Eagles Punish Falcons for Costly Defensive Miscues, 10-3

Re-Listen to the Game.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)— The Eastern Michigan University baseball team broke out of a mini hitting slump by racking up 11 knocks and scoring eight unearned runs in a 10-3 victory over Bowling Green State University Friday evening, May 4, at Oestrike Stadium. The Falcons (18-26; 7-12 MAC) committed four fielding errors during a game in which EMU (21-23; 11-8 MAC) pitching allowed just six hits.

Bowling Green jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Eagles put up a five-spot in the third to take the lead for good. EMU scored single runs in the fourth and fifth before adding three more in the sixth to hit double digits for the ninth time this season.

Neil Butara (4-4) cruised to his fourth victory of the season and worked through a bases-loaded jam to complete eight innings. The junior scattered six hits and allowed three earned runs while striking out a career-best eight hitters and walking three.

Jeffrey Rousseau finished off Bowling Green by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Sam Ott led the way offensively, going 2-for-5 with a single and his 12th double of the season. He notched four RBI which tied his career record for a single game. His two-RBI single in the third inning plated the game-winning run.

A trio of additional Eagles posted multiple-hit performances including Tucker Rubino (2-for-3), Lee Longo (2-for-5) and Matt Hitt (2-for-4). Rubino recorded an RBI and scored twice, while Hitt also notched his seventh double, drove in a run and crossed home plate once.

In his second start of the season, Dae Bowden registered his second double and scored twice on a 1-for-3 evening. Ben Magsig also went 1-for-3 with two free passes to push his career total to 109 and enter into a tie for sixth place all-time among EMU players in the walks category.

For the Falcons, starting pitcher Matt Malewitz (4-4) looked strong until his own throwing error put two runners on with nobody out in the third. Malewitz never recovered and was chased after three innings. He gave up six runs, but was only charged with one of those.

Likewise, reliever Ben Singer was only forced to take one earned run despite four Eagles scoring while he was on the mound. BGSU pitching issued five walks and struck out only one EMU batter.

Bowling Green used 14 different position players Friday, and only six of them registered a hit. Brandon Howard (1-for-1) was the only Falcon to tally both a hit and an RBI. Matt Vannett and Jesse Rait brought in the other runs despite going hitless on the evening.

After twirling a perfect first inning, Butara pitched himself into a one-out, bases-loaded jam by hitting Logan Walker. A fielder's choice and an RBI single in back-to-back at- bats pushed across a pair of Bowling Green runs to give the Falcons an early 2-0 edge.

The Eagles used consecutive errors in the third inning to jump ahead to a 5-2 lead. Williams and Bowden led off and both reached on miscues to put runners at second and third. Five of the next EMU hitters notched singles and ended up driving across five unearned runs. Ott tucked a line drive past the BGSU first baseman to record two RBI in an inning where EMU sent 10 men to the plate.

Eastern Michigan's lead increased to 6-2 in the fourth as Brent Ohrman grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to score Bowden. Bowden led off with a double to the right-center field power alley.

Bowling Green's defense afforded the Eagles a seventh run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a five-run margin. With Hitt running to third base on a ground ball of the bat of Austin Williams, Falcons' third baseman Walker threw a ball in the dirt and past first base. That error allowed Hitt to score and put Williams on second base.

The Eagles used another extended inning in the sixth to score three more times for a 10-2 advantage. An Ott double earned him his third and fourth RBI of the game and plated Rubino and Ohrman.

Ten runs were plenty for Butara, who made quick work of the Bowling Green offense after the second inning. Following a third-inning single by Andrew Kubuski, Butara did not allow another base hit until Alex Davidson poked a shot to right field in the eighth. Longo was responsible for keeping that streak alive in the seventh, when he snared a line drive headed for right field and stepped on first base to complete an unassisted, inning-ending double play.

In the eighth, Butara walked in a run, but worked his way out of a bases-loaded situation to preserve a seven-run lead for the home team.

The second game of this series will be played Saturday, May 5, beginning at 3 p.m. Steve Weber (5-3) will try for his fifth win in his last six outings against Ethan McKenny (1-7).

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Team Stats

Tucker Rubino

Sam Ott

Lee Longo

Matt Hitt

Eastern Michigan Athletics