EMU Returns Home to Entertain Ball State

BATTLE OF THE BIRDS AT OESTRIKE: The Eastern Michigan University baseball team returns home Friday-Sunday, May 3-5, for a critical Mid-American Conference series against the Cardinals of Ball State University at Oestrike Stadium. This weekend's games are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on May 3, 3 p.m. on May 4, and 1 p.m. on May 5. All three games will also be broadcast on Eagle All-Access with the pregame show beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch. Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will be on the call at EMUEagles.com/showcase.
The Eagles will be looking to avenge dropping last season's series in Muncie, Ind., in which the Eagles were plagued by errors and fluky plays. In the rubber match, April 22, 2012, the Eagles were an out away from winning their 10th MAC game of the season, but BSU's T.J. Weir singled in the tying run and Brandon Estep scored the game-winner on a wild pitch which was supposed to be the first pitch of an intentional walk from Joe Battistelli.
This season, Ball State (19-20, 8-10 MAC) is led by the offensive production of junior outfielder Sean Godfrey who has 52 hits, 37 runs, five homers, and is batting .331. The Cardinals' pitching staff is anchored by Scott Baker (9-1) who currently has a 1.65 ERA in 76.1 innings pitched.
Eastern Michigan leads the all time series 73-62-1. Both teams will be hungry for this series as Eastern will be looking to put some distance between themselves and BSU, Central Michigan, Toledo and Bowling Green, who are just one-game back in the race for a bid into the MAC Tournament.

SYMMETRICAL RECORD: After splitting a pair of mid-week non-conference games, the Eagles' record now stands at an even .500 overall as well as in Mid-American Conference play (21-21, 9-9 MAC). The Green and White are still holding on to second place in the MAC West Division with a one game lead over four teams who are tied at 8-10.

DEFEATING THE NATION'S BEST: The Eagles have proven they not only can compete with some of the nation's best, but they can beat them as well. The May 1 victory over No. 26 ranked Notre Dame, 12-6, marked the fourth win over a ranked team in the past six years. Head Coach Jay Alexander's ballclub picked up its first win over a ranked opponent since Feb. 18, 2011, when the Eagles beat then No. 4 ranked Clemson, 7-6. The Green and White knocked off No. 25 Kansas, 3-1, in the Metrodome, Feb. 22, 2010. EMU also defeated No. 19 Tennessee, Feb. 10, 2007, by a final 6-3 tally.

SOLID HITTING DOWNS THE IRISH: Eastern Michigan used some hot hitting at the plate, notching 12 hits in a 12-6 victory against Notre Dame, May 1. Eight of the nine batters in the starting lineup tallied a hit, including four Eagles recording two or more hits. The Eagles avenged a 12-4 loss from a season ago, March 20, 2012, beating the Golden Domers for the first time in over a decade.
The last time EMU baseball took down Notre Dame was April 13, 2003, when the Eagles notched a 5-3 decision over the then-No. 13 ranked Fighting Irish.

EVERY GAME COUNTS: With the 2013 Mid-American Conference Tournament just over three weeks away, each game becomes more important, especially for the Eagles. If the tournament started today, EMU would be the fifth seed in the eight-team tournament. While the current seed seems to show the Eagles are safe, that is not the case looking at the standings. Four teams sit one game back of the Green and White, vying to get in the tournament. One struggling weekend series could potentially drop Eastern from the five-spot all the way down to ninth in the standings, leaving Coach Jay Alexander's team on the outside-looking-in of the MAC Tournament bubble.

HILL FINDING HIS STRIDE: Friday starter Brian Hill has shut down opponents in his last five outings, collecting quality starts and wins in each of them. Hill's season earned run average has dropped from 5.46 to a rotation-best 3.63 since the streak started. The redshirt senior southpaw has only allowed seven earned runs in 32.1 innings for a 1.95 ERA during his 5-0 stretch.

STREAKING!: Sam Ott has reached base in each of the last 18 contests, the total is a team-best and also surpasses his career-best of 14 set just a season ago.

ALEXANDER NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: EMU Head Coach Jay Alexander (296-289) is four 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 135-141 (.489). 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.

CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: Using a combination of speed and power, EMU leads the league with 21 triples on the season. The Green and White also boasts the top-two leaders in triples for MAC contests. Leadoff hitter Daniel Russell has six three-baggers while teammate Dae Bowden and Jamie Simpson have collected four triples of their own.
Russell moved into sole possession of second-place in the EMU record books with his 16th-career triple against Notre Dame, May 1. His three-bagger was the team-leading sixth on the year and surpassed his season-high of five from 2012. The senior from Grandville, Mich. is now just three 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 13th nationally with according to the NCAA statistics for games. Individually, Russell is 15th nationally in that category and just three behind leaders Chad Carroll from James Madison.

21 FOR 20: Eastern Michigan recorded its 20th win of the season with a 7-3 win over Central Michigan, April 26. The victory makes it 21 straight seasons in which the Green and White has reached the 20-victory mark.

DISCIPLINE: Through 42 games, the Eagles have struck out 253 times (6.0 times per game) which ranks third-best in the MAC behind only Toledo and Ball State. 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).

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos