Baseball Dips Back Into Midweek Play Versus Oakland

Baseball vs Oakland (2-18, 1-2 Horizon)
Date	Tuesday, March 28
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Oestrike Stadium
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	emueagles.com
Audio	Eagle All-Access
Twitter	@EMUBaseball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team remains at home for a mid-week showdown with in-state foe Oakland University, Tuesday, March 28. The first of two meetings this season between the two opponents is set to begin at 4 p.m. from Oestrike Stadium.
   The action can be tracked live on Twitter by following @EMU_Baseball. Live stats will be available through emueagles.com. Fans can also tune in to listen through Eagle All-Access, with veteran broadcaster Greg Steiner on the call.

ALL-TIME VS THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES: The Eagles and Golden Grizzlies have met 58 times in their respective histories, with EMU holding the all-time advantage, 45-13. The two schools met three times last season in the Flyer Classic, March 11, and later in home and home midweek action. Oakland took the first two games of the series, winning 11-3 in Dayton, as well as 7-4 in Ypsilanti, March 30. EMU returned the favor in the finale in Rochester, winning 11-5, May 10.

GAUGING THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES: Oakland comes into tomorrow's contest with a 2-18 overall record on the season. They defeated Lipscomb in the third game of the season, before dropping their next 14 games. The Golden Grizzlies began Horizon league play this past weekend, winning one of three against Youngstown State. They have also played all 18 games away from home.
   Oakland's offense hits .235 as a team, being out-hit, 211-160, and out-scored, 162-89. They also have 179 strikeouts to just 73 walks. Leading the offense is infielder Zach Sterry, who is tops on OU with a .359 batting average, including 28 hits, five home runs, 19 RBI's, and a .628 slugging percentage.
   The pitching staff is sporting a 7.71 team ERA, allowing opponents to bat at a .314 clip. They have struck out 134 batters to 96 walks. Tuesday's starter, Nick Parr, will be making his fifth start of the season. In 17.1 innings, he has a 12.98 ERA, with 15 K's and 13 walks, while opponents are hitting .457 against the righty.

ALLEN TOSSES A GEM: Junior Brad Allen tossed an absolute gem in the 3-0 victory in game one of a doubleheader against Bowling Green State University, Saturday, March 25. The righty threw a complete game shutout, only allowing five total baserunners, including just two hits, while striking out six. It was the first complete game of the season for the Eagles, and earned Allen the first win of his EMU career. The win also locked up the series win over the Falcons in the MAC opening weekend.
   In addition, it was the first complete game shutout for EMU since Charlie Land threw one in an 8-0 win over Northern Illinois, April 24, 2015. The two hits allowed were also the fewest by an EMU pitcher in a complete game since Brian Hill tossed a two-hitter against Western Michigan, April 19, 2013.

ALLEN NAMED MAC WEST PITCHER OF THE WEEK: For his efforts in the BGSU game, Brad Allen was named the Mid-American Conference's West Division Pitcher of the Week. It was the first weekly award for EMU this season and the first of Allen's EMU career.

JONES WALKS IT OFF: In game one of the series versus Bowling Green, March 24, freshman Nick Jones was the hero, notching a bases loaded single to give the Eagles the 7-6 walk-off victory. It completed a four-run comeback for the Eagles, and also completed a two-hit and three-RBI contest for Jones. The walk-off was also the second straight at Oestrike Stadium, as EMU completed the 2016 home slate with a walk-off home run on Senior Day from Mike Mioduszewski.

RACKING UP THE K's: Now in his fourth season in the EMU pitching staff, senior Sam Delaplane's high strikeout numbers have now placed him among EMU's elite in the category. His 139 career strikeouts rank 22nd in Eastern Michigan laurels. Delaplane is also ranked tied for fourth in all-time saves with 10.

ALL-TIME AT OESTRIKE: 2017 marks the 47th season at the friendly confines of Oestrike Stadium. In the long standing history of the field, EMU holds a 518-366-2 record at the stadium. Of the 46 previous seasons, 33 have resulted in winning home records for Eastern.

PLAYING THE BEST: Thus far this season, EMU's non-conference schedule has been one of the toughest in college baseball. EMU's past opponents hold a 103-65 record, good for a .613 winning percentage, which is the 19th best in the NCAA. In addition, three teams on EMU's schedule are currently ranked in the D1Baseball.com top-25, including No. 2 Louisville, No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast, and No. 22 Michigan.

IMPACT FRESHMEN: So far this season, EMU has relied early and often on 'true' freshmen in starting roles. In the first 22 games, freshmen have combined to make 67 starts in the field and nine appearances on the mound. Infielder Devin Hager leads EMU with a .321 batting average and .390 on-base percentage. Drake Peggs leads EMU in walks (12) and OBP and is also second in RBI's (11). Meanwhile, pitcher James Harness has made three starts in six appearances, and picked up his first collegiate win against Samford, March 19.

EARLY INNING STRUGGLES: EMU has dug itself some early holes that it has not been able to get out of early in the 2017 season. EMU is currently being outscored in the first four innings by 45 runs, 84-39, while they are only being outscored by 18, 83-65, in the final five. The Eagles have only scored first eight times so far, and are 4-4 in those contests, while putting up a 2-12 record when opponents score first.

CLUB 100: A trio of Eagles reached a career milestone in the first five games of the season. Redshirt senior Marquise Gill and junior Brennan Williams both reached the 100 career hit milestone against Missouri. Fellow senior John Montgomery joined them in that club, as he notched his 100th hit against FGCU, Feb. 22. They joined redshirt senior Mike Mioduszewski for active players in the 100 hit club. Mioduszewski is the active leader in hits with 160 career knocks.

WALK-OFF HEARTBREAK: With the first 19 games of the season away from Oestrike, EMU was the road team more often than not. This resulted in some heartbreaking finishes in close games, including being the victim of a walk-off loss on three occasions, including versus Missouri, Feb. 19, Louisville, March 4, and Samford, March 17.

CHICAGO WEEKEND ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will get back on the road with a weekend road trip to the Windy City for four games, two against Chicago State and two against Butler. The weekend, hosted by the Cougars of CSU, will begin with a 6 p.m. first pitch, Friday, March 31, from Cougar Stadium.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brad Allen

Sam Delaplane

Marquise Gill

Devin Hager

James Harness

Nick Jones

Mike Mioduszewski

John Montgomery

Drake Peggs

Brennan Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics