EMU Baseball Takes Two from Northern Kentucky

FLORENCE, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) – Thirteen was a lucky number for the Eastern Michigan University baseball team as the Eagles reached that mark twice en route to a pair of victories over the Northern Kentucky University Norse Saturday afternoon, March 15. Along with scoring 13 runs in both games, EMU held the NKU bats in-check as well. The Green and White took game one, 13-3, in seven innings before completing the twinbill sweep with a 13-2 win in the second contest.

The two victories give Eastern four-straight to improve to .500 on the season at an 8-8 mark. With the two losses, Northern Kentucky falls to 3-13.

Game One: Eastern Michigan 13, Northern Kentucky 3

In just a seven-inning affair, the Eagles were still able to plate 13 runs on 18 hits. Adam Sonabend reached base five times, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with one double, one walk, one run and three RBI. Lee Longo and Austin Wilson collected three hits each while Longo scored three times and Wilson crossed home twice. Starting as the designated hitter, Mitchell McGeein recorded a pair of hits to go along with team-highs in runs (4) and RBI (4). Sam Ott rounded out the Eagles recording multi-hits as he went 2-for-4 with three runs, two RBI and a triple. On the rubber, Jake Andrews (2-1) pitched six of the seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four. Freshman Sterling Sharp finished the game with one inning of scoreless baseball.

NKU starter Cody Cooper (0-4) lasted only two innings as the EMU bats pegged him for five runs on seven hits. Cody Kuzniczci knocked in all three runs for the Norse on a base-clearing double. The NKU designated hitter tallied two of his team's nine hits in the first game.

The Eagles scored the game's first eight runs, beginning in the top of the second. McGeein walked to start the inning before Sonabend ripped a double to plate his fellow Eagle. Michael Mioduszewski singled to advance the EMU catcher 90 feet. Then, Nick Rotola smacked one that deflected off the pitcher to score Sonabend on the RBI groundout.

One inning later, the Green and White chalked up four run to increase its lead to six. Wilson and Ott started off the big inning with back-to-back doubles. Following a single by Longo, McGeein decided to join the double fun with one of his own, bringing Ott and Longo around to score. Still with no outs in the inning, Sonabend singled up the middle, knocking in McGeein from second base.

EMU recorded runs for the third straight inning with two in the top of the fourth. McGeein tallied his third and fourth RBI of the game with a base hit through the left side that scored Ott and Longo once again. Two innings later, he scored a run himself on a wild pitch by NKU.

To end the shortened game, Eastern chalked up four runs in their final plate appearance. Ott tripled to center field to score Wilson before crossing the plate for the third time on a Longo single. McGeein reached base for the fifth straight time and scored, along with Longo, on a single by Sonabend.

Game Two: Eastern Michigan 13, Northern Kentucky 2

Sonabend and McGeein continued their huge days at the dish in game two, combining for seven RBI, six hits and four runs in the 13-2 game two victory. Sonabend produced a team-high four RBI on three hits, including a double. Meanwhile, McGeein homered twice to become the first Eagle to hit two home runs in one game since Daniel Russell accomplished the feat nearly one year ago, March 16, 2013, ironically against Northern Kentucky. As a team, EMU totaled 13 runs 16 hits in the nine-inning game, including seven runs in the first two innings.

Ryan Lavoie (1-0) and Steve Weber combined to surrender just six hits from Norse hitting. Lavoie threw seven innings in his start, punching out seven hitters while giving up just two runs (one earned) on six hits. Weber, the redshirt-senior, retired the side in both of the final two innings, striking out three in the process.

Just as he did in game one, Kuzniczci led the Norse bats with a 2-for-4 showing as the only NKU hitter to record more than one hit. In the start, Adam Jafine exited the game after 1.2 innings in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) on a whopping eight hits.

The first four EMU batters reached base to begin the game, leading to a four-run first. Ott singled to bring in leadoff hitter John Rubino, and the senior right fielder scored just behind Wilson on a double to deep right center by Longo. Although Sonabend grounded out to shortstop, getting the bat on the ball was enough to knock in Longo to give the Eagles the early lead that it would control for the remainder of the contest.

Eastern added three insurance runs in the top of the second to increase its lead to seven. Six Eagles singled in the inning as Head Coach Jay Alexander's squad batted around. Wilson and McGeein each smacked base hits that scored a fellow teammate.

NKU countered with runs in both the second and third innings, however, the Norse was kept off the scoreboard by EMU pitching and defense for the rest of the game. The Eagles added six runs for the winning double digit margin in large part due to a pair of blasts by McGeein. In the top of the fifth, the sophomore slugger led the inning off with a bomb to left. Just two innings after his first dinger, McGeein played long ball again by clearing the left field fence. The two home run game gives McGeein doubles his season total coming into the game as he now has four on the season.

The Eagles will look to complete the sweep of the Norse and jump over the .500 mark on the 2014 campaign. EMU and NKU will wrap up their series Sunday, March 16, at noon. Coach Alexander will send out left-handed sophomore Michael Marsinek while the Northern Kentucky will counter with right hander Jake Shaw.

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Team Stats

Adam Sonabend

Austin Wilson

Lee Longo

John Rubino

Eastern Michigan Athletics