Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 2
Madeira Beach, Fla.
1:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Central Arkansas
Eastern Preps for Final Weekend of EMU Madeira Beach Invitational
2/28/2018 12:31:00 PM | Softball
The Eagles will play five games over the three-day stretch
| Softball at EMU Madeira Beach Invitational | |
| Date | Friday-Sunday, March 2-4 |
| Venue | Madeira Beach, Fla. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes | Tournament Central |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| @EMUSoftball | @EMUAthletics | |
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University softball team returns to Madeira Beach, Fla., March 2-4, for the final weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational. This weekend's slate will pit the Eagles against Central Arkansas, Alabama State, LIU-Brooklyn, and Incarnate Word. Fans can follow the action through live stats or the team's twitter account, @EMUSoftball.
11 IS THE LUCKY NUMBER: Eastern Michigan snapped a five-game losing skid with an 11-inning, 4-3, win over the University of Rhode Island, Feb. 23. Down two runs after five innings, the Eagles plated a pair of runners throughout the sixth and seventh frame to tie the game, 2-2. EMU locked up its first win of 2018 with a Sam Saporito walk-off single in the 11th.
While this is the third extra-inning game for the Green and White this season, it marked the first 11th-inning game for Eagles since the 2015 season. In the first game of a double header against Kent State, April 18, EMU tied the Golden Flashes, 1-1, in the fourth before ultimately falling, 2-1, in the 11th frame.
TAKING FIRST BASE WITH A BRUISE: Over her four years donning the Green and White, Haley Hostetler has a habit for getting hit by pitches. During the second weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Tournament, Feb. 23-25, Hostetler was hit by a pitch in games against Rhode Island and Albany. The pair of hits puts the New Haven, Ind. native at 14 for her career, tying Lindsay Schmid for fourth in program history.
THE STRIKEOUT MACHINE: Throughout her career, junior Nicolle Miranda is proving herself to be invaluable to the pitching staff. In her three years donning the Green and White, Miranda has already etched her name in the record book. After 10 games this season, the Wilmington, Calif. native has registered 24 strikeouts, moving her into the top-15 in EMU laurels for career strikeouts. Miranda currently sits at 15th in program history with 171 for her career, and needs 89 more Ks to pass Nikki Denman and break the top-10.
AIMING FOR 200: After surpassing the 100 strikeouts milestone as a sophomore, pitcher Nicolle Miranda is ready to pass 200. Miranda, who has notched 24 so far this season, is only 29 strikeouts away from becoming just the 12th Eagle in EMU history to register 200 career strikeouts.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Eastern holds a 1-3 all-time record against this weekend's opponents, having previously faced two of the five opponents.
Friday's showdown against Alabama State will mark just the third time Eastern has faced the Hornets. Owning a 1-1 record, the Eagles recently fell to ASU, 9-7, in 2016 at the Troy University Tournament. Despite jumping to an early 4-0 lead over the Hornets, ASU came back to defeat Eastern, 9-7, in the eighth.
It has been nearly four years since the Eagles have faced LIU Brooklyn. EMU is still in the hunt for its first ever win over the Blackbirds. The last time the two squads met, Eastern was handed a pair of loses at the FGCU Tournament, Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2014.
BATTLING THE BEARS: Central Arkansas enters the weekend on the heels of 2-2 performance at the UCA Invitational, Feb.25-26, to move it to 5-6 on the season.
As a team, the Bears are hitting at .236, and outscoring opponents, 48-43. UCA relies on four heavy hitters who are all registering above a .300 batting average. Brianna McArthur paces the squad at .357, while Kate Myers leads her team with 10 hits and seven RBIs.
On the rubber, Central Arkansas' five pitchers all share time in the circle equally as they boast a team ERA of 3.01. Through 72.0 innings of work, opponents are hitting at a .277 mark, while giving up 76 hits, including six homeruns.
ASSESSING ALABAMA STATE: Alabama State makes the trek to Florida this weekend donning a 4-10 record. The Hornets look to break a seven-game losing skid, as they most recently went 0-5 at the UTC Tournament, Feb. 23-25, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Casey Durham is ASU's top hitter as she currently hits at .324 and leads the team with 12 hits and eight RBIs. As a team, the Hornets are sitting at a .202 and are being out hit by opponents, 92-42.
