Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, April 5
Muncie, Ind.
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
10-16, 0
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20
Ball State
20-10, 0
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Eastern Michigan
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Ball State
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Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Ball State Takes Two from EMU Baseball in Saturday's Doubleheader
4/5/2014 8:09:00 PM | Baseball
Eagles fall, 20-5, in game one and came up short, 7-3 in the second contest of the day
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team was on the losing end of a pair of Mid-American Conference contests against Ball State University Saturday afternoon, April 5. The Eagles (10-17, 1-7 MAC) dropped game one to the Cardinals (21-10, 6-1 MAC), 20-5, while also falling in the second half of the twinbill, 7-3, at the Ball Diamond.
Game 1: Ball State 20, Eastern Michigan 5
The Eagles produced 11 hits, scoring five runs while so committing two errors that led to three runs for the Cardinals. Ball State recorded 20 runs to go along with 19 hits, and the home team committed three errors, but none led to EMU runs.
Batting second in game one after being used to leading off the EMU bats throughout the season, John Rubino welcomed the change with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate to lead the Eagles. Mitchell McGeein earned the start at third and went 2-for-3 with two RBI. In the final spot of the EMU lineup, second baseman Nick Rotola scored a run and knocked in one as well en route to going 2-for-3 at the dish. In his first game moving to the top of the EMU rotation, Ryan Lavoie (1-2) suffered the loss in 1.1 innings of work.
Ball State got the majority of its production from four Cardinals that combined for 14 of the team's 19 hits. Sean Godfrey and Sean Kennedy recorded four hits apiece as Godfrey was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with five RBI and four runs; meanwhile Kennedy knocked in three runs and scored twice. First baseman Caleb Slayton went 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Kyle Raleigh added three hits as well. On the mound, 2013 MAC Pitcher of the Year Scott Baker (5-2) went six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits.
Trailing by two at the end of the first inning, Eastern cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the second. Adam Sonabend singled to right field before Michael Mioduszewski advanced him to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mitchell McGeein drove in his teammate with a base hit to center that made it a one-run ballgame. However, Ball State responded with seven runs in bottom half of the inning to increase its advantage to eight, 9-1.
The Green and White combined to score four runs in three innings, starting in the fifth. McGeein smacked his second single of the game before coming around to score on a center field hit by Rotola. One inning later, a single by Lee Longo followed by a Mioduszewski double put two ducks on the pond for McGeein. The sophomore did his job with a sacrifice to center, plating Longo.
Eastern's most productive inning was the seventh, tallying a pair of runs. Rotola tripled for the second time this season, touching the plate after a single by Austin Wilson. Another single by Rubino and a Sam Ott walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Longo hit a long fly ball down the left field line that was caught, but it was deep enough to score Wilson to round out the EMU scoring in game one.
Game Two: Ball State 7, Eastern Michigan 3
In game two, Ball State jumped out to a 7-0 lead before EMU recorded three unanswered runs for the game's final tally, 7-3. The Eagles scored three runs on nine hits, but committed three costly errors that led to five unearned runs given up by EMU pitching. BSU notched 10 hits to go along with its seven runs.
Longo and Mioduszewski picked up a pair of hits while Rubino, Sonabend and Ty Gilmore knocked in one run each. Michael Marsinek (2-1) lasted 3.1 innings in his start, surrendering four runs but just one earned. Fellow lefty Paul Schaak pitched the final 3.2 innings, holding the BSU bats in check by allowing only two hits, zero runs and striking out six.
Godfrey continued his strong day for Ball State with a grand slam in the top of the fourth. Kennedy collected two more hits and scored twice as well. The Cardinals received the solid start from T.J. Weir (3-1) who went seven innings, allowing two runs on two hits while punching out nine.
With the help of Godfrey's grand slam, the Cardinals scored the first seven runs of the game before the Green and White got on the board in the sixth. Three straight singles by Ott, Longo and Sonabend brought in a run as the EMU catcher's single to right scored the Eastern right fielder. The Eagles used the same sequence to record another run in the top of the seventh. This time, it was Rotola, Wilson and Rubino each collecting a base hit as Rubino plated Rotola on a center field single.
Mioduszewski smashed his second double of the day in the eighth, later scoring on a single by Gilmore. Despite putting a number up in three consecutive innings, the Eagles went quietly in the ninth as the comeback fell short.
EMU will look to pick up a victory for the second straight Sunday as the Eagles take on the Cardinals in the series finale, April 6. Steve Weber is expected to make the start for Head Coach Jay Alexander, while Ball State will counter with Zach Plesac. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
Game 1: Ball State 20, Eastern Michigan 5
The Eagles produced 11 hits, scoring five runs while so committing two errors that led to three runs for the Cardinals. Ball State recorded 20 runs to go along with 19 hits, and the home team committed three errors, but none led to EMU runs.
