Hill's Near No-Hitter Lifts Eagles Over Broncos, 7-1

Re-Listen to the Game.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team topped Western Michigan University, 7-1, behind a two-hitter from Brian Hill (5-1) Friday afternoon, April 19, at Oestrike Stadium. Hill lost a no-hit bid with one out in the ninth inning, but still earned his first complete game at EMU and fourth-straight win.

The senior lefty recorded the first out in the ninth on a lineout to centerfield. Andrew Sohn then swung at the first pitch he saw and lined it to left field for a base hit. Sohn ended up scoring later in the inning, but the run was unearned. Hill threw 127 pitches and gave up just two ninth-inning knocks to go along with four strikeouts and a trio of walks.

Hill's two-hitter was the first for an EMU pitcher since Steve Weber did the same in a 2-1 loss to Miami University at the Mid-American Conference tournament, May 24, 2012.

The Eagles (16-18; 6-7 MAC) were shut down by Steve Laudicina (2-8) through four innings until Mitchell McGeein (2-for-4) came through with an RBI single for the first hit of the game. The wheels came off for the Broncos' (12-24; 5-8 MAC) pitching staff from that point on as EMU scored two runs in each of its final three innings.

Friday's win was the first series-opening victory for the Eagles in MAC play. Marquise Gill smacked his first-career triple on a 1-for-3 afternoon, while McGeein played long ball for the fourth time this season with a two-run jack in the eighth. Adam Sonabend (1-for-3) and Sam Ott (1-for-3) also connected for an RBI apiece.

For the Broncos, Sohn finished 1-for-3 and Hunter Prince was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Both pitchers sailed through the first four innings, allowing just a walk apiece. In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles nearly broke through for the first hit of the game, but the WMU defense came up with big plays on both occasions. John Rubino hit a fly ball to the right-field warning track, where Kujawa battled swirling winds to make an over-the-shoulder catch. Ott was then the victim of a fine play by shortstop Sohn, who spun around and threw a strike over to first base for the putout.

In the fifth, Brandon Cable walked and Patrick Duncan reached on a throwing error by Jamie Simpson to put two aboard with one out. Hill escaped unscathed with a weak fly out and a foul out. Sonabend walked to lead off the EMU half of the fifth and Simpson sacrifice bunted him into scoring position. With two gone, McGeein delivered the first hit of the game—a double off the left-field wall— and scored Sonabend for a 1-0 EMU lead.

Save for a hit batsman, Hill kept his no-hit bid in tact in the sixth. The Green and White benefited from a pair of unearned tallies in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-0 lead. Rubino singled to short and took second on a throwing error. After advancing on a wild pitch, the EMU shortstop scored on a sharp single by Sonabend. Sonabend also crossed the plate on a throwing error by WMU catcher Brett Sunde. Sundae's throw down to second base was arrant as Simpson stole his team-leading eighth base of the year.

It became a 5-0 affair in the bottom of the seventh. Gill scored on a wild pitch and an Ott RBI single plated Austin Wilson.

Gill came up with a solid defensive play to make the second out in the eighth inning. Vinnie Booker grounded a ball just to the right side of second base. Gill threw off balance over to McGeein at first to retire Booker by a half step. Hill punched out Steve Bugilone for the final out of the inning and walked into the dugout just three defensive outs away from the no-hitter.

In the bottom of the eighth, McGeein added a pair of insurance runs with one mighty swing of the bat. The freshman's fourth homer of the season drove in Bowden as well.

It all came down to the top of the ninth, where Hill recorded the first out on a hard-hit ball by Theo Piccirilli that was hit right at Wilson in centerfield. Sohn swung at the first pitch and lined it to left field. The ball dropped in front of Bowden, who misplayed it and allowed Sohn to scoot over to third. The no-hitter was officially broken up and the Broncos would tack on an unearned run before Hill closed the book on what was still a terrific complete-game outing.

Game two of this three-game series is slated for Saturday, April 20, at 3 p.m.

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Team Stats

John Rubino

Mitchell McGeein

Austin Wilson

Sam Ott

Eastern Michigan Athletics