Alabama State has seen its share of troubles in the circle as its four pitchers have a combined 5.46 ERA. Vanessa Bradford has a team best 2.47 ERA but has walked a team-high 20 opponents.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY NEWS: The Northern Kentucky Norse travels to Madeira Beach in search of improving its 2-2 record this season.
At the dish, Madi Mulder is proving herself to be the crutch for the Norse, as she is the only member to hit above a .400. In 13 at bats, Mulder is hitting a blistering .462, as she paces her team with six hits and four RBIs.
Northern Kentucky pitching staff has struggled through their first four games with three pitchers have a combining for a 6.36 earned run average. Opponents are hitting a whopping .313 off the Black and Gold, and have blasted three homeruns.
LOOKING AT LIU BROOKLYN: Owning a 3-11 record, LIU Brooklyn is in search of its first win after dropping the last five. The Blackbirds are coming off the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, Feb. 23-25, where they went 0-4.
LIU Brooklyn has four hitters who are all above the .300 mark, and combine for almost half of the team's hits so far. The Blackbirds are being outhit by its opponents, 157-96, and outscored, 104-55.
In the circle, the Blackbirds have relied heavily on three of its pitchers with Erynn Sobrieski pacing the squad with an ER of 5.19. Despite striking out 47 batters, opponents are hitting a healthy .392 off LIU Brooklyn.
INSIDE INCARNATE WORD: Incarnate Word enters the weekend in search of its first win, as it owns an 0-4 mark on the season. After the Baylor Invitational, Feb. 23-25, was rained out, the Cardinals have not seen the field in nearly two weeks.
The UIW has struggled to connect offensively as the team boasts a batting average of .189. The Cardinals are currently being outhit 38-20, while drawing 17 walks.
Incarnate Word's pitchers have seen its difficult moments as the team owns a 7.56 ERA while opponents are boasting a .362 batting average. The Cardinals have walked 18 while 27 of their 29 runs are earned.
ON DECK: The Eagles are heading down to the Bluegrass State to take part in the Louisville Slugger Invitational, March 9-11. In it's second consecutive season participating in the tournament, Eastern will face off against Bradley, UMass, and Louisville.
11 IS THE LUCKY NUMBER: Eastern Michigan snapped a five-game losing skid with an 11-inning, 4-3, win over the University of Rhode Island, Feb. 23. Down two runs after five innings, the Eagles plated a pair of runners throughout the sixth and seventh frame to tie the game, 2-2. EMU locked up its first win of 2018 with a Sam Saporito walk-off single in the 11th.
While this is the third extra-inning game for the Green and White this season, it marked the first 11th-inning game for Eagles since the 2015 season. In the first game of a double header against Kent State, April 18, EMU tied the Golden Flashes, 1-1, in the fourth before ultimately falling, 2-1, in the 11th frame.
TAKING FIRST BASE WITH A BRUISE: Over her four years donning the Green and White, Haley Hostetler has a habit for getting hit by pitches. During the second weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Tournament, Feb. 23-25, Hostetler was hit by a pitch in games against Rhode Island and Albany. The pair of hits puts the New Haven, Ind. native at 14 for her career, tying Lindsay Schmid for fourth in program history.
THE STRIKEOUT MACHINE: Throughout her career, junior Nicolle Miranda is proving herself to be invaluable to the pitching staff. In her three years donning the Green and White, Miranda has already etched her name in the record book. After 10 games this season, the Wilmington, Calif. native has registered 24 strikeouts, moving her into the top-15 in EMU laurels for career strikeouts. Miranda currently sits at 15th in program history with 171 for her career, and needs 89 more Ks to pass Nikki Denman and break the top-10.
AIMING FOR 200: After surpassing the 100 strikeouts milestone as a sophomore, pitcher Nicolle Miranda is ready to pass 200. Miranda, who has notched 24 so far this season, is only 29 strikeouts away from becoming just the 12th Eagle in EMU history to register 200 career strikeouts.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Eastern holds a 1-3 all-time record against this weekend's opponents, having previously faced two of the five opponents.