Batting second in game one after being used to leading off the EMU bats throughout the season, John Rubino welcomed the change with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate to lead the Eagles. Mitchell McGeein earned the start at third and went 2-for-3 with two RBI. In the final spot of the EMU lineup, second baseman Nick Rotola scored a run and knocked in one as well en route to going 2-for-3 at the dish. In his first game moving to the top of the EMU rotation, Ryan Lavoie (1-2) suffered the loss in 1.1 innings of work.
Ball State got the majority of its production from four Cardinals that combined for 14 of the team's 19 hits. Sean Godfrey and Sean Kennedy recorded four hits apiece as Godfrey was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with five RBI and four runs; meanwhile Kennedy knocked in three runs and scored twice. First baseman Caleb Slayton went 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Kyle Raleigh added three hits as well. On the mound, 2013 MAC Pitcher of the Year Scott Baker (5-2) went six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits.
Trailing by two at the end of the first inning, Eastern cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the second. Adam Sonabend singled to right field before Michael Mioduszewski advanced him to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mitchell McGeein drove in his teammate with a base hit to center that made it a one-run ballgame. However, Ball State responded with seven runs in bottom half of the inning to increase its advantage to eight, 9-1.
The Green and White combined to score four runs in three innings, starting in the fifth. McGeein smacked his second single of the game before coming around to score on a center field hit by Rotola. One inning later, a single by Lee Longo followed by a Mioduszewski double put two ducks on the pond for McGeein. The sophomore did his job with a sacrifice to center, plating Longo.
Eastern's most productive inning was the seventh, tallying a pair of runs. Rotola tripled for the second time this season, touching the plate after a single by Austin Wilson. Another single by Rubino and a Sam Ott walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Longo hit a long fly ball down the left field line that was caught, but it was deep enough to score Wilson to round out the EMU scoring in game one.
Game Two: Ball State 7, Eastern Michigan 3
In game two, Ball State jumped out to a 7-0 lead before EMU recorded three unanswered runs for the game's final tally, 7-3. The Eagles scored three runs on nine hits, but committed three costly errors that led to five unearned runs given up by EMU pitching. BSU notched 10 hits to go along with its seven runs.
Longo and Mioduszewski picked up a pair of hits while Rubino, Sonabend and Ty Gilmore knocked in one run each. Michael Marsinek (2-1) lasted 3.1 innings in his start, surrendering four runs but just one earned. Fellow lefty Paul Schaak pitched the final 3.2 innings, holding the BSU bats in check by allowing only two hits, zero runs and striking out six.
Godfrey continued his strong day for Ball State with a grand slam in the top of the fourth. Kennedy collected two more hits and scored twice as well. The Cardinals received the solid start from T.J. Weir (3-1) who went seven innings, allowing two runs on two hits while punching out nine.
With the help of Godfrey's grand slam, the Cardinals scored the first seven runs of the game before the Green and White got on the board in the sixth. Three straight singles by Ott, Longo and Sonabend brought in a run as the EMU catcher's single to right scored the Eastern right fielder. The Eagles used the same sequence to record another run in the top of the seventh. This time, it was Rotola, Wilson and Rubino each collecting a base hit as Rubino plated Rotola on a center field single.
Mioduszewski smashed his second double of the day in the eighth, later scoring on a single by Gilmore. Despite putting a number up in three consecutive innings, the Eagles went quietly in the ninth as the comeback fell short.
EMU will look to pick up a victory for the second straight Sunday as the Eagles take on the Cardinals in the series finale, April 6. Steve Weber is expected to make the start for Head Coach Jay Alexander, while Ball State will counter with Zach Plesac. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BAKER (5-2)
L: Lavoie, Ryan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Mioduszewski, Mike 1
3B: Rotola, Nick 1
RBI: Wilson, Austin 1 ; Longo, Lee 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 2 ; Rotola, Nick 1
SF: Longo, Lee 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson, Austin 1 ; Longo, Lee 1 ; Sonabend, Adam 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1 ; Rotola, Nick 1
CS: Rubino, John 1
HBP: Gill, Marquise 1
Batting:
2B: GODFREY 2 ; ESTEP 1 ; RALEIGH 1 ; HOLLOWELL 1
RBI: SPAULDING 1 ; GODFREY 5 ; STAYTON 4 ; ESTEP 1 ; RINDFLEISCH 3 ; KENNEDY 3 ; MALONEY 1 ; RALEIGH 1 ; HOLLOWELL 1
SH: GRIESINGER 1
SF: RINDFLEISCH 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CALL 1 ; SPAULDING 3 ; JAMES 2 ; GODFREY 4 ; STAYTON 1 ; RINDFLEISCH 1 ; KENNEDY 2 ; MALONEY 1 ; RALEIGH 2 ; GRIESINGER 3
HBP: CALL 1 ; SPAULDING 1 ; GODFREY 1 ; RINDFLEISCH 1
Game Leaders
AB
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RBI
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3
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2
RBI
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AB
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H
1
RBI
1
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