Eagles Soar Past Rockets, 10-4, as Battistelli Picks Up the Win

Re-Listen to the Game.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team kept its Mid-American Conference Tournament hopes in its own hands with a 10-4 victory over the University of Toledo, May 17, at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles evened the series and can now clinch a MAC Tournament berth with a victory in the rubber match Saturday, May 18.

Joe Battistelli got the victory in his longest outing of the season for EMU (26-27, 12-14 MAC), throwing six innings and allowing two runs on six hits. The senior starter punched out a career-high eight batters while not allowing a walk to improve to 3-5 on the 2013 campaign.

Struggling for only four hits in game one of the series, the EMU bats got hot, racking up 14 hits. Lee Longo had an impressive day at the dish, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and a pair of runs. John Rubino, Adam Sonabend, Jamie Simpson and Nick Rotola each had multi-hit performances with two hits apiece.

UT starter Cameron Palmer (3-6) took the loss as he matched Battistelli, pitching six innings and giving up two earned runs. The Eagles tagged Toledo reliever Kyle Slack for six runs in just 0.2 inning during the seventh. At the plate, five Rockets tallied two hits for a total of 13 throughout the game, including a home run by Ryan Callahan.

After failing to get a run in the first game against the Rockets, the Eagles wasted no time jumping on the board in game two. Daniell Russell drew a leadoff walk and Rubino advanced him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Longo cruised into second after sending a shot down the left field line to give EMU the early 1-0 lead.

Toledo answered right back in top of the second. Following a leadoff double, Battistelli was able to get the next two Rockets to fly out to center field. However, a two-out double by UT left fielder Anthony Smith brought in a run, knotting the game up at one apiece.

The Eagles countered in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead, 2-1. Simpson started it off with a single to left, before moving on to second courtesy of a bunt by Austin Wilson. Showing his speed on the base paths, Simpson stole third, allowing him to cross the plate after a Mitchell McGeein groundout to shortstop.

EMU continued its streak of scoring a run in each inning as Longo touched home in the bottom of the third. The Eagles' designated hitter reached second after his fly ball was dropped in center field. Given an extra out in the inning, Sonabend took advantage, singling up the middle to score Longo.

The Rockets threatened a possible two-out rally in the top of the sixth. Battistelli struck out the first two batters of the inning. However, Matt Delewski sent a long fly ball deep to left field; EMU left fielder Wilson drifted towards the wall, reached over the fence, and brought the ball back into play, saving a home run even though he could not make the catch. After a hit batsman, Battistelli ended the threat, getting UT's designated hitter, Ben Hammer, to ground out to second.

The very next inning, UT cut the lead to EMU advantage to one. A leadoff double sent Battistelli out of the game, brining to reliever Neil Butara. The senior reliever could not retire his first batter, Smith, who grazed one past Butara into center to bring in a run. The Rockets would load the bases before Butara escaped the jam, forcing another ground out to Rotola at second base.

In the bottom half of the seventh, back-to-back singles, including a bunt base hit put two Eagles on with nobody out. A sacrifice bunt and a strikeout sent Sam Ott to the plate with two runners in scoring position. However, the Rockets wanted nothing to do with the EMU left fielder, intentionally walking Ott to load the bases and bring Longo to the plate. The designated hitter wasted no time making Toledo pay as he sent the first pitch he saw into right field to bring home two Eagles. Simpson would do the same thing two batter later, recording two RBI of his own as the Eagles soared to a five-run margin. EMU would bat around and add two more runs, capping off a six-run, five-hit inning to lead, 9-2.

After Devin Bronson surrendered two runs in the eighth, Kristian Calibuso came on to get the final out of the inning. The Eagles scored an insurance run in the eighth, and Calibuso returned to get the game's final three outs in the ninth to send the Eagles home with a win.

EMU concludes its regular season with a 1 p.m. matinee, May 18, against Toledo. Eight Eagles will be honored on Senior Day for their contributions to the program. Also with a win, the Green and White will guarantee a spot in the MAC Tournament in Avon, Ohio.

Eagles Soar Past Rockets, 10-4, as Battistelli Picks Up the Win

Next Event

Team Stats

Lee Longo

John Rubino

Adam Sonabend

Jamie Simpson

Eastern Michigan Athletics