Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Baseball Season Preview: Part One
2/10/2014 2:10:00 PM | Baseball
With the season just days from getting underway, part one of the two-segment EMU Season Preview has been released
Eagle All-Access Season Preview: Part One
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The 2014 Eastern Michigan University baseball season is just four days away as the Eagles will travel to Clemson, S.C. to tangle with the No. 16-ranked Tigers for a three-game series, Feb. 14-16. With the season right around the corner, we will preview the upcoming campaign in two sections. Today's feature focuses on a recap of 2013, team captains, and new coaches as well as taking a look at the EMU pitchers. Check out part one of the season preview on Eagle All-Access here.
2013 in Review: The 2013 baseball season ended in disappointment for Eastern Michigan, as the Green and White fell to Toledo, 6-5, on the last day of the regular season to miss out on the Mid-American Conference Tournament. EMU finished 2013 with a 26-28 record and a 12-15 mark in conference play. While the overall season did not work out as planned, Eastern did have some bright spots throughout the year. Senior Brian Hill nearly threw a no-hitter against in-state rival Western Michigan, April 19, 2013. The left-handed starter lost the no-hit bid with one out in the ninth, but still managed to keep the Broncos off the board for a complete game shutout.
The Green and White picked up several victories over major opponents as well. EMU downed No. 26 Notre Dame, 12-6, May 1, 2013, the first win over a ranked opponent since the 2011 season when the Eagles defeated then-No. 4 Clemson. Eastern Michigan also swept the season series against fellow Washtenaw County foe Michigan, outscoring the Wolverines 28-14, in two games. The Eagles won the first contest, 15-10, at Oestrike Stadium, April 23, 2013, before capping off a game that was postponed, 13-4, in Ann Arbor, May 7, 2013. In the team's final non-conference game of the season, Eastern rolled over Purdue, 20-2, picking up 24 hits along the way to give Head Coach Jay Alexander his 300th career victory, May 14, 2013.
Team Captains: Eastern Michigan will be led by four captains heading into the 2014 campaign: Kristian Calibuso (Brandon, Fla.-Armwood (Florida State College of Jacksonville), Sam Ott (Canton, Mich.-Salem), Adam Sonabend (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Desert Mountain (Mesa C.C., Kansas State) and Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton). The four Eagles will be joined by Zane Birchler (Plymouth, Mich.-Canton), Dae Bowden (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney Young), Lee Longo (Mayfield, Ohio-Mayfield) and Paul Schaak (Winkler, Manitoba-Vauxhall (Southern Idaho C.C.) to make up the 2014 senior class.
Coaching Staff: Coach Alexander enters his sixth season at the helm of the EMU baseball program, sporting a career record of 301-296. The veteran coach will welcome two new coaches to the staff this season in Assistant Coach Eric Peterson and Volunteer Assistant Coach Jerry Brown. Coach Brown was most recently an assistant at Birmingham Groves High School, and the Detroit, Mich. native also spent the past six summer coaching elite summer travel teams and training some of the area's top talent. Brown will serve as the team's first base coach while also working with the catchers.
Peterson will guide the arms in his first season in Ypsilanti after spending last season as the director of baseball operations at the University of Kansas and as head coach of the Chillicothe Mudcats of the MINK Summer Collegiate League. The former Jayhawk's coaching background also includes stops at Pittsburg State University, Fort Scott Community College and Niagara University. With Peterson as pitching coach, Associate Head Coach Andrew Maki will return to a familiar role as the team's hitting coach. Maki spent his first three seasons at EMU coaching the EMU bats before serving as pitching coach for the past two years.
Pitching: Coach Alexander and his staff already know who they will be putting out against No. 16 Clemson when the season begins this weekend, Feb. 14-16. Filling the holes left by 2013 seniors Brian Hill and Brian Valente, two first-year Eagles have emerged to take over the top two spots in the rotation. Starting the first game of the season will be junior college transfer Jake Andrews (Chandler, Ariz.Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)), standing at 6-feet 4-inches. Spending last season at Mesa Community College, the new Eagle struck out a team-best 78 batters in 79.1 innings while posting a 6-4 record with a 4.19 ERA.
