Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 19
Oestrike Stadium
4:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
EMU and WMU Series Opener Moved to 4:30 p.m. First Pitch Friday
4/18/2013 4:12:00 PM | Baseball
EMU and WMU enter weekend in four-way tie for second in MAC West
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team takes on its first Mid-American Conference West Division opponent, Western Michigan University, Friday-Sunday, April 19-21, at Oestrike Stadium. Friday's game starts at 4:30 p.m., Saturday's contest begins at 3 p.m., while Sunday's finale is slated for 1 p.m.
The Eagles (15-18; 5-7 MAC) and Broncos (12-23; 5-7 MAC) begin the series in a tie for second place in the West Division and four games back of first-place Northern Illinois.
LISTEN FOR FREE ONLINE: A free audio broadcast of this weekend's series with the University at Western Michigan, April 19-21, will be streamed on Eagle All-Access (EMUEagles.com/showcase). Veteran play-by-play voice Chad Bush will join analyst Greg Steiner to cover the action.
WE'VE GOT THEIR NUMBER: The Eagles have completely dominated the Broncos in recent years and are 10-2 under Head Coach Jay Alexander. EMU has won seven straight against its cross-state rivals dating back to the 2010 season and has swept the previous two series. In 2012, the two squads engaged in an all-out slugfest in Kalamazoo, where the Eagles notched victories by scores of 15-14, 13-9 and 9-5.
Western Michigan ultimately finished a half game ahead of EMU last season for third place in the division. The Broncos still lead the all-time series with the Green and White, 79-77.
BRONCOS LIMP IN TO YPSI: The Broncos come into the weekend having just snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over Valaparaiso, Tuesday, April 16. WMU was swept in three closely-contested games during its most recent MAC series by Northern Illinois by scores of 5-3, 3-2 and 9-8. Overall, the Broncos rank ninth in the MAC in team hitting (.247 average) and 10th in team pitching (5.27 ERA).
By comparison, the Eagles own the third-best batting average in the conference (.268) and the seventh-best ERA (4.76).
EAGLES LOCKED IN MAC WEST LOG JAM: After four weeks of MAC play, the Eagles are in a four-way tie for second place with a 5-7 record in the West Division with Ball State Central Michigan and Western Michigan. Northern Illinois is the division leader with a 9-3 ledger. In the East, Kent State holds a one-game lead over second-place Buffalo, which took two-of-three from EMU, April 12-14, at Oestrike Stadium.
VALENTE SLATED FOR SATURDAY START: Head Coach Jay Alexander will shake up his starting rotation a bit this weekend as Brian Valente (0-2; 3.18 ERA) will make his first weekend start of the 2013 campaign Saturday, April 20. Valente has pitched well in relief appearances of late and has held opposing batters to a .262 average. He has started a trio of weekday games this year including a five-inning outing against Michigan State, April 3, when he did not allow an earned run against a potent Spartans' lineup.
Neil Butara (2-5) will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being and will try to recapture his dominance from a season ago. Brian Hill (4-1), who has won three straight starts, earns the Friday start, while Paul Schaak (3-2) will retain his job as the Sunday starter.
A CHANGE AT THE CORNERS: Infielders Jamie Simpson and Mitchell McGeein swapped positions in the infield against Buffalo, and Head Coach Jay Alexander mentioned that is likely the way it will stay for the remainder of the season. Simpson moves to third base after playing 25 games at the other edge of the diamond, while McGeein heads over to first, where he has played eight times this season already. In the Saturday, April 13, win over the Bulls, Simpson played his first game ever at the hot corner, but has looked comfortable in his new role.
SUSPENDED: Following two weather delays, Wednesday's game between the Eagles and Michigan Wolverines at the Wilpon Complex was halted due to thunderstorms and is scheduled to resume at Oestrike Stadium Tuesday, April 23, with EMU leading, 4-1, in the bottom of the third inning. The two teams were already slated to play the final leg of a home-and-home series next Tuesday. That game will now be a seven-inning contest.
Michigan retired the first two EMU batters and then the storm arrived, causing a nearly two-hour postponement (1 hour, 47 minutes). After another 62 minutes of action, lightning once again struck the area, causing the game to be suspended.
