Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 26
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3:05 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Streaking Eagles Hit the Road for Series at Central Michigan
4/25/2013 3:22:00 PM | Baseball
Eagles own a two-game lead on CMU for second place in the West Division
Complete Release (.pdf)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team heads into a weekend series with Central Michigan University, April 26-28, having won four straight contests. The Eagles (19-18; 8-7 MAC) have climbed above the .500 mark both overall and in Mid-American Conference play for the first time this season and own a two-game lead over the Chippewas (17-21; 6-9 MAC) for second place in the West Division.
Friday's game is slated for a 3 p.m. start at Theunissen Stadium, while Saturday's contest is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.
TEAM COMPARISONS: The Eagles have rattled off four straight victories with three in-a-row against Western Michigan University, April 19-21, and another win against the University of Michigan, April 23. Central Michigan dropped two-of-three in its most recent series against Toledo, but has won four of its last six contests overall. EMU is hitting .275 on the season, while the Chippewas carry a decidedly leaner .234 batting average. However, CMU owns a better team ERA (3.86) than the Green and White (4.67).
CHIP DIP: Central Michigan eliminated the Eagles from the 2012 MAC Tournament in Avon, Ohio, May 25, with a 6-4 walk-off victory. A revenge-minded Eagles squad will look to improve upon its overall record of 88-60 all-time against CMU and take a second-straight regular-season series from its in-state rival. The Eagles are 6-8 all-time against the Chippewas since Head Coach Jay Alexander took over the program in 2009.
ALEXANDER NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander (294-286) is six 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 133-138 (.484). 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.
THAT IS SOME WILD STUFF: A rain-soaked, three-hour, fifty-two minute contest ended on a bright note for the Eagles, who won a fourth-straight home game, 15-10, over Michigan Tuesday evening, April 23. The Eagles dropped the Wolverines for a fifth straight time dating back to 2011.
The game began with Michigan scoring four runs in the first inning. The Eagles answered right back with four of their own in the bottom of the first and busted out for five more in the second to take a 9-5 lead. EMU never relinquished that lead, scoring four more times in the sixth inning of a game which saw a total of 25 runs, 23 hits, 18 walks, 15 stolen bases and 387 pitches.
Tuesday's game was Eastern Michigan's longest of the season by 39 minutes, surpassing the previous high of 3:13 in Bowling Green, April 6. For Michigan, it was the most runs the squad had allowed all season—one higher than the previous plateau of 14. However, UM did set the Big Ten Conference record for most stolen bases in a single game (12).
MAKE THAT 11 STRAIGHT OVER WESTERN: For a third-straight season, the Eagles swept through Western Michigan in a three-game series. EMU has now beaten the Broncos 11 straight times, with WMU's last win coming April 23, 2010, 5-3. A two-hitter from Brian Hill Friday got the Eagles started off with a 7-1 series-opening victory. The win was EMU's first Friday victory during MAC play this season. The offense led the way in the final two games with wins by scores of 9-5 and 7-4. EMU took sole possession of second place in the division while the Broncos sunk all the way to last in the MAC West Division.
HILL'S NEAR NO-NO: Brian Hill (5-1) carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning and finished with his first complete game as an Eagle in EMU's 7-1 victory over Western Michigan Friday, April 19. In addition, it was Hill's fourth consecutive MAC victory and his first outing as Jay Alexander's Friday starter. The senior lefty posted a two-hitter and was not charged with an earned run.
His no-hit bid lasted 8.1 innings. He also struck out four batters while guiding the Eagles to their first Friday victory in MAC play this year.
RUBINO'S STELLAR WEEKEND: John Rubino was named the MAC West Division's Player of the Week for the period ending, April 21. Rubino had the game winning RBI in the final two games of EMU's sweep over Western Michigan, April 19-21. The sophomore shortstop used his speed to beat out a double-play ball and recorded an RBI to put the Eagles on top for good, 6-5, Saturday. On Sunday, he smacked an RBI double past the left fielder for what proved to be the winning tally in a 7-4 victory.
For the weekend, Rubino hit .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles and three RBI. He also played flawless defense, turning a pair of double plays Saturday and recording nine assists for the weekend.
CALIBUSO GETS FIRST WIN: Reliever Krisitian Calibuso (1-0) pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to pick up his first win of the year in the Eagles' 7-4 win over WMU, April 21. The victory was also his first since defeating Northern Illinois University in the 2011 MAC Tournament, May 27.
SIMPSON TEARING IT UP IN MAC PLAY: Not only has Jamie Simpson made a smooth transition from first to third base during the 2013 MAC season, he has also reached base in all 15 conference games so far. Simpson, who has a .344 on-base percentage in MAC play, is the only EMU player to hold that distinction.
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 (38) and doubles (17), and second in hits (54), RBI (35) and total bases (83). Ott's batting average of .362 ranks in the top-five among MAC players who have participated in more than 28 games. The Canton, Mich. native has reached safely in 13 straight games.
20 FOR 20: EMU won 25 games last year, making it 20 straight seasons of 20-or-more wins for the Eagles. The squad enters the series against Central Michigan, April 26-28, with a 19-18 record and is poised to eclipse the 20-win mark once again in 2013.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: Daniel Russell moved into a second-place tie in the EMU record books with his 15th-career triple against Buffalo, April 13. 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 19th nationally with according to the NCAA statistics for games prior to April 22. EMU hit two more triples in the April 24 game against Michigan to bring the season total to 18. Individuall, Russell is sixth nationally in that category and just two behind leaders Chad Carroll from James Madison and Alex Bergman from LSU.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team heads into a weekend series with Central Michigan University, April 26-28, having won four straight contests. The Eagles (19-18; 8-7 MAC) have climbed above the .500 mark both overall and in Mid-American Conference play for the first time this season and own a two-game lead over the Chippewas (17-21; 6-9 MAC) for second place in the West Division.
