Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 20
Moraga, Calif.
2 p.m.
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Solid Pitching Performance Helps Van Ameyde Collect First EMU Victory
2/20/2015 7:54:00 PM | Baseball
The EMU pitching staff allowed just one unearned run in the Eagles first win of the season
MORAGA, Calif. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University senior pitcher Ryan Lavoie (Sterling Heights, Mich.-Stevenson) was stout in his second start of the season going seven innings to lead the EMU baseball team to its first win of the 2015 campaign. The Eagles (1-3) used a pair of long balls to defeat Saint Mary's College, 2-1, Friday, Feb. 20. The win was the first for first-year EMU Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde while the setback was just the second for the Gaels (3-2) on the young season.
Lavoie (1-1) went seven strong innings, surrendering just one unearned run on four hits, while striking out four. Michael Marsinek (Streetboro, Ohio -Walsh Jesuit) tossed the next 1.1 innings for EMU. The junior allowed just two base runners before Sam Delaplane (San Jose, Calif.-Leigh) relieved him, just two outs shy of EMU's first win of the season. Delaplane picked up the save after allowing a hit but finishing out the final 0.2 innings unscathed. Cameron Neff was saddled with the loss for the Gaels. Neff (0-2) went 7.2 innings, allowing two runs, while striking out eight in the loss.
Eastern Michigan scored two runs on 10 hits, leaving four runners stranded. John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra) and Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) led the Eagle offense, as each hit homers, while Jordan Peterson (Gilbert, Ariz. -Highland (Chandler-Gilbert C.C.)) and Joe Kennedy (St. John, Ind.-Mount Carmel) each put together two-hit ball games. Not only were they the first hits of the season for Kennedy, but his first collegiate hits. Defensively, the Green and White booted the ball on four occasions, recording its third-straight game with three-or-more errors.
The Gaels struck first in the bottom of the fifth. Davis Strong led off the inning reaching on an error by McGeein before stealing second base. Strong then advanced to third on a groundout from Steinberg. SMC took a 1-0 lead in the next at-bat when Austin Piscotty hit a flyball to centerfield, scoring Strong.
Eastern responded in the top of the seventh when McGeein made up for the error in the fifth when Neff served up a pitch for the third baseman. McGeein took advantage lifting the ball over the leftfield fence for his second homer of the year to lead off the inning and knot the game up at one run apiece.
The Eagles tacked on the go ahead run in the eighth inning. After Kennedy and John Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon) were set down in order to begin the eighth, Montgomery stepped to the plate. Facing a 2-0 count, the sophomore ripped one into rightfield, sending the ball out of the park, putting EMU on top, 2-1.
The ninth inning proved to be no easy task for Eastern Michigan. To begin the inning, Marsinek got SMC's pinch hitter, Austin Chauvin to fly out to left before Strong hit a single through the left side, prompting Coach Van Ameyde to hit the bullpen. Delaplane entered the game and allowed the first batter he faced to single through the right side, putting runners at first and second with just one out. In the ensuing at-bat, a passed ball allowed both runners to advance a base, setting up a second and third situation. The SMC coaching staff decided to roll the dice with a 2-2 count, Darian Ramage squared to bunt for the suicide squeeze when the unthinkable happened. Not only did Ramage miss on the bunt attempt, striking out, but DiLeo was able to tag Strong out before reaching home to seal the victory for EMU.
The Eagles begin a doubleheader with the Gaels tomorrow, Feb. 21, beginning at 10 a.m. PT from Louis Guisto Field. The first game will be seven innings in length before the traditional nine inning affair in the nightcap.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lavoie, Ryan (1-1)
L: NEFF, Cameron (0-2)
S: Delaplane, Sam (1)
Batting:
2B: Peterson, Jordan 1 ; Kennedy, Joe 1
HR: Montgomery, John 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1
RBI: Montgomery, John 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Montgomery, John 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1
SB: Montgomery, John 1 ; Gill, Marquise 1
CS: Rubino, John 1 ; Peterson, Jordan 1 ; Kennedy, Joe 1
HBP: Dennison, Adam 1
PO: Gill, Marquise 1
Batting:
2B: FERGUSON, Collin 1
RBI: PISCOTTY, Austin 1
SH: MCLOUGHLIN, Ian 1 ; STRONG, Davis 1
SF: PISCOTTY, Austin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: STRONG, Davis 1
SB: FISKE, Joey 1 ; STRONG, Davis 1
CS: GONSOLIN, Anthony 1 ; VILLA, Anthony 1 ; STRONG, Davis 1
HBP: FERGUSON, Collin 1 ; VILLA, Anthony 2
Game Leaders
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Players Mentioned
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