Eagles Rally with Four-Run Seventh to Outlast Broncos, 9-5

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A four-run seventh inning paved the way to the Eastern Michigan University baseball team's series-clinching victory against Western Michigan University, 9-5, Saturday, April 20, at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles (17-18; 7-7 MAC) have now defeated the Broncos (12-24; 5-8 MAC) 10 straight times dating back to the 2010 campaign and are back to within a game of .500 on the year.

Western Michigan turned a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 lead with five unanswered tallies in the third and fourth innings. The Green and White surged back in the seventh inning and tacked on one more in the eighth to secure a second-straight win.

Neil Butara (3-5) earned his first Mid-American Conference win of the season in unorthodox fashion. Typically a starter, Butara worked four innings in relief and held WMU batters off the scoreboard while scattering just four hits. He fanned two and walked one. In his first MAC start, Brian Valente came away with a no-decision after giving up five runs (four earned) and six hits over 3.2 innings.

John Rubino (2-for-5) had a fine outing both offensively and defensively. The EMU shortstop was involved in turning a pair of double plays while coming through with the game-winning RBI and his fifth double of the season. Sam Ott (2-for-4) also cashed in his team-best 15th two-bagger of the year, while Jamie Simpson (1-for-5) drove in a pair of runs on his sixth double of the season. Simpson also swiped his ninth base.

Notching a triple was Dae Bowden (1-for-1) in his only at-bat of the afternoon. The three-bagger drove in two runs in EMU's four-run seventh. Daniel Russell and Miles Sorise also recorded an RBI in the game.

WMU batters had 11 hits, six of which were of the infield variety. The top of the lineup produced the bulk of the offense, with hitters one through four combining for seven knocks. On the mound, Pat Haynes (1-1) took the loss in one inning of relief work. Haynes gave up three earned runs on two hits. The Broncos' pitching staff lived on the edge all day as EMU loaded the bases three times.

A walk, an error and a hit batsman loaded the bases with Eagles in the first. Lee Longo nearly missed a grand slam with a long fly just a few feet outside of the left-field foul pole, but drove in the game's first tally on a looper to left center. Simpson then tucked a line drive inside the left-field line for a two-RBI double to make it 3-0.

An inning later, Russell walked for a second straight inning and was driven in by an Ott double up the gap in right center. Ott's two-bagger made it a 4-0 affair.

In the top of the third, Brooks Beilke placed a perfect bunt down the third base line for the second WMU hit of the game. Vinnie Booker was then plunked and Steve Buglione reached with another base knock to load the sacks with nobody out. A sacrifice lineout by Theo Piccirilli got the Broncos on the board and a Jared Kujawa double halved the EMU lead, 4-2.

Booker came up with two out in the fourth and hit an RBI single to left to make it a 4-3 score. Valente gave way to Taylor Dimmerling after allowing two more baserunners. Piccirilli then hit a soft single to third to load the bases. Dimmerling gifted WMU the tying run by hitting Andrew Sohn in the back and a Marquise Gill error at second base allowed the go-ahead run to cross. The Broncos held their first lead of the series, 5-4.

The Eagles loaded the bases again in the fifth. Adam Sonabend led off by reaching on a fielding error, Mitchell McGeein singled and Gill walked. Gill's free pass spelled the end for starter Patrick Borlik and brought Derek Schneider out of the bullpen. Russell worked Schneider to a full count, but looked at a fastball for strike three as WMU held on to a one-run lead.

Good hustle from Rubino resulted in a leadoff double in the sixth. The sophomore poked a shot into right-center and beat out the relay throw to get into scoring position. Longo was hit by a pitch later in the frame and Sonabend walk to fill the sacks for a third time in the contest. Haynes worked himself out of the jam by getting Simpson to ground into a 6-3 inning-ending double play.

Russell delivered the game-tying run with one gone in the seventh on a single through the right side. Wilson scored on the play and Valente was officially off the hook for a loss. Rubino used his speed once again to beat out a double-play ball and recorded an RBI to put the Eagles back on top, 6-5. The scoring was not over yet as Bowden, who came on to pinch run for Longo in the sixth, cranked a two-RBI triple to right-center. That knock put the Eagles back up by three, 8-5.

An unearned tally in the eighth gave the Eagles a four-run lead, 9-5. A Sorsie gapper plated Simpson. Sorise thought he had a triple on the play, but the redshirt sophomore missed second base on the turn and had to settle for a single.

Butara got a double play ball and a strikeout in the ninth to seal his first MAC win of the season.

The series wraps up with a 1 p.m. game Sunday, April 21.

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Team Stats

John Rubino

Sam Ott

Daniel Russell

Dae Bowden

Eastern Michigan Athletics