Friday's game is slated for a 3 p.m. start at Theunissen Stadium, while Saturday's contest is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.
TEAM COMPARISONS: The Eagles have rattled off four straight victories with three in-a-row against Western Michigan University, April 19-21, and another win against the University of Michigan, April 23. Central Michigan dropped two-of-three in its most recent series against Toledo, but has won four of its last six contests overall. EMU is hitting .275 on the season, while the Chippewas carry a decidedly leaner .234 batting average. However, CMU owns a better team ERA (3.86) than the Green and White (4.67).
CHIP DIP: Central Michigan eliminated the Eagles from the 2012 MAC Tournament in Avon, Ohio, May 25, with a 6-4 walk-off victory. A revenge-minded Eagles squad will look to improve upon its overall record of 88-60 all-time against CMU and take a second-straight regular-season series from its in-state rival. The Eagles are 6-8 all-time against the Chippewas since Head Coach Jay Alexander took over the program in 2009.
ALEXANDER NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander (294-286) is six 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 133-138 (.484). 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.
THAT IS SOME WILD STUFF: A rain-soaked, three-hour, fifty-two minute contest ended on a bright note for the Eagles, who won a fourth-straight home game, 15-10, over Michigan Tuesday evening, April 23. The Eagles dropped the Wolverines for a fifth straight time dating back to 2011.
The game began with Michigan scoring four runs in the first inning. The Eagles answered right back with four of their own in the bottom of the first and busted out for five more in the second to take a 9-5 lead. EMU never relinquished that lead, scoring four more times in the sixth inning of a game which saw a total of 25 runs, 23 hits, 18 walks, 15 stolen bases and 387 pitches.
Tuesday's game was Eastern Michigan's longest of the season by 39 minutes, surpassing the previous high of 3:13 in Bowling Green, April 6. For Michigan, it was the most runs the squad had allowed all season—one higher than the previous plateau of 14. However, UM did set the Big Ten Conference record for most stolen bases in a single game (12).
MAKE THAT 11 STRAIGHT OVER WESTERN: For a third-straight season, the Eagles swept through Western Michigan in a three-game series. EMU has now beaten the Broncos 11 straight times, with WMU's last win coming April 23, 2010, 5-3. A two-hitter from Brian Hill Friday got the Eagles started off with a 7-1 series-opening victory. The win was EMU's first Friday victory during MAC play this season. The offense led the way in the final two games with wins by scores of 9-5 and 7-4. EMU took sole possession of second place in the division while the Broncos sunk all the way to last in the MAC West Division.
HILL'S NEAR NO-NO: Brian Hill (5-1) carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning and finished with his first complete game as an Eagle in EMU's 7-1 victory over Western Michigan Friday, April 19. In addition, it was Hill's fourth consecutive MAC victory and his first outing as Jay Alexander's Friday starter. The senior lefty posted a two-hitter and was not charged with an earned run.
His no-hit bid lasted 8.1 innings. He also struck out four batters while guiding the Eagles to their first Friday victory in MAC play this year.
RUBINO'S STELLAR WEEKEND: John Rubino was named the MAC West Division's Player of the Week for the period ending, April 21. Rubino had the game winning RBI in the final two games of EMU's sweep over Western Michigan, April 19-21. The sophomore shortstop used his speed to beat out a double-play ball and recorded an RBI to put the Eagles on top for good, 6-5, Saturday. On Sunday, he smacked an RBI double past the left fielder for what proved to be the winning tally in a 7-4 victory.
For the weekend, Rubino hit .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles and three RBI. He also played flawless defense, turning a pair of double plays Saturday and recording nine assists for the weekend.
CALIBUSO GETS FIRST WIN: Reliever Krisitian Calibuso (1-0) pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to pick up his first win of the year in the Eagles' 7-4 win over WMU, April 21. The victory was also his first since defeating Northern Illinois University in the 2011 MAC Tournament, May 27.
SIMPSON TEARING IT UP IN MAC PLAY: Not only has Jamie Simpson made a smooth transition from first to third base during the 2013 MAC season, he has also reached base in all 15 conference games so far. Simpson, who has a .344 on-base percentage in MAC play, is the only EMU player to hold that distinction.
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 (38) and doubles (17), and second in hits (54), RBI (35) and total bases (83). Ott's batting average of .362 ranks in the top-five among MAC players who have participated in more than 28 games. The Canton, Mich. native has reached safely in 13 straight games.
20 FOR 20: EMU won 25 games last year, making it 20 straight seasons of 20-or-more wins for the Eagles. The squad enters the series against Central Michigan, April 26-28, with a 19-18 record and is poised to eclipse the 20-win mark once again in 2013.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: Daniel Russell moved into a second-place tie in the EMU record books with his 15th-career triple against Buffalo, April 13. 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 19th nationally with according to the NCAA statistics for games prior to April 22. EMU hit two more triples in the April 24 game against Michigan to bring the season total to 18. Individuall, Russell is sixth nationally in that category and just two behind leaders Chad Carroll from James Madison and Alex Bergman from LSU.
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