Friday's showdown against Alabama State will mark just the third time Eastern has faced the Hornets. Owning a 1-1 record, the Eagles recently fell to ASU, 9-7, in 2016 at the Troy University Tournament. Despite jumping to an early 4-0 lead over the Hornets, ASU came back to defeat Eastern, 9-7, in the eighth.
It has been nearly four years since the Eagles have faced LIU Brooklyn. EMU is still in the hunt for its first ever win over the Blackbirds. The last time the two squads met, Eastern was handed a pair of loses at the FGCU Tournament, Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2014.
BATTLING THE BEARS: Central Arkansas enters the weekend on the heels of 2-2 performance at the UCA Invitational, Feb.25-26, to move it to 5-6 on the season.
As a team, the Bears are hitting at .236, and outscoring opponents, 48-43. UCA relies on four heavy hitters who are all registering above a .300 batting average. Brianna McArthur paces the squad at .357, while Kate Myers leads her team with 10 hits and seven RBIs.
On the rubber, Central Arkansas' five pitchers all share time in the circle equally as they boast a team ERA of 3.01. Through 72.0 innings of work, opponents are hitting at a .277 mark, while giving up 76 hits, including six homeruns.
ASSESSING ALABAMA STATE: Alabama State makes the trek to Florida this weekend donning a 4-10 record. The Hornets look to break a seven-game losing skid, as they most recently went 0-5 at the UTC Tournament, Feb. 23-25, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Casey Durham is ASU's top hitter as she currently hits at .324 and leads the team with 12 hits and eight RBIs. As a team, the Hornets are sitting at a .202 and are being out hit by opponents, 92-42.
Alabama State has seen its share of troubles in the circle as its four pitchers have a combined 5.46 ERA. Vanessa Bradford has a team best 2.47 ERA but has walked a team-high 20 opponents.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY NEWS: The Northern Kentucky Norse travels to Madeira Beach in search of improving its 2-2 record this season.
At the dish, Madi Mulder is proving herself to be the crutch for the Norse, as she is the only member to hit above a .400. In 13 at bats, Mulder is hitting a blistering .462, as she paces her team with six hits and four RBIs.
Northern Kentucky pitching staff has struggled through their first four games with three pitchers have a combining for a 6.36 earned run average. Opponents are hitting a whopping .313 off the Black and Gold, and have blasted three homeruns.
LOOKING AT LIU BROOKLYN: Owning a 3-11 record, LIU Brooklyn is in search of its first win after dropping the last five. The Blackbirds are coming off the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, Feb. 23-25, where they went 0-4.
LIU Brooklyn has four hitters who are all above the .300 mark, and combine for almost half of the team's hits so far. The Blackbirds are being outhit by its opponents, 157-96, and outscored, 104-55.
In the circle, the Blackbirds have relied heavily on three of its pitchers with Erynn Sobrieski pacing the squad with an ER of 5.19. Despite striking out 47 batters, opponents are hitting a healthy .392 off LIU Brooklyn.
INSIDE INCARNATE WORD: Incarnate Word enters the weekend in search of its first win, as it owns an 0-4 mark on the season. After the Baylor Invitational, Feb. 23-25, was rained out, the Cardinals have not seen the field in nearly two weeks.
The UIW has struggled to connect offensively as the team boasts a batting average of .189. The Cardinals are currently being outhit 38-20, while drawing 17 walks.
Incarnate Word's pitchers have seen its difficult moments as the team owns a 7.56 ERA while opponents are boasting a .362 batting average. The Cardinals have walked 18 while 27 of their 29 runs are earned.
ON DECK: The Eagles are heading down to the Bluegrass State to take part in the Louisville Slugger Invitational, March 9-11. In it's second consecutive season participating in the tournament, Eastern will face off against Bradley, UMass, and Louisville.
Players Mentioned
Thank You, Team 38
Monday, May 07
Overcoming Adversity: A Lauren Holdsworth Feature
Saturday, February 24
Closing Out a Legacy: Michelle Kriegshauser
Thursday, May 18
EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
Saturday, March 25