Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 15
Buies Creek, N.C.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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Campbell
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Eastern Michigan
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Campbell
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Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Baseball Splits Twinbill at Campbell on Opening Day
2/15/2013 8:54:00 PM | Baseball
Campbell wins opener, 8-2, EMU claims night cap, 10-6
BUIES CREEK, N.C. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team opened up the 2013 regular season with a doubleheader split against Campbell University Friday, Feb. 15. The Fighting Camels (1-1) claimed game one, 8-2, but the Eagles (1-1) roared back with a 10-6 win in the second contest.
The Eagles cut into a 4-0 Fighting Camels' lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning of game one, but the home team roared back with four additional tallies in the bottom of the inning en route to an 8-2 victory.
Neil Butara (0-1) took the loss in the opener despite only being charged with a pair of earned runs over five innings. Each EMU infielder committed an error, which translated into six unearned runs for the Camels. Jamie Simpson (1-for-3) and Austin Williams (0-for-2) had the RBI for the Green and White.
Campbell's starter Ryan Mattes (1-0) fanned six EMU batters over eight innings of work while giving up two earned runs. Matt Nadolski (2-for-4) and Elijah Trail (3-for-4) each earned a trio of RBI in the victory.
After being held to just five hits in the first game, Eastern Michigan's bats came alive in the nightcap behind a stellar pitching performance from starter Kendall Lewis (1-0). The Green and White put up three runs in the fourth and fifth inning and weathered a late offensive outburst from the Camels for a 10-6 victory.
The EMU offense struck for 15 hits, four of which came from transfer Adam Sonabend, who went 4-for-4 with four RBI in game two. On the hill, Lewis pitched six innings while striking out three and Joe Battistelli struck out the side in the ninth to shut the door on Campbell and earn the save.
Hector Cedeno (0-1) took the loss in 4.1 innings of work for Campbell. Camels' pitchers allowed six walks, while the EMU pitching staff gave up seven bases on balls.
The final contest of the three-game set is slated for Saturday afternoon, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. Be sure to check EMUEagles.com for schedule changes as inclement weather is expected in the Buies Creek area.
Game One
Butara started the game off retiring the first three batters he faced, but the story in the second inning was much different. Trail split the outfielders for a two-RBI double and eventually came in to score all the way from second base on a fielding miscue by Simpson.
Campbell added a fourth run in the second when the Eagles tried to catch Nick Ray swiping third base. Sonabend's throw was misplayed by Williams, allowing Ray to cross the plate.
Mattes retired the first nine batters he faced until Daniel Russell led off the fourth inning with a walk. Later in that inning, Sam Ott hit a laser labeled for right field, but Ray snagged the liner and stepped on first base to double off Russell and end the threat.
Campbell nearly made it a 5-0 game in the bottom of the fourth when Trail tried to score from second base following an error by Nick Rotola at second base. Simpson was able to scoop the ball up and fire home to nab a sliding Trail for the third out.
EMU halved the Campbell lead, 4-2, with a pair of runs and two triples in the fifth. Adam Sonabend recorded his first knock in an EMU uniform to lead off. Simpson then stepped up to the plate and drilled a three-base hit to the deepest part of the ballpark to make it 4-1. It became a 4-2 contest when Williams grounded out and recorded the RBI. Dae Bowden one-hopped his first hit of the season off the outfield wall for the Eagles' second three-bagger of the frame, but Rotola struck out, leaving Bowden on base.
The Camels broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with four unearned runs for an 8-2 advantage. With two out and a runner on, John Rubino misplayed a ball to put runners at the corners. David Olson drew a walk to load the bases. He was followed by Nadolski, who cleared the bases with a double to the left-centerfield wall. Nadolski also scored on Trail's third RBI of the afternoon.
Eastern Michigan hitters continued to struggle as Mattes sent them down in order in the sixth and seventh innings. In the eighth, Mitchell McGeein notched his first-career hit on a single through the left side, but Russell went down on strikes as Mattes tallied his sixth strikeout of the game.
Game Two
The day's second contest saw Campbell jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Michael Felton. Leadoff man Ben McQuown made it a 2-0 game in the third inning with a solo homer off of EMU starter Lewis.
