Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 26
Tampa, Fla.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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South Florida
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Eastern Michigan
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South Florida
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Photo by: EMU Athletics/Chloe Smith
Eagles Fall to the Bulls, 8-4
2/26/2016 10:54:00 PM | Baseball
EMU was only out-hit in the contest, 9-7
TAMPA, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team came up short in a 8-4 setback against the University of South Florida Friday night at USF Baseball Stadium. Despite only being out-hit 9-7 and USF committing five errors, EMU (3-4) could not capitalize.
The difference maker came on the mound for USF (3-2), as their starter Phoenix Sanders baffled Eagle hitters to the tune of 12 strikeouts in seven innings. USF pitchers totaled 17 K's on the night. Leading EMU with the bat was redshirt junior Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw), who had a team-high two hits, including a double, and two RBI's.
For the fifth straight game the Eagles took a lead in the first inning. They capitalized on a pair of Bull errors, with sophomore Brennan Williams (Commerce Township, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) reaching on a throwing error, and then junior John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra) plated him when the USF centerfielder misplayed a long fly ball. Starting pitcher freshman Davis Feldman (Warren Mich.-Brother Rice) sent down the Bulls in the bottom half with a pair of strikeouts to give EMU a 1-0 lead after one.
The righty sent USF down in order in the second, striking out a couple more batters, and did the same in the third, racking up six K's in the first three innings. After three, EMU maintained its 1-0 lead.
Feldman ran into some trouble in the fourth though, yielding four runs on three hits. Three of the runs ended up unearned after a trio of passed balls and an error led to USF runners crossing the plate. After four, USF jumped ahead for a 4-1 lead.
Things didn't get better for the Eagles in the sixth, as the Bulls tacked on three more in the inning on four hits. USF took a 7-1 lead after six innings. Meanwhile the Eagles bats had yet to warm up through six, as they only mustered two hits to that point.
The bats showed some life in the top of the seventh for EMU, as senior Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) ripped a single with one out. With runners on first and second after an error, freshman John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) pinch hit and came through with an RBI single to cut the lead down to 7-2. The inning continued with the lead-off man Gill knocking in two more on a single through the infield, cutting the lead down even further, 7-4 going into the seventh inning stretch.
The Bulls were quick to answer though, getting a run back in the bottom half of the inning, putting the lead back up to 8-4. The Eagles were presented with a golden opportunity to get back in the game in the eighth, putting the first three batters on base with a single and two walks. However USF brought in a reliever who turned around and struck out the side, keeping the EMU deficit at four runs.
EMU was given the opportunity to make a comeback in the ninth thanks to strong pitching in relief by junior Matthew Beaton (Guelph, Ontario-Bishop Macdonnell Catholic) who pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings, striking out one. Despite getting the lead-off man on in the ninth, USF shut the door, sealing the 8-4 win.
Eastern is back in action tomorrow night in Tampa with the second game of a three-game set against South Florida. First pitch from USF Baseball Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m.
The difference maker came on the mound for USF (3-2), as their starter Phoenix Sanders baffled Eagle hitters to the tune of 12 strikeouts in seven innings. USF pitchers totaled 17 K's on the night. Leading EMU with the bat was redshirt junior Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw), who had a team-high two hits, including a double, and two RBI's.
For the fifth straight game the Eagles took a lead in the first inning. They capitalized on a pair of Bull errors, with sophomore Brennan Williams (Commerce Township, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) reaching on a throwing error, and then junior John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra) plated him when the USF centerfielder misplayed a long fly ball. Starting pitcher freshman Davis Feldman (Warren Mich.-Brother Rice) sent down the Bulls in the bottom half with a pair of strikeouts to give EMU a 1-0 lead after one.
The righty sent USF down in order in the second, striking out a couple more batters, and did the same in the third, racking up six K's in the first three innings. After three, EMU maintained its 1-0 lead.
Feldman ran into some trouble in the fourth though, yielding four runs on three hits. Three of the runs ended up unearned after a trio of passed balls and an error led to USF runners crossing the plate. After four, USF jumped ahead for a 4-1 lead.
Things didn't get better for the Eagles in the sixth, as the Bulls tacked on three more in the inning on four hits. USF took a 7-1 lead after six innings. Meanwhile the Eagles bats had yet to warm up through six, as they only mustered two hits to that point.
The bats showed some life in the top of the seventh for EMU, as senior Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) ripped a single with one out. With runners on first and second after an error, freshman John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) pinch hit and came through with an RBI single to cut the lead down to 7-2. The inning continued with the lead-off man Gill knocking in two more on a single through the infield, cutting the lead down even further, 7-4 going into the seventh inning stretch.
The Bulls were quick to answer though, getting a run back in the bottom half of the inning, putting the lead back up to 8-4. The Eagles were presented with a golden opportunity to get back in the game in the eighth, putting the first three batters on base with a single and two walks. However USF brought in a reliever who turned around and struck out the side, keeping the EMU deficit at four runs.
EMU was given the opportunity to make a comeback in the ninth thanks to strong pitching in relief by junior Matthew Beaton (Guelph, Ontario-Bishop Macdonnell Catholic) who pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings, striking out one. Despite getting the lead-off man on in the ninth, USF shut the door, sealing the 8-4 win.
Eastern is back in action tomorrow night in Tampa with the second game of a three-game set against South Florida. First pitch from USF Baseball Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SANDERS, Phoenix (1-0)
L: Feldman, Davis (0-1)
S: EVELD, Tommy (2)
Batting:
2B: Gill, Marquise 1
RBI: Gill, Marquise 2 ; Rensel Jr., John 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Brennan 1 ; McGeein, Mitchell 1 ; Wilson, Austin 1 ; Schuemann, Max 1
SB: Montgomery, John 1 ; Lett, David 1 ; Schuemann, Max 2
PO: Gill, Marquise 1
Batting:
2B: BORDERS, Levi 2
RBI: BORDERS, Levi 2 ; STUNKEL, Duke 1 ; CHATFIELD, Chris 1 ; ZECH, Garrett 2
Base Running:
RUNS: MERRELL, Kevin 1 ; MAGLICH, Luke 2 ; BORDERS, Levi 2 ; STUNKEL, Duke 1 ; VILLAR, David 2
SB: MAGLICH, Luke 1
PO: MERRELL, Kevin 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP/IF
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IF/OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF/OF
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