading the Mid-American Conference in overall batting average with an even .300-clip. In conference play-only, EMU is batting .309. Zack Leonard is first in on-base percentage (.453) and second in batting average (.368) while Ken Battiston (.340) and Brent Ohrman (.344) also rank in the top-10. Leonard is second in the league with 78 hits while Battiston leads with 19 doubles, 30 extra-base hits and 119 total bases. Ohrman is tied for third with 19 stolen bases.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: The Eagles are 21-12 on the road this season. That exceeds the most road wins in a season for an Eagle squad since at least 1998. The Eagles have defeated fourth-ranked Clemson, taken two out of three from Kansas, split with West Virginia, swept two games from Louisville and defeated Michigan and Michigan State, all on the road.
SHUTTING THE DOOR: The EMU bullpen has been lights out all season and it's evident by its 26-3 record when leading after six innings, 22-1 mark when leading after seven innings and 24-0 mark when leading after eight innings. Not to mention, the Eagles are 11-5 in one run games and 6-1 in games decided by two runs.
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