Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, April 28
Oestrike Stadium
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
19-22, 10-7
7
vs
5
Northern Illinois
12-30, 6-11
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Northern Illinois
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Eastern Michigan
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5
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7
9
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Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Baseball Battles to 7-5 Victory Over NIU
4/28/2012 7:05:00 PM | Baseball
EMU sends 11 men to the plate in five-run sixth
Re-Listen to the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich (EMUEagles.com)— A five-run sixth inning proved the difference maker in Eastern Michigan University's hard-fought 7-5 win over Northern Illinois University on a cold and damp Saturday afternoon, April 28, at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles (19-22; 10-7 MAC) evened up the series at a game apiece with the Huskies (12-30; 6-11 MAC) behind another strong outing from starting pitcher Steve Weber (5-3).
Eastern Michigan trailed, 2-0, until bringing 11 men to the plate and scoring five times to take a 5-1 lead after six. Northern Illinois pitching allowed also allowed five free passes in the inning including a pair to Mid-American Conference walks leader Ben Magsig. Daniel Russell highlighted the inning with a bases-loaded double to the left-field power alley.
After EMU added another tally in the seventh, NIU began to rally with a three-spot in the top of the eighth to cut the lead to 6-5. But Brent Ohrman singled in a run to add some insurance in the bottom of that inning and closer Joe Battistelli shut the door on the Huskies over the final 1.1 innings to earn his fourth save of the season.
Following a rocky first inning, Weber settled in nicely through the middle portion of the contest and kept NIU hitters off balance until he finally ran out of gas in the eighth inning. Weber tossed 113 pitches in 7.1 innings and gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. The junior righty is now 4-0 in his last five starts and has averaged more than 6.2 innings per start over that span.
The EMU offense was much more effective Saturday than in the series opener, registering nine hits and going a perfect 4-for-4 with runners on third base and less than two out. With runners in scoring position, the Eagles posted hits in 4-of-8 attempts.
Russell was just 1-for-4, but turned in the day's most important knock, a three-RBI double. The junior outfielder tried to extend his second two-bagger of the season into his sixth triple, but was tagged out at third.
Tucker Rubino (1-for-3) also knocked in a pair of runs including the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly to score Sam Ott in the seventh. Ott was 1-for-3 at the dish with two runs scored and a pair of walks. Adam Dennison made the most of a second-consecutive MAC start, going 3-for-4 with a trio of singles. The redshirt freshman catcher is now 4-for-7 (.571) in the series.
Following a hitless game on Friday, Brent Ohrman was back to form with a 2-for-4 outing with his 30th RBI of the season and a run scored. Magsig was hitless on the day, but drew three walks to bump his season total to a staggering 38.
For the Huskies, Jake Hermsen (3-5) pitched an effective first five innings before being chased with two outs in the sixth. Hermsen struck out seven, but ended up with five walks after handing out four bases on balls in the sixth. He was charged with five earned runs on seven hits.
NIU racked up nine hits, three of which were off the bat of Alex Jones (3-for-4). Jones also had three RBI with a run scored. Jamison Wells (2-for-5) and Connor Duckhorn (2-for-2) also posted multiple-hit games for the Huskies.
Northern Illinois scored the game's first run in the opening frame when Jones slapped an RBI single down the right field line. Weber rebounded from a rough first inning to send the Huskies down in order in the second.
EMU hitters stumbled out of the gate as Hermsen fanned five of the first seven batters he faced including all three in the second inning. Dennison provided the Eagles their first hit of the afternoon with a two-out single in the third, but did not come around to score.
The Huskies tacked on another run in the third to make it a 2-0 game. Jones turned on a 2-2 offering from Weber and sent the ball into the gap in right center for an RBI double.
Lee Longo singled with one out in the fifth inning for EMU's third hit of the day. Austin Williams sacrifice bunted Longo over to second base to leave it up to Dennison. Dennison singled to right fielder Alex Beckmann and Longo rounded third and headed for home. Beckmann's throw was in plenty of time to nab Longo as Brett Frantini applied the tag to keep the EMU deficit at two runs.
Weber plowed his way through the NIU lineup in innings four through six, facing the minimum nine batters while allowing just one single. Dennison gunned down Wells attempting to steal second for the second out in the fifth.
The Eagles' plate discipline began to pay off in the sixth as an Ohrman single was sandwiched between walks to Magsig and Ott to load the bases with nobody out. After falling behind in the count, 1-2, Jamie Simpson worked another base on balls which brought Magsig in to score. Rubino then turned on the first pitch he saw and sent it back up the middle to tie the score, 2-2, still with no outs.
Russell stepped up and delivered the hit the EMU fans were looking for when he smoked a shot up the left-field gap for a bases-clearing double to earn the Eagles their first lead of the series, 5-2. The Grandville, Mich. native tried to stretch his double into a triple, but was thrown out at third base on a successful NIU relay.
After Hermsen was pulled from the game, Magsig walked for a second time in the inning off of Zach Badgerly. Ohrman then popped out to end an inning in which the Eagles batted 11 times and walked five times.
Meanwhile, Weber remained in cruise control and needed just six pitches to make it through a one-two-three seventh inning. In the top of the eighth however, Duckhorn hit a pinch-hit single and stole second base to give NIU a runner in scoring position with one out. Jordan Huffman then reached on a throwing error by Rubino to prolong the inning. Weber's afternoon came to an end on an RBI single by Jones, which made it a 6-3 game.
Before the third out was made, NIU tacked on two more runs—both of which were unearned—off of Collin Taylor to bring the visitors back to within one, 6-5. The final run touched home when an arrant throw from Dennison on an attempt to catch Troy White stealing was thrown into center field. Jones scored from third base as a result.
The Eagles answered in their following at-bat with a critical run to regain a two-score edge, 7-5. Pinch running for Longo, Dae Bowden came around to score on an Ohrman single to right center.
A two-out single was all the Huskies could muster off of Battistelli in the ninth, as EMU held on for its ninth home win of the season and pulled back to within a half game of first place in the MAC West Division.
The rubber match of this three-game set is slated for Sunday, April 29, at 1 p.m. Ryan Lavoie (3-1) will toe the rubber against Tony Manville (1-6).
YPSILANTI, Mich (EMUEagles.com)— A five-run sixth inning proved the difference maker in Eastern Michigan University's hard-fought 7-5 win over Northern Illinois University on a cold and damp Saturday afternoon, April 28, at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles (19-22; 10-7 MAC) evened up the series at a game apiece with the Huskies (12-30; 6-11 MAC) behind another strong outing from starting pitcher Steve Weber (5-3).
Eastern Michigan trailed, 2-0, until bringing 11 men to the plate and scoring five times to take a 5-1 lead after six. Northern Illinois pitching allowed also allowed five free passes in the inning including a pair to Mid-American Conference walks leader Ben Magsig. Daniel Russell highlighted the inning with a bases-loaded double to the left-field power alley.
After EMU added another tally in the seventh, NIU began to rally with a three-spot in the top of the eighth to cut the lead to 6-5. But Brent Ohrman singled in a run to add some insurance in the bottom of that inning and closer Joe Battistelli shut the door on the Huskies over the final 1.1 innings to earn his fourth save of the season.
Following a rocky first inning, Weber settled in nicely through the middle portion of the contest and kept NIU hitters off balance until he finally ran out of gas in the eighth inning. Weber tossed 113 pitches in 7.1 innings and gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. The junior righty is now 4-0 in his last five starts and has averaged more than 6.2 innings per start over that span.
The EMU offense was much more effective Saturday than in the series opener, registering nine hits and going a perfect 4-for-4 with runners on third base and less than two out. With runners in scoring position, the Eagles posted hits in 4-of-8 attempts.
Russell was just 1-for-4, but turned in the day's most important knock, a three-RBI double. The junior outfielder tried to extend his second two-bagger of the season into his sixth triple, but was tagged out at third.
Tucker Rubino (1-for-3) also knocked in a pair of runs including the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly to score Sam Ott in the seventh. Ott was 1-for-3 at the dish with two runs scored and a pair of walks. Adam Dennison made the most of a second-consecutive MAC start, going 3-for-4 with a trio of singles. The redshirt freshman catcher is now 4-for-7 (.571) in the series.
Following a hitless game on Friday, Brent Ohrman was back to form with a 2-for-4 outing with his 30th RBI of the season and a run scored. Magsig was hitless on the day, but drew three walks to bump his season total to a staggering 38.
For the Huskies, Jake Hermsen (3-5) pitched an effective first five innings before being chased with two outs in the sixth. Hermsen struck out seven, but ended up with five walks after handing out four bases on balls in the sixth. He was charged with five earned runs on seven hits.