The other newcomer will be 'true' freshman Sterling Sharp (Farmington Hills, Mich.-North Farmington) who will serve as the Saturday starter in the rotation. Sharp was brilliant throughout high school as Prep Baseball Report ranked him the seventh-best prospect in the state of Michigan. After recording a perfect 7-0 mark to go along with a 1.90 ERA his senior season, Sharp was drafted in the 30th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Atlanta Braves. However, he chose to pursue a college education and continue his career at Eastern Michigan.
The final pitcher in the EMU rotation is no stranger to the role. Senior Paul Schaak will return to the mound in his final season as an Eagle, hoping to build off of the year he had in 2013. The lefty from Winkler, Manitoba made 11 starts to compile a 3-4 record and a 5.46 ERA. His most impressive statistic was his strikeout-to-walks ratio, sending down 47 batters while walking just 13. His veteran status should provide support to the younger arms in the rotation.
Coming out of the bullpen, EMU will likely rely on returners Devon Bronson (Southgate, Mich.-Anderson) and Calibuso with junior college transfer Charlie Land (Wheat Ridge, Co.-Wheat Ridge (Mesa C.C.)) also looking to play a key role. Bronson made 15 appearances as a freshman, not allowing a run in eight of those opportunities. Meanwhile, Calibuso bounced back from Tommy John surgery to post the lowest ERA on the team in 2013. The team captain boasted a 3.42 ERA in 16 relief appearances. The Brandon Fla. native will look to serve as the Eagles' closer for the 2014 season. Finally, Land joins Andrews, his Mesa C.C. teammate, at EMU. He spent two seasons at the community college, racking up 31 saves that included a school record 19 in 2013.
Part two of the 2014 EMU Baseball Season Preview will focus on the position players while also taking a peek at the 2014 schedule. Stay tuned for the release and video on EMUEagles.com.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The 2014 Eastern Michigan University baseball season is just four days away as the Eagles will travel to Clemson, S.C. to tangle with the No. 16-ranked Tigers for a three-game series, Feb. 14-16. With the season right around the corner, we will preview the upcoming campaign in two sections. Today's feature focuses on a recap of 2013, team captains, and new coaches as well as taking a look at the EMU pitchers. Check out part one of the season preview on Eagle All-Access here.
2013 in Review: The 2013 baseball season ended in disappointment for Eastern Michigan, as the Green and White fell to Toledo, 6-5, on the last day of the regular season to miss out on the Mid-American Conference Tournament. EMU finished 2013 with a 26-28 record and a 12-15 mark in conference play. While the overall season did not work out as planned, Eastern did have some bright spots throughout the year. Senior Brian Hill nearly threw a no-hitter against in-state rival Western Michigan, April 19, 2013. The left-handed starter lost the no-hit bid with one out in the ninth, but still managed to keep the Broncos off the board for a complete game shutout.
The Green and White picked up several victories over major opponents as well. EMU downed No. 26 Notre Dame, 12-6, May 1, 2013, the first win over a ranked opponent since the 2011 season when the Eagles defeated then-No. 4 Clemson. Eastern Michigan also swept the season series against fellow Washtenaw County foe Michigan, outscoring the Wolverines 28-14, in two games. The Eagles won the first contest, 15-10, at Oestrike Stadium, April 23, 2013, before capping off a game that was postponed, 13-4, in Ann Arbor, May 7, 2013. In the team's final non-conference game of the season, Eastern rolled over Purdue, 20-2, picking up 24 hits along the way to give Head Coach Jay Alexander his 300th career victory, May 14, 2013.
