Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 16
Edinburg, Texas
8 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4
at
5
UT Rio Grande Valley
Photo by: Brian Tietz
Baseball Drops Series Opener at UTRGV
3/16/2018 11:40:00 PM | Baseball
EMU led in the seventh before giving up three unanswered runs
EDINBURG, Texas (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell in the opening game of its three-game series at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 5-4, Friday evening, March 16, at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. EMU (5-11) led by two in the seventh inning before UTRGV (11-8) scored three unanswered in the final two frames.
EMU got on the board first with a run in the second inning from redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice). After he led off the frame with a double, a wild pitch and passed ball scored him for the early lead. It was short lived as UTRGV got runs in the bottom of the second and third to capture a 2-1 lead after three.
The Eagles battled back in the fourth with a three-run frame. After back-to-back singles to lead things off, freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) drove in the first with an infield single. Junior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) followed with a perfectly executed safety squeeze to retake the lead. Later on in the inning, Nate Jones came into score on a steal of third, and an error on the throw, to give EMU the 4-2 lead.
Seniors Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) and Brad Allen (Manchester, Mich.-Manchester (Jackson College)) then combined for three-straight scoreless innings to maintain the two-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh. There, the Vaqueros broke through with a two-run home run to tie it up going into the final two innings.
In the eighth, UTRGV scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly, and the Eagles went in order in the ninth to wrap up the slim defeat.
EMU returns to the diamond tomorrow, March 17, for a doubleheader with UTRGV. First pitch against the Vaqueros is set for 2 p.m.
EMU got on the board first with a run in the second inning from redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice). After he led off the frame with a double, a wild pitch and passed ball scored him for the early lead. It was short lived as UTRGV got runs in the bottom of the second and third to capture a 2-1 lead after three.
The Eagles battled back in the fourth with a three-run frame. After back-to-back singles to lead things off, freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) drove in the first with an infield single. Junior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) followed with a perfectly executed safety squeeze to retake the lead. Later on in the inning, Nate Jones came into score on a steal of third, and an error on the throw, to give EMU the 4-2 lead.
Seniors Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) and Brad Allen (Manchester, Mich.-Manchester (Jackson College)) then combined for three-straight scoreless innings to maintain the two-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh. There, the Vaqueros broke through with a two-run home run to tie it up going into the final two innings.
In the eighth, UTRGV scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly, and the Eagles went in order in the ninth to wrap up the slim defeat.
EMU returns to the diamond tomorrow, March 17, for a doubleheader with UTRGV. First pitch against the Vaqueros is set for 2 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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