Bigger Fourth Inning Pushes Central Past EMU

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – To open up the final home Mid-American Conference series of the season, the Eastern Michigan University team fell, 7-5, to in-state rival Central Michigan University Friday evening, May 9. The Eagles (17-31, 4-18 MAC) and Chippewas (30-20, 15-7 MAC) combined to score 11 of the game's 12 runs in the fourth inning. In the top of the second, the game was delayed for 30 minutes due to lightning in the area. However, the rain stayed away and the storm passed to allow the game to be completed without any further delays.

Both teams tallied nine hits apiece, and the Eagles were once again led by their two and three-hole hitters in the lineup. John Rubino went 3-for-4 for his team-high seventh three-hit game of the season. In quest of the conference batting crown, Longo added a pair of hits and a run scored. Meanwhile, Ty Gilmore chipped in by knocking in a pair of runs on his lone base hit of the night. All five of EMU's runs came in the fourth inning as well as five of the Green and White's nine hits.

Errors plagued Eastern as three miscues in the field led to four Central Michigan runs in the top of the fourth. On the mound, Sterling Sharp (1-6) suffered the loss, giving up six runs (two earned) on six hits to go along with four strikeouts. Lefty Devon Bronson pitched the last two innings for EMU, keeping the Chippewas off the scoreboard by allowing only one hit and punching out four opposing hitters.

Shortstop Alex Borglin smacked a double and a triple while adding two runs and two RBI to pace the CMU bats. Leadoff hitter Nick Regnier also recorded two hits, and Cody Leichman batted in two of his teammates. Hard-throwing righty Jordan Foley (6-4) earned the win by throwing 100 pitches and allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits. Southpaw Matt Trowbridge (5) finished the game with three scoreless innings to collect the save.

The game started out as a pitcher's duel as both starters allowed three combined hits to go along with goose eggs on the scoreboard through the first three innings. However, that quickly changed in the fourth inning as the two programs busted out the bats. Central used four hits along with three errors by the EMU defense to take a 6-0 lead. The inning started off with an EMU error, and another mistake that would have ended the inning allowed three more runs to cross the plate and put the Eagles in a big hole.

Despite the ugly start to the inning, the EMU sluggers were not fazed by the deficit, responding with five runs on five consecutive hits and one CMU error in the bottom half of the inning. Rubino kicked things off with a single through the left side before advancing to second on a blooper by Longo. Adam Sonabend continued the trend with a shot up the middle for the Eagles' third-straight base knock to plate Rubino. A Mitchell McGeein single fell in shallow center field to load the bases, and Adam Dennison picked up a RBI by reaching via catcher's interference. Gilmore singled to knock in two runs to make it a 6-4 game and advance Dennison to third. With runners on the corners, Nick Rotola placed a perfect bunt to not only score Dennison but advance Gilmore to second. The EMU shortstop was stranded on the base path as the Chippewas maintained a one-run advantage.

Borglin tripled to deep right center to begin the eighth inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly later in the inning to give CMU an insurance run. In the Eagles' last at-bat, Rubino reached base with a hard hit ball to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs. However, Trowbridge was able to send Longo down swinging as the Chippewas secured the first game of the weekend MAC series.

The Eagles and Chippewas will square off in game two of the three-game set tomorrow, May 10, at 3 p.m. from Oestrike Stadium. Twenty minutes prior to the game, the eight-member senior class of the EMU baseball team will be honored in a ceremony on the field as part of Senior Day festivities.

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Team Stats

John Rubino

Lee Longo

Adam Sonabend

Mitchell McGeein

Eastern Michigan Athletics