Baseball Dips Back Into Conference Play vs Kent State

Baseball vs Kent State (23-10)
Date	Friday-Sunday, April 15-17
Location	Oestrike Stadium
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	emueagles.com
Audio	Eagle All-Access
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team dips back in to Mid-American Conference this weekend when it welcomes MAC leader Kent State University to Oestrike Stadium for a three-game series. The weekend begins with a Friday evening contest set for 6 p.m., April 15. Game two gets underway at 3 p.m., April 16, with the final match up against the Golden Flashes set for 1 p.m., April 17.

    The action can be followed via live stats or by following our Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball. Each game will be broadcast live on EMU All-Access radio with Chad Bush and Greg Steiner on the call.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met 103 times in their respective histories, with KSU holding the all-time advantage, 60-43. Last season, Kent State took two out of three in the series played in Kent, Ohio. EMU won the first game of the weekend, 4-3, but KSU swept a double-header the next day.

GETTING A LOOK AT THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Kent State enters the weekend tied atop the MAC East with a 6-3 record, and lead the conference with a 23-10 overall record. In three conference series this season, they have taken two-of-three from Central Michigan, Western Michigan, and Toledo.

    As a team KSU hits .288 as a team and are outscoring opponents 209-140. They are prone to the strikeout though, going down on strikes 279 times this season. The offense is led by Zarley Zalewski who is batting .352 on the year with 45 hits, 13 doubles and 33 RBI's.

    The Flashes get it done with the strength of the pitching staff though, as they hold a staff ERA of 3.34, the best in the MAC. They are holding opponents to a .245 average and strikeout 251 batters compared to just 131 walks. The ace is Eric Lauer, who is fifth in the nation with a 0.99 ERA in eight starts (54.1 innings).

COMEBACK WIN OVER THE BOILERMAKERS: In the 6-5 win over Purdue, April 12, the Eagles came back from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game in the ninth and win it in the 10th inning. It was the first time EMU has won a game this season after trailing after eight innings, as the Eagles were 0-15 prior to that instance.

CAREER DAY FOR SCHUEMANN IN WEST LAFAYETTE: Freshman Max Schuemann tallied a career-high four hits in the 6-5 win over Purdue, April 12. It was the fifth multi-hit game of the season for the rookie, and just the third four-hit game by an Eagle this season. His single in the 10th inning allowed him to be knocked in on the game-winning RBI single from Marquise Gill.

THREE-BAG BACKSTOP: Junior Jeremy Stidham leads EMU and is T-66th in the nation with three triples on the season. The catcher is one of just nine backstops in the country to have 3+ triples on the year.

A TALE OF TWO SEASONS: With just under half the season to play, EMU has completed 30 games headed into the weekend. When splitting the season in half, EMU saw two different teams in the first 15 compared to the last 15. Eastern started the season 4-11, and has gone a solid 9-6 since that start. The key seems to be the pitching, as the staff ERA in the first 15 was 5.78, while they have tightened up over the last 15, posting a 4.74 ERA. Four pitchers have not allowed an earned run in that span.

RUN EAGLES RUN: EMU has been alert and impactful on the base paths this season, as the team currently ranks third in the country in steals (79). In addition, redshirt junior Marquise Gill is fourth in the nation in steals with 27 on the season, while three Eagles are in the top-eight of the conference. With 79 steals this season, the team will aim to break the program record of 147 stolen bags, set in 1981, and tied in 2004.

GOTTA EARN THOSE RUNS: Freshman Tyler Butzin leads the team with a 2.11 ERA, and has not allowed an earned run in his last four starts, totaling 28.0 innings. Three other pitchers have scoreless streaks as well, with senior Michael Marsinek's not allowing an earned run to score in his last eight trips to the mound, totaling 14.1 innings. His ERA sits at a career-low 2.61. Junior Sam Delaplane has been untouched for an earned run in his last 10.1 innings, totaling seven appearances, while freshman Caleb Hester has not been tagged for a single earned run in his first five times to the mound for his career, totaling eight innings.

ALL ABOUT THAT MACTION BOSS: Following EMU's series win over Buffalo, April 1-2, the Eagles are now out to their best start in conference play since 2011, with a 5-1 mark. EMU is looking for their first appearance in the MAC tournament since 2012. This weekend's series will be the teams' first conference and weekend games since the Buffalo series, after last weekend's non-conference series with Valparaiso was snowed out.

CLOSE TO THE CENTURY MARK: Senior Mitchell McGeein is close to surpassing some significant milestones in his respective career. McGeein is three RBI's and five runs scored away from reaching 100 in his career. Meanwhile junior Sam Delaplane struck out three batters against Purdue, April 12, to get to 100 for his career. He joined redshirt junior Michael Mioduszewski at the century mark after he notched his 100th career hit earlier in the season, March 5, versus Arizona State.

MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOK: A trio of Eagles are rewriting the record books in 2016 with their season and career performances. Senior Mitchell McGeein is on the career list for home runs with 23 (T-15th), walks with 76 (T-16th), and doubles with 35 (T-16th). Junior closer Sam Delaplane is eighth on the career saves list with nine in his three years, while redshirt junior Marquise Gill is already seventh in single-season stolen bases with 27, with his career total of 37 ranking T-15th all-time.

EAGLES DIG THE LONG BALL: EMU currently ranks 75th in the nation and third in the MAC, in home runs with 23 as a team this season. Individually, senior Jackson Martin has hit a team-high six so far, which is tied for sixth in the MAC. The Eagles hit a season-high four home runs in the win over BGSU, March 27.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: Senior Jackson Martin is making the most of his final season in the Green and White. The Ontario native is hitting .269 on the year with 28 hits and team-highs in RBI's (23) and home runs (6). In the first 18 games of the year, he matched the amount of starts he had all of last season, while his 19 hits, four home runs, four doubles, four steals and 19 RBI's were more than he had in his first three seasons combined.

TRACKING THE TATERS: Senior Mitchell McGeein entered his final season with 19 career homers, good for 20th on the all-time EMU list. He currently has four home runs this season, putting him in a tie for 15th-place all-time.

WORKHORSE OUT OF THE PEN: Senior lefty Michael Marsinek has been the go-to guy in relief so far this season for the Eagles. The veteran leads EMU in appearances (13) and in innings pitched out of the bullpen (20.2). Against Dayton, March 16, Marsinek struck out a career-high five batters in three innings without allowing an earned run. His ERA sits at a career-low 2.61, and he has not allowed an earned run in his last 14.1 innings of work (eight appearances).

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN: A trio of freshmen have proven they will make significant contributions for the Eagles in 2016. Pitchers Davis Feldman and Tyler Butzin have already locked in spots in the weekend rotation, and are one-three in team ERA respectively. Meanwhile in the field, Max Schuemann has seen his name in the starting lineup 22 times this season, splitting time between second and third base.

BRONCOS ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will have a full week off before their next series, on the road in Kalamazoo, Mich. against Western Michigan University Friday-Sunday, April 22-24. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Butzin

Sam Delaplane

Davis Feldman

Marquise Gill

Caleb Hester

Michael Marsinek

Jackson Martin

Mitchell McGeein

Mike Mioduszewski

Max Schuemann

Jeremy Stidham

Eastern Michigan Athletics