Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 14
Clemson, S.C.
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Clemson
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Face No. 16 Clemson to Open the 2014 Baseball Season
2/13/2014 3:50:00 PM | Baseball
EMU baseball faces the nationally-ranked Tigers, Feb. 14-16, in Clemson, S.C.
Complete Notes
Season Preview: Part One
Season Preview: Part Two
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will lift the lid on the 2014 campaign with its toughest opponent on paper heading into the season. The Eagles square off against No. 16 Clemson University for a three-game set, Feb. 14-16, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. The first two games of the series are set to begin at 4 p.m. each day while the finale will have the first pitch at 1 p.m.
TAKING ON THE TIGERS: Clemson kicks off the 2014 season ranked No. 16 in the 17th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division I Preseason Poll after finishing 25th in the final USA Today Poll of the 2013 season. The Tigers finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an 18-12 conference mark as well a record of 40-22 overall. Their season ended at the NCAA Regional in Columbia, S.C. after a pair of games to Liberty University.
The Tigers bring back a veteran lineup as eight starting position players return from the 2013 squad. Shane Kennedy will look to lead the lineup after hitting .317 last season; however, Kennedy will not return to the field until the middle of the 2014 campaign due to recovering from a torn ACL. On the mound, the Eagles are likely to see Daniel Goddett, Matthew Crownover and Jake Long to start the contests. Gossett led the team in wins (10), innings pitched (98.1) and strikeouts (91) last season while Crownover posted the lowest ERA (2.19) out of all Clemson arms.
Clemson is coached by Hall of Famer Jack Leggett, who enters his 21st season at the helm of the Tigers' program. He has compiled a record of 887-426-1 at Clemson while recording 1,264 wins in his 34 seasons as a head coach.
LAST TIME WE MET: The Eagles and Tigers last took the field against each other three seasons ago to open up the 2011 campaign, Feb. 18-20, 2011. Clemson, ranked fourth in the country at the time, took two-of-three in the series by winning the opener and the finale. In the second game of the series, EMU upset one of the nation's top teams with a 7-6 victory. The Green and White led 6-0 early before Clemson staged a comeback; nonetheless, Eastern held on for the one-run victory. At the time, it was the Eagles first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating then-No. 25 Kansas in the 2010 season lid-lifting series.
CATCH THE BROADCAST: Live video and audio coverage of the game can be found on Clemson's TigerCast, a free service to watch Clemson Tigers athletic contests. To watch or listen to the Eagles take on the Tigers, check out ClemsonTigers.com. The Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 contests are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., while the series finale, Feb. 16, is set for 1 p.m.
INTRODUCING THE 2014 EAGLES: The 2014 EMU baseball team features eight seniors, eight juniors, eight sophomores and nine freshman. Head Coach Jay Alexander returns nine position starters from last year, losing only Daniel Russell and Jamie Simpson to graduation. Top hitters Lee Longo, Sam Ott and Adam Sonabend are back for their senior seasons as they look to improve upon the 26-28 mark of the 2013 team.
On the mound, the Green and White bring back eight pitchers, while losing six arms. Paul Schaak will be the lone returner in the rotation, but the Eagles also get Steve Weber back who sat out last year due to undergoing Tommy John surgery. Senior Kristian Calibuso is back to lead the bullpen as the team's closer after posting the team's lowest ERA a season ago.
A dozen newcomers join the 2014 squad, including Major League Baseball draftee and "true" freshman Sterling Sharp who looks to be in the EMU rotation right from the start of his collegiate career. Other Eagles looking to make an impact upon arrival are junior college transfers Jake Andrews, Ty Gilmore and Charlie Land. Andrews will start the season-opener at Clemson, Feb. 14, while Gilmore could be the team's starting third baseman on opening day. Land looks to be an effective arm out of the EMU bullpen.
COACHES PREDICT EMU BASEBALL TO FINISH FIFTH IN MAC WEST DIVISION: The EMU baseball team has been predicted to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the conference announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, after releasing its preseason coaches' poll. Ball State was picked to sit atop the West while the coaches around the conference felt Kent State would claim the East Division as well as the 2014 MAC Tournament.
The Eagles finished tied for fourth in the MAC West last season, posting a 12-15 record in conference play to just miss out on qualifying for the MAC Tournament.
