Eastern Michigan Athletics
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EMU Baseball Season Preview: Part Two
2/11/2014 2:33:00 PM | Baseball
With the season just days from getting underway, the second segment of the EMU Season Preview has been released
Baseball Season Preview: Part Two
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The 2014 Eastern Michigan University baseball season is just three 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, a preview of the upcoming campaign has been split into two sections. Today's feature focuses on the position players while also looking at the 2014 schedule. Check out the second segment of the season preview on Eagle All-Access here.
Around the Horn: In the EMU infield, the Eagles will be led by senior Lee Longo (Mayfield, Ohio-Mayfield), who will be making the transition to the position after earning All-Mid-American Conference First Team accolades as the team's designated hitter a season ago. Longo batted .283 as a starter in all 54 games. He paced the Eagles with seven home runs while knocking in a team-best 44 RBI. Despite Longo making the change in the field, he will most likely remain in the clean-up (fourth) spot in the batting order. Longo's backup will be Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall), who led the Green and White in starts at first during the 2013 campaign.
After a successful freshman campaign, Nick Rotola (Wichita, Kan.-Word of Life Traditional School) returns as the Eagles' starting second baseman. Starting 31 games, the sophomore hit at a .287 clip while only committing six errors in the field for a .957 fielding percentage. Last season, Rotola split the starting duties with fellow sophomore Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw), who appeared in 47 games and scored 21 runs to go with his .255 batting average.
Junior John Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon) is nearly a lock as the starting shortstop. In 2013, the Scottsdale, Ariz. native started all 54 games, including 51 at shortstop. Along with batting .288, fourth-best on the team, Rubino was a threat on the base paths with 11 steals. Last year, he was named MAC West Player of the Week, April 21, 2013, hitting .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles and three RBI during that weekly stretch.
While the right side of the infield and shortstop are occupied by veteran Eagles, third base will be played by newcomer Ty Gilmore (Billings, Mont.-Billings West (Central Arizona)). The junior college transfer has turned the heads of coaches and teammates throughout the offseason with his play in the field and bat at the plate. At Central Arizona, Gilmore hit .321 on his way to all-region and all-conference first team honors. He will replace 2013 senior Jamie Simpson at the hot corner.
Behind the Plate: Captain Adam Sonabend (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Desert Mountain (Mesa C.C., Kansas State)), one-of -four team captains, will remain the team's starting catcher for his senior campaign. Starting every game for the Green and White, including 46 behind the plate, Sonabend hit .325 with 38 RBI on his way to All-MAC Second Team honors. He threw out 14 baserunners while also assisting in turning five double plays. Backing up the senior catcher will be sophomore Tony Dileo (Rockford, Mich.-Rockford), who made eight starts at the position last season.
Eagles in the Outfield: Patrolling the green grass in right field will be EMU's best hitter from 2013, senior and team captain Sam Ott (Canton, Mich.-Salem). Despite starting every game and leading the Eagles in nearly every hitting category, Ott was left off the All-MAC list. The Canton, Mich. native paced the Eagles in batting average (.327), runs (47), hits (69), doubles (18), RBI (44) and slugging percentage (.469). His doubles tied for second in the MAC last season while he was fourth in the conference in runs scored.
Despite making 14 starts in left field and only two starts in center field, expect sophomore Austin Wilson (Valrico, Fla.-Bloomingdale Sr.) to primarily be in center, replacing Daniel Russell, who was lost to graduation. The Sunshine State native only played in 31 contests, but he made a spark in the lineup when he was at the plate, hitting at a .326 clip. As a freshman, Wilson batted a team-best .358 against right-handed pitching and did not commit an error in 45 chances.
The final outfield spot in left field will most likely be occupied by redshirt-senior Dae Bowden (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney Young) to start the season. In the 30 starts he made throughout 2013, the Windy City native played left field, leading the team in starts at that position. When he was in the lineup last season, Bowden showed off his speed with four triples and five steals. Another Eagle that could start in left field is Adam Dennison (Broadview Heights, Ohio-Padua Franciscan), who was EMU's back-up catcher in 2012 before sitting out last season due to injury. While Eastern fans could see him out in left or behind the plate, the redshirt-junior will likely replace Longo as the starting designated hitter.
2014 Schedule: Eastern Michigan starts the 2014 campaign with 16 games away from the friendly confines of Oestrike Stadium. After the season-opening series at No. 16 Clemson, Feb. 14-16, the Eagles travel to Tennessee-Martin, Austin Peay, Kentucky, Morehead State and Evansville. Exactly one month after lifting the lid on the season at Clemson, EMU begins its home slate, March 14, with a three-game set against the Norse of Northern Kentucky. Following the home series, the Green and White will hit the road once again, stopping at Bowling Green March 18, for a rare non-conference matchup between the two schools before opening up MAC play at Akron, March 21.
Once again, the Eagles will play 27 conference games while playing 29 non-conference contests. Eastern will face four teams from the Big Ten Conference as Northwestern comes to Ypsilanti, March 26, while the Eagles head to Ohio State, April 9. Moreover, EMU will have a home-and-home series against Michigan and Michigan State. Wrapping up non-conference play will be a home game against Notre Dame, May 13, before closing out the regular season with a three-game MAC series at Toledo, May 15-17. The Green and White will look to qualify and get back the MAC Tournament, scheduled for May 21-25 at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The 2014 Eastern Michigan University baseball season is just three 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, a preview of the upcoming campaign has been split into two sections. Today's feature focuses on the position players while also looking at the 2014 schedule. Check out the second segment of the season preview on Eagle All-Access here.
