Eagles Hold Off Concordia, 4-3, in Home Opener

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team battled chilly temperatures and windy conditions to defeat Concordia University, 4-3, in the 2013 home opener Tuesday, March 26, at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles (10-13) scored four times in the fifth inning to snap a three-game winless skid.

Adam Sonabend came through with a bases-loaded double and Lee Longo added an RBI in the four-run fifth. Concordia (3-14) clawed its way back into the game with two runs in the seventh and an unearned tally in the eighth, but Joe Battistelli sent the Cardinals down in order for his fourth save of the year in the ninth.

Four Eagles posted doubles on the afternoon including Sonabend, Longo, Jamie Simpson and Mitchell McGeein. Sonabend (1-for-4) also scored a run to go along with his three RBI and Longo went 2-for-4 with a run driven in. Simpson (2-for-2) and Marquise Gill (2-for-2) joined Longo as the three EMU players to record multi-hit games.

Head Coach Jay Alexander used seven pitchers in Tuesday's victory, with Taylor Dimmerling (2-0) picking up his second win of the year after throwing a scoreless fifth inning. Redshirt junior Kristian Calibuso made his first appearance on the hill since Feb. 28, 2012, after rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. Calibuso gave up a hit and a walk but did not allow a run. As a staff, EMU pitchers allowed just three hits while striking out five and walking five.

For the Cardinals, Chandler Sidwell (1-for-5), Thomas Sperry (1-for-4) and Brad Kindred (1-for-3) were the only players to record hits. Sidwell and Kindred also had an RBI apiece. On the mound, Ty Wilson (0-3) took the loss after giving up all four EMU runs in 0.2 innings.

McGeein led off the second inning with a two-bagger down the left-field line but was later gunned down at home on a fielder's choice. Later in the second, John Rubino stole second and advanced to third on a botched caught-stealing attempt. Rubino would not score, however, as Nick Rotola flied out.

Calibuso came on in the fourth inning, when Sperry hit an infield single to load the bases. Ryan Bosanac then worked the count to 3-1 before Calibuso induced a soft groundout to second base to end the threat.

EMU was gifted a baserunner to lead off the fifth as Rubino was plunked by a 0-2 offering from Wilson. Then with runners at the corners and two gone, Sam Ott worked a walk to load the bases for Sonabend. Sonabend turned on a first-pitch fast ball and sent it to right center while clearing the bases for a 3-0 Eagles' lead. Longo made it a 4-0 contest with an RBI single to left in the next at-bat.

The Green and White loaded the bases once again in the sixth. With Rubino on first, Gill singled and Dae Bowden followed with a walk. Jackson Martin then stepped up and was unable to duplicate Sonabend's earlier success. The freshman grounded out as EMU remained ahead by four.

The Cardinals came up with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to halve the Eagles' lead to 4-2. Kindred and Sidwell each notched RBI doubles off of Ben Dartnell. With Sidwell at second, Dartnell secured the third out with an infield popup.

A Longo double combined with a McGeein walk and a pair of wild pitches put runners at second and third with one out, but Concordia's Kyle Adoranti recorded a groundout and a strikeout without giving up a run.

A bobbled ball and an arrant throw over to first base by Gill at third allowed the Cardinals to score a runner from second base and cut the Eagles' lead to 4-3. Battistelli shut the door in the ninth inning and clinched the Eagles' 10th win of the season.

The Eagles will continue Mid-American Conference play with a three-game set against Ohio University Friday-Sunday, March 29-31, at Oestrike Stadium. Games Friday and Saturday are set for 3 p.m., while Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.

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Team Stats

Jamie Simpson

Lee Longo

Marquise Gill

Adam Sonabend

Eastern Michigan Athletics