The Cardinals earned 57 points to narrowly emerged as the West's preseason favorites over Central Michigan (56) and Toledo (54). Northern Illinois, the 2013 West Division champions, was tabbed to finish fourth (43) followed by EMU (27) and Western Michigan (15).
In the East, defending regular season champion Kent State was chosen to repeat as East Division champions, garnering 71 points. Selected to finish behind the Golden Flashes were 2013 MAC Tournament Champions Bowling Green (52), Buffalo (50), Miami (36), Akron (24) and Ohio (19).
Kent State was also picked to repeat as tournament champions for the sixth-straight year, earning four of the 12 first place votes. Ball State received three votes to win the tournament while Bowling Green, Central Michigan, EMU, Miami and Toledo each received one vote of confidence to claim the tournament title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Eastern Michigan will be led by four captains heading into the 2014 campaign: Kristian Calibuso, Sam Ott, Adam Sonabend and Steve Weber. The four Eagles will be joined by Zane Birchler, Dae Bowden, Lee Longo and Paul Schaak to make up the 2014 senior class.
PITCHING: Coach Jay 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, 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 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 and Kristian Calibuso with junior college transfer Charlie Land 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.
AROUND THE HORN: In the EMU infield, the Eagles will be led by senior Lee Longo, 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, who led the Green and White in starts at first during the 2013 campaign.
After a successful freshman campaign, Nick Rotola 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, who appeared in 47 games and scored 21 runs to go with his .255 batting average.
Junior John Rubino 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. 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, 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, 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. 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 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 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, 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 Lee Longo as the starting designated hitter.
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Jay 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.
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.
REMAINING IN THE SOUTH: Following the season-opening series against No. 16 Clemson, the Eagles will stay on the road and in the southern part of the country as they try to play in warmer weather. The Green and White will battle Tennessee-Martin, Feb. 21-23, before reamining in Tennessee to battle Austin Peay in a two-game set, Feb. 25-26.
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 MAC 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.
EMU BASEBALL ALL TIME: The club won the 1970 NAIA National Championship, finished fifth at the 1975 NCAA College World Series and took home runner-up honors at the 1976 CWS. The Eagles have four MAC Tournament titles to their credit (1981, '82, 2003, '08) to go along with seven regular-season crowns (1975, '76, '78, '81, '82, 2003, '07).
Season Preview: Part One
Season Preview: Part Two
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will lift the lid on the 2014 campaign with its toughest opponent on paper heading into the season. The Eagles square off against No. 16 Clemson University for a three-game set, Feb. 14-16, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. The first two games of the series are set to begin at 4 p.m. each day while the finale will have the first pitch at 1 p.m.
TAKING ON THE TIGERS: Clemson kicks off the 2014 season ranked No. 16 in the 17th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division I Preseason Poll after finishing 25th in the final USA Today Poll of the 2013 season. The Tigers finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an 18-12 conference mark as well a record of 40-22 overall. Their season ended at the NCAA Regional in Columbia, S.C. after a pair of games to Liberty University.
The Tigers bring back a veteran lineup as eight starting position players return from the 2013 squad. Shane Kennedy will look to lead the lineup after hitting .317 last season; however, Kennedy will not return to the field until the middle of the 2014 campaign due to recovering from a torn ACL. On the mound, the Eagles are likely to see Daniel Goddett, Matthew Crownover and Jake Long to start the contests. Gossett led the team in wins (10), innings pitched (98.1) and strikeouts (91) last season while Crownover posted the lowest ERA (2.19) out of all Clemson arms.
Clemson is coached by Hall of Famer Jack Leggett, who enters his 21st season at the helm of the Tigers' program. He has compiled a record of 887-426-1 at Clemson while recording 1,264 wins in his 34 seasons as a head coach.
LAST TIME WE MET: The Eagles and Tigers last took the field against each other three seasons ago to open up the 2011 campaign, Feb. 18-20, 2011. Clemson, ranked fourth in the country at the time, took two-of-three in the series by winning the opener and the finale. In the second game of the series, EMU upset one of the nation's top teams with a 7-6 victory. The Green and White led 6-0 early before Clemson staged a comeback; nonetheless, Eastern held on for the one-run victory. At the time, it was the Eagles first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating then-No. 25 Kansas in the 2010 season lid-lifting series.
