Eastern Closes Out 2015 Road Slate at Oakland

EMU CLOSES OUT ROAD SLATE AT OAKLAND: The Eastern Michigan University softball team will hit the road one final time in the 2015 regular season when it travels to Rochester, Mich. Wednesday, April 29 to take on the Horizon League-leading Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University in a non-conference match up. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m. from the Oakland Softball Field.

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE GOLDEN GRZZLIES: The Eagles and the Golden Grizzlies have met a total of 21 times on the diamond with EMU holding the 16-4-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Green and White took a 6-1 decision in the 2014 campaign at the Dayton Tournament, March 15, before the single game in Rochester was cancelled due to inclement weather. Eastern has won five of the last seven contests against OU and has not lost a game since the 2011 season to the current Horizon League leaders.

OAKLAND BY THE NUMBERS: The Golden Grizzlies have been successful in the 2015 season, coming into the final week of regular season play with a 22-19 overall record and a 13-4 record in the Horizon League.
   Senior Sara Cupp is pacing the OU offense in her final year in a Golden Grizzlies uniform, posting a .381 batting average with 45 hits, including a team-high 13 doubles. The senior first baseman has belted eight home runs this season and has also drove in a team-best 36 RBI this season, while scoring 18 times and carrying an impressive .712 slugging percentage. Furthermore, the senior has been walked 22 times and been hit seven times this season. Along with Cupp, five other OU batters are hitting .300 or better with Courtnee Johnson hitting .375 and Jackie Kisman notching a team-high 53 hits on the season, batting in the six spot of the order. Sarah Hartley has also surpassed the 50-hit mark with 51 base knocks on the season, including nine doubles, four triples and a team-best 10 homers. Hartley and Kisman have proved they like to run once they reach base as the two have stolen 18 and 11 bases, respectively. As a team, Oakland has stolen 63 bases on 69 attempts, ranking 45th nationally with 1.54 stolen bases per contest.
   In the circle, Erin Kownacki leads the OU pitching staff with 23 appearances and 22 starts on the season. The junior hurler posts a 12-10 record on the season and a 2.65 ERA with 17 complete games in 129.1 innings of work. Furthermore, the junior has hurled three shutouts this season and has fanned 83 batters, while opponents are hitting just .262 against her. Along with Kownacki, EMU may see either Haley Zemmer or Kaley Waalkes, who have combined for 23 appearances and 13 starts in the 2015 season. Zemmer has tossed 52.1 innings for Oakland and Waalkes has pitched 47.1 innings.

HOW CAN EMU GET IN?: With the Mid-American Conference Tournament just a little over a week away, it is time to see what the Eagles need to do in order to secure a spot for the first time since the 2011 season.
   The MAC takes the top eight teams at the conclusion of the regular season and currently the Green and White sits in ninth overall and is three games back from qualifying for the tournament. There are many different scenarios that need to play out in order for the Eagles to make the trip to Akron, Ohio, May 6-9. First, if EMU sweeps both series against Toledo and Bowling Green and either Ohio or Akron sweep one another or split, Eastern will jump both teams and have an opportunity to compete for its second MAC Championship in school history.
   If Eastern Michigan goes 3-1 this weekend, with its loss coming to Toledo, and Ohio sweeps Akron, the Eagles get the tiebreaker over Akron and will make an appearance in the tournament. Unfortunately, if EMU goes 3-1 this weekend and loses to Toledo and Akron sweeps the Eagles will not make the tournament.
   If the Green and White goes 3-1 on the weekend with its loss coming to Bowling Green and the Falcons sweep Central Michigan in its regular season finale, the Eagles would be left out of the tournament for the fourth-straight season, but if BGSU is swept by Central Michigan or splits the two-game series, the Eagles would still have the chance to go to the tournament.
   Finally, if EMU goes 2-2, they will not make the 2015 MAC Championships.

ON DECK: The Eagles will conclude the 2015 regular season, May 1-3, when they take on the Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo. The Green and White will first meet with the Falcons Friday, May 1 at 1 p.m. at Varsity Field before taking on the Rockets Saturday, May 2 - Sunday, May 3. All games will be broadcast free of charge on Eagle All-Access, while Sunday's game will honor seniors Jenn Lucas and Lindsay Rich.

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Players Mentioned

Jenn Lucas

Lindsay Rich

Eastern Michigan Athletics