NIU racked up nine hits, three of which were off the bat of Alex Jones (3-for-4). Jones also had three RBI with a run scored. Jamison Wells (2-for-5) and Connor Duckhorn (2-for-2) also posted multiple-hit games for the Huskies.
Northern Illinois scored the game's first run in the opening frame when Jones slapped an RBI single down the right field line. Weber rebounded from a rough first inning to send the Huskies down in order in the second.
EMU hitters stumbled out of the gate as Hermsen fanned five of the first seven batters he faced including all three in the second inning. Dennison provided the Eagles their first hit of the afternoon with a two-out single in the third, but did not come around to score.
The Huskies tacked on another run in the third to make it a 2-0 game. Jones turned on a 2-2 offering from Weber and sent the ball into the gap in right center for an RBI double.
Lee Longo singled with one out in the fifth inning for EMU's third hit of the day. Austin Williams sacrifice bunted Longo over to second base to leave it up to Dennison. Dennison singled to right fielder Alex Beckmann and Longo rounded third and headed for home. Beckmann's throw was in plenty of time to nab Longo as Brett Frantini applied the tag to keep the EMU deficit at two runs.
Weber plowed his way through the NIU lineup in innings four through six, facing the minimum nine batters while allowing just one single. Dennison gunned down Wells attempting to steal second for the second out in the fifth.
The Eagles' plate discipline began to pay off in the sixth as an Ohrman single was sandwiched between walks to Magsig and Ott to load the bases with nobody out. After falling behind in the count, 1-2, Jamie Simpson worked another base on balls which brought Magsig in to score. Rubino then turned on the first pitch he saw and sent it back up the middle to tie the score, 2-2, still with no outs.
Russell stepped up and delivered the hit the EMU fans were looking for when he smoked a shot up the left-field gap for a bases-clearing double to earn the Eagles their first lead of the series, 5-2. The Grandville, Mich. native tried to stretch his double into a triple, but was thrown out at third base on a successful NIU relay.
After Hermsen was pulled from the game, Magsig walked for a second time in the inning off of Zach Badgerly. Ohrman then popped out to end an inning in which the Eagles batted 11 times and walked five times.
Meanwhile, Weber remained in cruise control and needed just six pitches to make it through a one-two-three seventh inning. In the top of the eighth however, Duckhorn hit a pinch-hit single and stole second base to give NIU a runner in scoring position with one out. Jordan Huffman then reached on a throwing error by Rubino to prolong the inning. Weber's afternoon came to an end on an RBI single by Jones, which made it a 6-3 game.
Before the third out was made, NIU tacked on two more runs—both of which were unearned—off of Collin Taylor to bring the visitors back to within one, 6-5. The final run touched home when an arrant throw from Dennison on an attempt to catch Troy White stealing was thrown into center field. Jones scored from third base as a result.
The Eagles answered in their following at-bat with a critical run to regain a two-score edge, 7-5. Pinch running for Longo, Dae Bowden came around to score on an Ohrman single to right center.
A two-out single was all the Huskies could muster off of Battistelli in the ninth, as EMU held on for its ninth home win of the season and pulled back to within a half game of first place in the MAC West Division.
The rubber match of this three-game set is slated for Sunday, April 29, at 1 p.m. Ryan Lavoie (3-1) will toe the rubber against Tony Manville (1-6).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Weber, Steve (5-3)
L: HERMSEN, Jake (3-5)
S: Battistelli, Joe (4)
Batting:
2B: JONES, Alex 1
RBI: JONES, Alex 3 ; WHITE, Troy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WELLS, Jamison 1 ; HUFFMAN, Jordan 2 ; JONES, Alex 1 ; DUCKHORN, Connor 1
SB: WELLS, Jamison 1 ; WHITE, Troy 1 ; DUCKHORN, Connor 1
CS: WELLS, Jamison 1
Batting:
2B: Russell, Daniel 1
RBI: Ohrman, Brent 1 ; Simpson, Jamie 1 ; Rubino, Tucker 2 ; Russell, Daniel 3
SH: Williams, Austin 2
SF: Rubino, Tucker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Magsig, Ben 1 ; Ohrman, Brent 1 ; Ott, Sam 2 ; Simpson, Jamie 1 ; Rubino, Tucker 1 ; Bowden, Dae 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
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