CATCH THE BROADCAST: Live video and audio coverage of the game can be found on Clemson's TigerCast, a free service to watch Clemson Tigers athletic contests. To watch or listen to the Eagles take on the Tigers, check out ClemsonTigers.com. The Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 contests are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., while the series finale, Feb. 16, is set for 1 p.m.
INTRODUCING THE 2014 EAGLES: The 2014 EMU baseball team features eight seniors, eight juniors, eight sophomores and nine freshman. Head Coach Jay Alexander returns nine position starters from last year, losing only Daniel Russell and Jamie Simpson to graduation. Top hitters Lee Longo, Sam Ott and Adam Sonabend are back for their senior seasons as they look to improve upon the 26-28 mark of the 2013 team.
On the mound, the Green and White bring back eight pitchers, while losing six arms. Paul Schaak will be the lone returner in the rotation, but the Eagles also get Steve Weber back who sat out last year due to undergoing Tommy John surgery. Senior Kristian Calibuso is back to lead the bullpen as the team's closer after posting the team's lowest ERA a season ago.
A dozen newcomers join the 2014 squad, including Major League Baseball draftee and "true" freshman Sterling Sharp who looks to be in the EMU rotation right from the start of his collegiate career. Other Eagles looking to make an impact upon arrival are junior college transfers Jake Andrews, Ty Gilmore and Charlie Land. Andrews will start the season-opener at Clemson, Feb. 14, while Gilmore could be the team's starting third baseman on opening day. Land looks to be an effective arm out of the EMU bullpen.
COACHES PREDICT EMU BASEBALL TO FINISH FIFTH IN MAC WEST DIVISION: The EMU baseball team has been predicted to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the conference announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, after releasing its preseason coaches' poll. Ball State was picked to sit atop the West while the coaches around the conference felt Kent State would claim the East Division as well as the 2014 MAC Tournament.
The Eagles finished tied for fourth in the MAC West last season, posting a 12-15 record in conference play to just miss out on qualifying for the MAC Tournament.
The Cardinals earned 57 points to narrowly emerged as the West's preseason favorites over Central Michigan (56) and Toledo (54). Northern Illinois, the 2013 West Division champions, was tabbed to finish fourth (43) followed by EMU (27) and Western Michigan (15).
In the East, defending regular season champion Kent State was chosen to repeat as East Division champions, garnering 71 points. Selected to finish behind the Golden Flashes were 2013 MAC Tournament Champions Bowling Green (52), Buffalo (50), Miami (36), Akron (24) and Ohio (19).
Kent State was also picked to repeat as tournament champions for the sixth-straight year, earning four of the 12 first place votes. Ball State received three votes to win the tournament while Bowling Green, Central Michigan, EMU, Miami and Toledo each received one vote of confidence to claim the tournament title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Eastern Michigan will be led by four captains heading into the 2014 campaign: Kristian Calibuso, Sam Ott, Adam Sonabend and Steve Weber. The four Eagles will be joined by Zane Birchler, Dae Bowden, Lee Longo and Paul Schaak to make up the 2014 senior class.
PITCHING: Coach Jay 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, 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 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 and Kristian Calibuso with junior college transfer Charlie Land 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.
AROUND THE HORN: In the EMU infield, the Eagles will be led by senior Lee Longo, 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, who led the Green and White in starts at first during the 2013 campaign.
After a successful freshman campaign, Nick Rotola 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, who appeared in 47 games and scored 21 runs to go with his .255 batting average.
Junior John Rubino 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. 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, 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, 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. 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 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 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, 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 Lee Longo as the starting designated hitter.
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Jay 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.
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.
REMAINING IN THE SOUTH: Following the season-opening series against No. 16 Clemson, the Eagles will stay on the road and in the southern part of the country as they try to play in warmer weather. The Green and White will battle Tennessee-Martin, Feb. 21-23, before reamining in Tennessee to battle Austin Peay in a two-game set, Feb. 25-26.
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 MAC 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.
EMU BASEBALL ALL TIME: The club won the 1970 NAIA National Championship, finished fifth at the 1975 NCAA College World Series and took home runner-up honors at the 1976 CWS. The Eagles have four MAC Tournament titles to their credit (1981, '82, 2003, '08) to go along with seven regular-season crowns (1975, '76, '78, '81, '82, 2003, '07).
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