Around the Horn: In the EMU infield, the Eagles will be led by senior Lee Longo (Mayfield, Ohio-Mayfield), who will be making the transition to the position after earning All-Mid-American Conference First Team accolades as the team's designated hitter a season ago. Longo batted .283 as a starter in all 54 games. He paced the Eagles with seven home runs while knocking in a team-best 44 RBI. Despite Longo making the change in the field, he will most likely remain in the clean-up (fourth) spot in the batting order. Longo's backup will be Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall), who led the Green and White in starts at first during the 2013 campaign.
After a successful freshman campaign, Nick Rotola (Wichita, Kan.-Word of Life Traditional School) returns as the Eagles' starting second baseman. Starting 31 games, the sophomore hit at a .287 clip while only committing six errors in the field for a .957 fielding percentage. Last season, Rotola split the starting duties with fellow sophomore Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw), who appeared in 47 games and scored 21 runs to go with his .255 batting average.
Junior John Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon) is nearly a lock as the starting shortstop. In 2013, the Scottsdale, Ariz. native started all 54 games, including 51 at shortstop. Along with batting .288, fourth-best on the team, Rubino was a threat on the base paths with 11 steals. Last year, he was named MAC West Player of the Week, April 21, 2013, hitting .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles and three RBI during that weekly stretch.
While the right side of the infield and shortstop are occupied by veteran Eagles, third base will be played by newcomer Ty Gilmore (Billings, Mont.-Billings West (Central Arizona)). The junior college transfer has turned the heads of coaches and teammates throughout the offseason with his play in the field and bat at the plate. At Central Arizona, Gilmore hit .321 on his way to all-region and all-conference first team honors. He will replace 2013 senior Jamie Simpson at the hot corner.
Behind the Plate: Captain Adam Sonabend (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Desert Mountain (Mesa C.C., Kansas State)), one-of -four team captains, will remain the team's starting catcher for his senior campaign. Starting every game for the Green and White, including 46 behind the plate, Sonabend hit .325 with 38 RBI on his way to All-MAC Second Team honors. He threw out 14 baserunners while also assisting in turning five double plays. Backing up the senior catcher will be sophomore Tony Dileo (Rockford, Mich.-Rockford), who made eight starts at the position last season.
Eagles in the Outfield: Patrolling the green grass in right field will be EMU's best hitter from 2013, senior and team captain Sam Ott (Canton, Mich.-Salem). Despite starting every game and leading the Eagles in nearly every hitting category, Ott was left off the All-MAC list. The Canton, Mich. native paced the Eagles in batting average (.327), runs (47), hits (69), doubles (18), RBI (44) and slugging percentage (.469). His doubles tied for second in the MAC last season while he was fourth in the conference in runs scored.
Despite making 14 starts in left field and only two starts in center field, expect sophomore Austin Wilson (Valrico, Fla.-Bloomingdale Sr.) to primarily be in center, replacing Daniel Russell, who was lost to graduation. The Sunshine State native only played in 31 contests, but he made a spark in the lineup when he was at the plate, hitting at a .326 clip. As a freshman, Wilson batted a team-best .358 against right-handed pitching and did not commit an error in 45 chances.
The final outfield spot in left field will most likely be occupied by redshirt-senior Dae Bowden (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney Young) to start the season. In the 30 starts he made throughout 2013, the Windy City native played left field, leading the team in starts at that position. When he was in the lineup last season, Bowden showed off his speed with four triples and five steals. Another Eagle that could start in left field is Adam Dennison (Broadview Heights, Ohio-Padua Franciscan), who was EMU's back-up catcher in 2012 before sitting out last season due to injury. While Eastern fans could see him out in left or behind the plate, the redshirt-junior will likely replace Longo as the starting designated hitter.
2014 Schedule: Eastern Michigan starts the 2014 campaign with 16 games away from the friendly confines of Oestrike Stadium. After the season-opening series at No. 16 Clemson, Feb. 14-16, the Eagles travel to Tennessee-Martin, Austin Peay, Kentucky, Morehead State and Evansville. Exactly one month after lifting the lid on the season at Clemson, EMU begins its home slate, March 14, with a three-game set against the Norse of Northern Kentucky. Following the home series, the Green and White will hit the road once again, stopping at Bowling Green March 18, for a rare non-conference matchup between the two schools before opening up MAC play at Akron, March 21.
Once again, the Eagles will play 27 conference games while playing 29 non-conference contests. Eastern will face four teams from the Big Ten Conference as Northwestern comes to Ypsilanti, March 26, while the Eagles head to Ohio State, April 9. Moreover, EMU will have a home-and-home series against Michigan and Michigan State. Wrapping up non-conference play will be a home game against Notre Dame, May 13, before closing out the regular season with a three-game MAC series at Toledo, May 15-17. The Green and White will look to qualify and get back the MAC Tournament, scheduled for May 21-25 at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
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