RIGHT WHERE YOU'D EXPECT: Sam Ott continues to put together another top-notch season for the Green and White. Among MAC players, the redshirt junior outfielder is tops in the conference in runs scored (32) and doubles (14), and second in hits (48), RBI (30) and total bases (72). Ott's batting average of .356 ranks fourth among MAC players who have participated in more than 25 games. The Canton, Mich. native has reached safely in nine straight games.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: Daniel Russell moved into a second-place tie in the EMU record books with his 15th-career triple to lead off Saturday's game against Buffalo. Russell went 3-for-4 in Saturday's victory. His three-bagger was the team-leading fifth on the year and tied his season-high from 2012. The senior from Grandville, Mich. is now just four triples away from tying Jeff Peck's 19 from 1968-70.
The Eagles' knack for hitting the three-bagger has continued this year, as the squad ranked 25th nationally with 14 according to the NCAA statistics for the week ending April 14. Russell is third nationally in that category and just two behind leader Chad Carroll from James Madison.
DISCIPLINE: Through 33 games, the Eagles have struck out 185 times (5.6 times per game) which ranks second-best in the MAC behind only Toledo. EMU teams have proven their knack for plate discipline over the last two years as the 2012 team posted the second-lowest strikeout total (337).
HILL MAKES IT THREE STRAIGHT: Pitcher Brian Hill moved to 4-1 on the season with his third straight MAC victory in EMU's 9-2 triumph over the University at Buffalo Saturday, April 13. Hill tossed five solid innings while striking out five as the Eagles evened the weekend series at a game apiece. The Flagstaff, Ariz. native has made eight starts this year and leads the team in victories. He carries a 4.44 ERA over 46.2 innings of work.
LONGO'S BIG DAY OUT: Designated hitter Lee Longo had a terrific outing Saturday, April 13, in a 9-2 home victory over Buffalo, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and a season-best four RBI. For the series, Longo was 3-for-12 (.250) with a .667 slugging percentage. He now has three round-trippers to his credit with nine doubles and a triple.
ALEXANDER NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander (290-286) is 10 wins away from recording his 300th victory as the head man of a collegiate baseball program. Alexander is in his fifth season coaching the Eagles and has guided his teams to a record of 129-138 (.483). In six seasons at Wayne State, the 1996 graduate of the Division II school led the Warriors to a 161-148 (.521) ledger. The 41-year-old Alexander (3-30-72) became the first African-American head coach in EMU baseball history in 2009 when he took over for current Michigan State Head Coach Jake Boss, Jr.
FREE Audo Broadcast
Live Stats
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team takes on its first Mid-American Conference West Division opponent, Western Michigan University, Friday-Sunday, April 19-21, at Oestrike Stadium. Friday's game starts at 4:30 p.m., Saturday's contest begins at 3 p.m., while Sunday's finale is slated for 1 p.m.
The Eagles (15-18; 5-7 MAC) and Broncos (12-23; 5-7 MAC) begin the series in a tie for second place in the West Division and four games back of first-place Northern Illinois.
LISTEN FOR FREE ONLINE: A free audio broadcast of this weekend's series with the University at Western Michigan, April 19-21, will be streamed on Eagle All-Access (EMUEagles.com/showcase). Veteran play-by-play voice Chad Bush will join analyst Greg Steiner to cover the action.
WE'VE GOT THEIR NUMBER: The Eagles have completely dominated the Broncos in recent years and are 10-2 under Head Coach Jay Alexander. EMU has won seven straight against its cross-state rivals dating back to the 2010 season and has swept the previous two series. In 2012, the two squads engaged in an all-out slugfest in Kalamazoo, where the Eagles notched victories by scores of 15-14, 13-9 and 9-5.
Western Michigan ultimately finished a half game ahead of EMU last season for third place in the division. The Broncos still lead the all-time series with the Green and White, 79-77.
BRONCOS LIMP IN TO YPSI: The Broncos come into the weekend having just snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over Valaparaiso, Tuesday, April 16. WMU was swept in three closely-contested games during its most recent MAC series by Northern Illinois by scores of 5-3, 3-2 and 9-8. Overall, the Broncos rank ninth in the MAC in team hitting (.247 average) and 10th in team pitching (5.27 ERA).
By comparison, the Eagles own the third-best batting average in the conference (.268) and the seventh-best ERA (4.76).
EAGLES LOCKED IN MAC WEST LOG JAM: After four weeks of MAC play, the Eagles are in a four-way tie for second place with a 5-7 record in the West Division with Ball State Central Michigan and Western Michigan. Northern Illinois is the division leader with a 9-3 ledger. In the East, Kent State holds a one-game lead over second-place Buffalo, which took two-of-three from EMU, April 12-14, at Oestrike Stadium.
VALENTE SLATED FOR SATURDAY START: Head Coach Jay Alexander will shake up his starting rotation a bit this weekend as Brian Valente (0-2; 3.18 ERA) will make his first weekend start of the 2013 campaign Saturday, April 20. Valente has pitched well in relief appearances of late and has held opposing batters to a .262 average. He has started a trio of weekday games this year including a five-inning outing against Michigan State, April 3, when he did not allow an earned run against a potent Spartans' lineup.
Neil Butara (2-5) will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being and will try to recapture his dominance from a season ago. Brian Hill (4-1), who has won three straight starts, earns the Friday start, while Paul Schaak (3-2) will retain his job as the Sunday starter.
A CHANGE AT THE CORNERS: Infielders Jamie Simpson and Mitchell McGeein swapped positions in the infield against Buffalo, and Head Coach Jay Alexander mentioned that is likely the way it will stay for the remainder of the season. Simpson moves to third base after playing 25 games at the other edge of the diamond, while McGeein heads over to first, where he has played eight times this season already. In the Saturday, April 13, win over the Bulls, Simpson played his first game ever at the hot corner, but has looked comfortable in his new role.
SUSPENDED: Following two weather delays, Wednesday's game between the Eagles and Michigan Wolverines at the Wilpon Complex was halted due to thunderstorms and is scheduled to resume at Oestrike Stadium Tuesday, April 23, with EMU leading, 4-1, in the bottom of the third inning. The two teams were already slated to play the final leg of a home-and-home series next Tuesday. That game will now be a seven-inning contest.
Michigan retired the first two EMU batters and then the storm arrived, causing a nearly two-hour postponement (1 hour, 47 minutes). After another 62 minutes of action, lightning once again struck the area, causing the game to be suspended.
RIGHT WHERE YOU'D EXPECT: Sam Ott continues to put together another top-notch season for the Green and White. Among MAC players, the redshirt junior outfielder is tops in the conference in runs scored (32) and doubles (14), and second in hits (48), RBI (30) and total bases (72). Ott's batting average of .356 ranks fourth among MAC players who have participated in more than 25 games. The Canton, Mich. native has reached safely in nine straight games.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: Daniel Russell moved into a second-place tie in the EMU record books with his 15th-career triple to lead off Saturday's game against Buffalo. Russell went 3-for-4 in Saturday's victory. His three-bagger was the team-leading fifth on the year and tied his season-high from 2012. The senior from Grandville, Mich. is now just four triples away from tying Jeff Peck's 19 from 1968-70.
The Eagles' knack for hitting the three-bagger has continued this year, as the squad ranked 25th nationally with 14 according to the NCAA statistics for the week ending April 14. Russell is third nationally in that category and just two behind leader Chad Carroll from James Madison.
DISCIPLINE: Through 33 games, the Eagles have struck out 185 times (5.6 times per game) which ranks second-best in the MAC behind only Toledo. EMU teams have proven their knack for plate discipline over the last two years as the 2012 team posted the second-lowest strikeout total (337).
HILL MAKES IT THREE STRAIGHT: Pitcher Brian Hill moved to 4-1 on the season with his third straight MAC victory in EMU's 9-2 triumph over the University at Buffalo Saturday, April 13. Hill tossed five solid innings while striking out five as the Eagles evened the weekend series at a game apiece. The Flagstaff, Ariz. native has made eight starts this year and leads the team in victories. He carries a 4.44 ERA over 46.2 innings of work.
LONGO'S BIG DAY OUT: Designated hitter Lee Longo had a terrific outing Saturday, April 13, in a 9-2 home victory over Buffalo, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and a season-best four RBI. For the series, Longo was 3-for-12 (.250) with a .667 slugging percentage. He now has three round-trippers to his credit with nine doubles and a triple.
ALEXANDER NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander (290-286) is 10 wins away from recording his 300th victory as the head man of a collegiate baseball program. Alexander is in his fifth season coaching the Eagles and has guided his teams to a record of 129-138 (.483). In six seasons at Wayne State, the 1996 graduate of the Division II school led the Warriors to a 161-148 (.521) ledger. The 41-year-old Alexander (3-30-72) became the first African-American head coach in EMU baseball history in 2009 when he took over for current Michigan State Head Coach Jake Boss, Jr.
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