Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, May 24
Avon, Ohio
7:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Miami
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Eagles Continue MAC Tournament Run Thursday Evening vs. Miami
5/24/2012 12:51:00 PM | Baseball
Steve Weber (7-4) duels Mac Thoreson (6-3) at 7:30 p.m.
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Live Stats
MAC Tournament Central
AVON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com)– The No. 6-seeded Eastern Michigan University baseball team will square off with No. 7 Miami University Thursday evening, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. in round two of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at All-Pro Freight Stadium.
NO. 6 EAGLES MOVE ON TO FACE NO. 7 REDHAWKS: The Eagles (25-29) knocked off No. 3 Central Michigan University, 4-3, in game one, while Miami (29-27) upset No. 2 University of Toledo, 5-0, to advance in the winner's bracket.
NEXT VICTIM: Eastern Michigan and the RedHawks will meet for the fourth time this season, with the Eagles having already won the regular season series, 2-1. EMU owns the all-time series with MU by a 57-43 margin, but the RedHawks bested the Green and White by an 11-2 score the last time the teams met in the MAC Tournament (2006). Miami completed the regular season in third place in the MAC East Division, while Eastern Michigan took fourth in the West Division.
PITCHING PROBABLES: The Eagles will send 6-foot-6 right hander Steve Weber (7-4) to the hill for his second start of the season against the RedHawks and third in the MAC Tournament. Weber is 1-1 in postseason appearances which includes a sparkling seven-inning, one-earned run performance against Kent State last season. Weber took the loss against Miami on March 23 earlier this year.
For the RedHawks, Mac Thoreson (6-3) will face a gritty EMU lineup for a second time in 2012 after giving up just one earned run in a 9-1 win over the Eagles on March 23 at Oestrike Stadium.
REDHAWK DOWN: The Eagles bounced back from an opening-game setback to Miami to steal games two and three from the RedHawks en route to a series win on opening weekend of the 2012 Mid-American Conference season, March 23-25, at Oestrike Stadium. Miami took the first contest, 9-1, but stingy EMU pitching and flashy defense propelled the Eagles to 3-1 and 4-2 victories Saturday and Sunday. The rubber match marked the 100th meeting between the two schools.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS: Lost–but certainly not forgotten– in the disappointment of the March 23 series-opening loss to Miami was the record-setting performance put on by left-handed reliever Collin Taylor. Taylor fanned a career-high nine batters in 4.1 innings of work while scattering just five hits and issuing no free passes.
THE COACHES: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander enters Thursday's tilt against Miami with a 275-266 career record. Now in his fourth season, Alexander holds an 8-6 record over 14 MAC Tournament games. He has won the first game of the tournament in all four seasons following yesterday's triumph against the Chippewas.
Miami Head Coach Dan Simonds took his club to the MAC title game last season where they lost to Kent State to settle for second place. Now in his seventh season, Simonds has led his team to a 9-9 record in 18 MAC Tournament games since the 2006 campaign.
EAGLES HOLD OFF CHIPPEWAS IN FIRST ROUND: The No. 6-seeded Eagles used a combined 5-for-8 effort from Jamie Simpson and John Rubino along with two RBI from Tucker Rubino and Brent Ohrman to edge No. 3-seeded CMU, 4-3, in the opening round of the 2012 Mid-American Conference tournament Wednesday, May 23. Neil Butara (5-5) carried a no hitter into the fifth inning and recorded his first-career postseason win for the Eagles, who defeated Zach Cooper (7-5) for the second time this season.
SIMPSON AND RUBINO SPARKLE IN TOURNEY OPENER: Eight-hole hitter Jamie Simpson and ninth hitter John Rubino needed little time becoming acclimated to MAC Tournament baseball, as Simpson went 3-for-4 and Rubino 2-for-4 in their first postseason game in an EMU uniform. Simpson accounted for three of EMU's runs and Rubino the other. A redshirt junior, Simpson tied his season high for hits in a game.
DOUBLE PUNCH: In Wednesday's win over CMU, the Eagles recorded 10 strikeouts which was good for the highest postseason total for an EMU squad since the 2010 team sent down 10 Toledo hitters in a 7-6 win, May 27. Butara fanned seven Chippewas batters while Joe Battistelli sent down a pair and Jordan Glover struck out one.
MAGSIG DOES IT TWICE VS. CMU: Ben Magsig's pair of walks in the MAC Tournament opener against CMU increased his team-best total to 50 for the season and increased his career total to 117 to earn him a tie for fourth place with Brian Petroff (1976-79) on the EMU all-time list in that category. The record for walks in a career is held by EMU great Glenn Gulliver, who received 140 free passes from 1973-76.
TWELVE TO GET: With 10 strikeouts against CMU in the MAC Tournament opener, the EMU pitching staff bumped its season total to 375, just 12 shy of the school's single season record of 387 in 2010.
MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: In 13 total appearances at the MAC Tournament (including 2012), Eastern Michigan has a 30-17 (.638) record. EMU has won the tournament four times: 1981, 1982, 2003 and 2008. In total, Eastern Michigan has out-scored opponents, 345-286, all-time in the MAC Tournament, averaging 7.3 runs per contest.
EAGLE MAC TOURNAMENT MVPs: Eastern Michigan has had three MAC Tournament MVPs since the award's inception in 1992. Brian Bixler took home the honor following EMU's 2003 championship run. In 2004, Ryan Ford claimed the prize and Zack Leonard did the same in 2008 after the Green and White won its fourth MAC Title.
EMU BY THE NUMBERS: Eastern Michigan entered the MAC Tournament ninth in batting average (.267), sixth in on-base percentage (.362), seventh in slugging percentage (.365), first in walks (129) and sixth in RBI (131) during conference games. On the mound, EMU pitchers are 11th in ERA (5.22), seventh in average against (.292), 10th in earned runs (139) and fifth in strikeouts (177).
LAST MAN STANDING: Senior pitcher Collin Taylor is the only remaining player on the EMU roster for the 2008 squad which captured EMU's fourth MAC Championship.
LISTEN TO EMU BASEBALL FOR FREE ONLINE!: The EMU Athletic Media Relations Department is pleased to announce that all 2012 MAC Tournament games will be broadcast for free (audio only) on EMUEagles.com/showcase. Tune in to hear Chad Bush call play-by-play action and Greg Steiner and Chris Puzzuoli provide color commentary.
Live Stats
MAC Tournament Central
AVON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com)– The No. 6-seeded Eastern Michigan University baseball team will square off with No. 7 Miami University Thursday evening, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. in round two of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at All-Pro Freight Stadium.
NO. 6 EAGLES MOVE ON TO FACE NO. 7 REDHAWKS: The Eagles (25-29) knocked off No. 3 Central Michigan University, 4-3, in game one, while Miami (29-27) upset No. 2 University of Toledo, 5-0, to advance in the winner's bracket.
NEXT VICTIM: Eastern Michigan and the RedHawks will meet for the fourth time this season, with the Eagles having already won the regular season series, 2-1. EMU owns the all-time series with MU by a 57-43 margin, but the RedHawks bested the Green and White by an 11-2 score the last time the teams met in the MAC Tournament (2006). Miami completed the regular season in third place in the MAC East Division, while Eastern Michigan took fourth in the West Division.
PITCHING PROBABLES: The Eagles will send 6-foot-6 right hander Steve Weber (7-4) to the hill for his second start of the season against the RedHawks and third in the MAC Tournament. Weber is 1-1 in postseason appearances which includes a sparkling seven-inning, one-earned run performance against Kent State last season. Weber took the loss against Miami on March 23 earlier this year.
For the RedHawks, Mac Thoreson (6-3) will face a gritty EMU lineup for a second time in 2012 after giving up just one earned run in a 9-1 win over the Eagles on March 23 at Oestrike Stadium.
REDHAWK DOWN: The Eagles bounced back from an opening-game setback to Miami to steal games two and three from the RedHawks en route to a series win on opening weekend of the 2012 Mid-American Conference season, March 23-25, at Oestrike Stadium. Miami took the first contest, 9-1, but stingy EMU pitching and flashy defense propelled the Eagles to 3-1 and 4-2 victories Saturday and Sunday. The rubber match marked the 100th meeting between the two schools.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS: Lost–but certainly not forgotten– in the disappointment of the March 23 series-opening loss to Miami was the record-setting performance put on by left-handed reliever Collin Taylor. Taylor fanned a career-high nine batters in 4.1 innings of work while scattering just five hits and issuing no free passes.
THE COACHES: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander enters Thursday's tilt against Miami with a 275-266 career record. Now in his fourth season, Alexander holds an 8-6 record over 14 MAC Tournament games. He has won the first game of the tournament in all four seasons following yesterday's triumph against the Chippewas.
Miami Head Coach Dan Simonds took his club to the MAC title game last season where they lost to Kent State to settle for second place. Now in his seventh season, Simonds has led his team to a 9-9 record in 18 MAC Tournament games since the 2006 campaign.
EAGLES HOLD OFF CHIPPEWAS IN FIRST ROUND: The No. 6-seeded Eagles used a combined 5-for-8 effort from Jamie Simpson and John Rubino along with two RBI from Tucker Rubino and Brent Ohrman to edge No. 3-seeded CMU, 4-3, in the opening round of the 2012 Mid-American Conference tournament Wednesday, May 23. Neil Butara (5-5) carried a no hitter into the fifth inning and recorded his first-career postseason win for the Eagles, who defeated Zach Cooper (7-5) for the second time this season.
SIMPSON AND RUBINO SPARKLE IN TOURNEY OPENER: Eight-hole hitter Jamie Simpson and ninth hitter John Rubino needed little time becoming acclimated to MAC Tournament baseball, as Simpson went 3-for-4 and Rubino 2-for-4 in their first postseason game in an EMU uniform. Simpson accounted for three of EMU's runs and Rubino the other. A redshirt junior, Simpson tied his season high for hits in a game.
DOUBLE PUNCH: In Wednesday's win over CMU, the Eagles recorded 10 strikeouts which was good for the highest postseason total for an EMU squad since the 2010 team sent down 10 Toledo hitters in a 7-6 win, May 27. Butara fanned seven Chippewas batters while Joe Battistelli sent down a pair and Jordan Glover struck out one.
MAGSIG DOES IT TWICE VS. CMU: Ben Magsig's pair of walks in the MAC Tournament opener against CMU increased his team-best total to 50 for the season and increased his career total to 117 to earn him a tie for fourth place with Brian Petroff (1976-79) on the EMU all-time list in that category. The record for walks in a career is held by EMU great Glenn Gulliver, who received 140 free passes from 1973-76.
TWELVE TO GET: With 10 strikeouts against CMU in the MAC Tournament opener, the EMU pitching staff bumped its season total to 375, just 12 shy of the school's single season record of 387 in 2010.
MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: In 13 total appearances at the MAC Tournament (including 2012), Eastern Michigan has a 30-17 (.638) record. EMU has won the tournament four times: 1981, 1982, 2003 and 2008. In total, Eastern Michigan has out-scored opponents, 345-286, all-time in the MAC Tournament, averaging 7.3 runs per contest.
EAGLE MAC TOURNAMENT MVPs: Eastern Michigan has had three MAC Tournament MVPs since the award's inception in 1992. Brian Bixler took home the honor following EMU's 2003 championship run. In 2004, Ryan Ford claimed the prize and Zack Leonard did the same in 2008 after the Green and White won its fourth MAC Title.
EMU BY THE NUMBERS: Eastern Michigan entered the MAC Tournament ninth in batting average (.267), sixth in on-base percentage (.362), seventh in slugging percentage (.365), first in walks (129) and sixth in RBI (131) during conference games. On the mound, EMU pitchers are 11th in ERA (5.22), seventh in average against (.292), 10th in earned runs (139) and fifth in strikeouts (177).
LAST MAN STANDING: Senior pitcher Collin Taylor is the only remaining player on the EMU roster for the 2008 squad which captured EMU's fourth MAC Championship.
LISTEN TO EMU BASEBALL FOR FREE ONLINE!: The EMU Athletic Media Relations Department is pleased to announce that all 2012 MAC Tournament games will be broadcast for free (audio only) on EMUEagles.com/showcase. Tune in to hear Chad Bush call play-by-play action and Greg Steiner and Chris Puzzuoli provide color commentary.
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