Team Captains: Eastern Michigan will be led by four captains heading into the 2014 campaign: Kristian Calibuso (Brandon, Fla.-Armwood (Florida State College of Jacksonville), Sam Ott (Canton, Mich.-Salem), Adam Sonabend (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Desert Mountain (Mesa C.C., Kansas State) and Steve Weber (North Royalton, Ohio-North Royalton). The four Eagles will be joined by Zane Birchler (Plymouth, Mich.-Canton), Dae Bowden (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney Young), Lee Longo (Mayfield, Ohio-Mayfield) and Paul Schaak (Winkler, Manitoba-Vauxhall (Southern Idaho C.C.) to make up the 2014 senior class.
Coaching Staff: Coach Alexander enters his sixth season at the helm of the EMU baseball program, sporting a career record of 301-296. The veteran coach will welcome two new coaches to the staff this season in Assistant Coach Eric Peterson and Volunteer Assistant Coach Jerry Brown. Coach Brown was most recently an assistant at Birmingham Groves High School, and the Detroit, Mich. native also spent the past six summer coaching elite summer travel teams and training some of the area's top talent. Brown will serve as the team's first base coach while also working with the catchers.
Peterson will guide the arms in his first season in Ypsilanti after spending last season as the director of baseball operations at the University of Kansas and as head coach of the Chillicothe Mudcats of the MINK Summer Collegiate League. The former Jayhawk's coaching background also includes stops at Pittsburg State University, Fort Scott Community College and Niagara University. With Peterson as pitching coach, Associate Head Coach Andrew Maki will return to a familiar role as the team's hitting coach. Maki spent his first three seasons at EMU coaching the EMU bats before serving as pitching coach for the past two years.
Pitching: Coach Alexander and his staff already know who they will be putting out against No. 16 Clemson when the season begins this weekend, Feb. 14-16. Filling the holes left by 2013 seniors Brian Hill and Brian Valente, two first-year Eagles have emerged to take over the top two spots in the rotation. Starting the first game of the season will be junior college transfer Jake Andrews (Chandler, Ariz.Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)), standing at 6-feet 4-inches. Spending last season at Mesa Community College, the new Eagle struck out a team-best 78 batters in 79.1 innings while posting a 6-4 record with a 4.19 ERA.
The other newcomer will be 'true' freshman Sterling Sharp (Farmington Hills, Mich.-North Farmington) who will serve as the Saturday starter in the rotation. Sharp was brilliant throughout high school as Prep Baseball Report ranked him the seventh-best prospect in the state of Michigan. After recording a perfect 7-0 mark to go along with a 1.90 ERA his senior season, Sharp was drafted in the 30th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Atlanta Braves. However, he chose to pursue a college education and continue his career at Eastern Michigan.
The final pitcher in the EMU rotation is no stranger to the role. Senior Paul Schaak will return to the mound in his final season as an Eagle, hoping to build off of the year he had in 2013. The lefty from Winkler, Manitoba made 11 starts to compile a 3-4 record and a 5.46 ERA. His most impressive statistic was his strikeout-to-walks ratio, sending down 47 batters while walking just 13. His veteran status should provide support to the younger arms in the rotation.
Coming out of the bullpen, EMU will likely rely on returners Devon Bronson (Southgate, Mich.-Anderson) and Calibuso with junior college transfer Charlie Land (Wheat Ridge, Co.-Wheat Ridge (Mesa C.C.)) also looking to play a key role. Bronson made 15 appearances as a freshman, not allowing a run in eight of those opportunities. Meanwhile, Calibuso bounced back from Tommy John surgery to post the lowest ERA on the team in 2013. The team captain boasted a 3.42 ERA in 16 relief appearances. The Brandon Fla. native will look to serve as the Eagles' closer for the 2014 season. Finally, Land joins Andrews, his Mesa C.C. teammate, at EMU. He spent two seasons at the community college, racking up 31 saves that included a school record 19 in 2013.
Part two of the 2014 EMU Baseball Season Preview will focus on the position players while also taking a peek at the 2014 schedule. Stay tuned for the release and video on EMUEagles.com.
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