After being held to three singles during the first three innings, the Eagles' bats woke up in the fourth while taking advantage of sloppy play by the Camels. A Lee Longo RBI double drove in Ott, who reached on an infield error to lead off the frame. Sonabend then squared up his second straight hit to score Longo. The junior catcher scored Eastern Michigan's final run of the inning on a wild pitch as the Eagles took their first lead of the day, 3-2.
Cedeno registered just one out in the fifth inning before being pulled for reliever Heath Bowers. With Marquise Gill already across home plate, Sonabend and Simpson recorded back-to-back RBI singles to grow the EMU lead to 6-2. The Eagles loaded the bases with two out on a McGeein walk, but Bowden went down on strikes.
Lewis, who last appeared in a game in 2011, appeared to be in midseason form during the middle innings. The senior righty sent Campbell down in order in the fourth and sixth innings, while working himself out of a mini jam with two on and one out in the fifth. He finished his season debut earning the quality start with six innings pitched, two earned runs, three hits and three strikeouts.
A sacrifice fly by McGeein plated Ott in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to five, 7-2. In the bottom of the inning, reliever Ben Dartnell faced some control problems and walked the bases loaded. The Camels were able to push across a pair of runs as Ryan Lavoie walked the first batter he faced and let loose a wild pitch. The inning ended on a double play and left the Eagles ahead, 7-4.
EMU's bats responded with a two-spot in the eighth. Russell led off the inning with a base on balls and Rubino followed with a single. Sonabend then came through once again with his fourth hit of the game, a two-RBI single.
Campbell refused to go down quietly. The home squad notched two more runs in the bottom of the eighth on a Ray double and a Ben Fish groundout to make it a 9-6 affair.
In the ninth, Rubino added an insurance marker with his first RBI of the season. Battistelli sealed the 10-6 victory for the Eagles, giving up just one single and striking out the side.
The Eagles cut into a 4-0 Fighting Camels' lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning of game one, but the home team roared back with four additional tallies in the bottom of the inning en route to an 8-2 victory.
Neil Butara (0-1) took the loss in the opener despite only being charged with a pair of earned runs over five innings. Each EMU infielder committed an error, which translated into six unearned runs for the Camels. Jamie Simpson (1-for-3) and Austin Williams (0-for-2) had the RBI for the Green and White.
Campbell's starter Ryan Mattes (1-0) fanned six EMU batters over eight innings of work while giving up two earned runs. Matt Nadolski (2-for-4) and Elijah Trail (3-for-4) each earned a trio of RBI in the victory.
After being held to just five hits in the first game, Eastern Michigan's bats came alive in the nightcap behind a stellar pitching performance from starter Kendall Lewis (1-0). The Green and White put up three runs in the fourth and fifth inning and weathered a late offensive outburst from the Camels for a 10-6 victory.
The EMU offense struck for 15 hits, four of which came from transfer Adam Sonabend, who went 4-for-4 with four RBI in game two. On the hill, Lewis pitched six innings while striking out three and Joe Battistelli struck out the side in the ninth to shut the door on Campbell and earn the save.
Hector Cedeno (0-1) took the loss in 4.1 innings of work for Campbell. Camels' pitchers allowed six walks, while the EMU pitching staff gave up seven bases on balls.
The final contest of the three-game set is slated for Saturday afternoon, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. Be sure to check EMUEagles.com for schedule changes as inclement weather is expected in the Buies Creek area.
Game One
Butara started the game off retiring the first three batters he faced, but the story in the second inning was much different. Trail split the outfielders for a two-RBI double and eventually came in to score all the way from second base on a fielding miscue by Simpson.
Campbell added a fourth run in the second when the Eagles tried to catch Nick Ray swiping third base. Sonabend's throw was misplayed by Williams, allowing Ray to cross the plate.
Mattes retired the first nine batters he faced until Daniel Russell led off the fourth inning with a walk. Later in that inning, Sam Ott hit a laser labeled for right field, but Ray snagged the liner and stepped on first base to double off Russell and end the threat.
Campbell nearly made it a 5-0 game in the bottom of the fourth when Trail tried to score from second base following an error by Nick Rotola at second base. Simpson was able to scoop the ball up and fire home to nab a sliding Trail for the third out.
EMU halved the Campbell lead, 4-2, with a pair of runs and two triples in the fifth. Adam Sonabend recorded his first knock in an EMU uniform to lead off. Simpson then stepped up to the plate and drilled a three-base hit to the deepest part of the ballpark to make it 4-1. It became a 4-2 contest when Williams grounded out and recorded the RBI. Dae Bowden one-hopped his first hit of the season off the outfield wall for the Eagles' second three-bagger of the frame, but Rotola struck out, leaving Bowden on base.
The Camels broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with four unearned runs for an 8-2 advantage. With two out and a runner on, John Rubino misplayed a ball to put runners at the corners. David Olson drew a walk to load the bases. He was followed by Nadolski, who cleared the bases with a double to the left-centerfield wall. Nadolski also scored on Trail's third RBI of the afternoon.
Eastern Michigan hitters continued to struggle as Mattes sent them down in order in the sixth and seventh innings. In the eighth, Mitchell McGeein notched his first-career hit on a single through the left side, but Russell went down on strikes as Mattes tallied his sixth strikeout of the game.
Game Two
The day's second contest saw Campbell jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Michael Felton. Leadoff man Ben McQuown made it a 2-0 game in the third inning with a solo homer off of EMU starter Lewis.
After being held to three singles during the first three innings, the Eagles' bats woke up in the fourth while taking advantage of sloppy play by the Camels. A Lee Longo RBI double drove in Ott, who reached on an infield error to lead off the frame. Sonabend then squared up his second straight hit to score Longo. The junior catcher scored Eastern Michigan's final run of the inning on a wild pitch as the Eagles took their first lead of the day, 3-2.
Cedeno registered just one out in the fifth inning before being pulled for reliever Heath Bowers. With Marquise Gill already across home plate, Sonabend and Simpson recorded back-to-back RBI singles to grow the EMU lead to 6-2. The Eagles loaded the bases with two out on a McGeein walk, but Bowden went down on strikes.
Lewis, who last appeared in a game in 2011, appeared to be in midseason form during the middle innings. The senior righty sent Campbell down in order in the fourth and sixth innings, while working himself out of a mini jam with two on and one out in the fifth. He finished his season debut earning the quality start with six innings pitched, two earned runs, three hits and three strikeouts.
A sacrifice fly by McGeein plated Ott in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to five, 7-2. In the bottom of the inning, reliever Ben Dartnell faced some control problems and walked the bases loaded. The Camels were able to push across a pair of runs as Ryan Lavoie walked the first batter he faced and let loose a wild pitch. The inning ended on a double play and left the Eagles ahead, 7-4.
EMU's bats responded with a two-spot in the eighth. Russell led off the inning with a base on balls and Rubino followed with a single. Sonabend then came through once again with his fourth hit of the game, a two-RBI single.
Campbell refused to go down quietly. The home squad notched two more runs in the bottom of the eighth on a Ray double and a Ben Fish groundout to make it a 9-6 affair.
In the ninth, Rubino added an insurance marker with his first RBI of the season. Battistelli sealed the 10-6 victory for the Eagles, giving up just one single and striking out the side.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MATTES, Ryan (1-0)
L: Butara, Neil (0-1)
Batting:
3B: Simpson, Jamie 1 ; Bowden, Dae 1
RBI: Simpson, Jamie 1 ; Williams, Austin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sonabend, Adam 1 ; Simpson, Jamie 1
Batting:
2B: NADOLSKI, Matt 1 ; TRAIL, Elijah 1
RBI: NADOLSKI, Matt 3 ; TRAIL, Elijah 3
Base Running:
RUNS: FELTON, Michael 1 ; OLSON, David 2 ; NADOLSKI, Matt 2 ; TRAIL, Elijah 1 ; RAY, Nick 1 ; GRAHAM, Brent 1
SB: McQUOWN, Ben 1 ; BROWN, Clayton 1 ; FELTON, Michael 1 ; TRAIL, Elijah 1 ; RAY, Nick 1 ; GRAHAM, Brent 1
HBP: BROWN, Clayton 1 ; FELTON, Michael 2 ; OLSON, David 1 ; RAY, Nick 1 ; DELUCIA, Michael 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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3
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RBI
0
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