Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, March 17
Edinburg, Texas
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5-12
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at
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UT Rio Grande Valley
12-8
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E
Eastern Michigan
0
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1
UT Rio Grande Valley
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X
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8
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Photo by: Brian Tietz
Eagles Fall Short in Both Ends of Doubleheader at UTRGV
3/17/2018 10:17:00 PM | Baseball
EMU dropped the second game in 13 innings
EDINBURG, Texas (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Saturday, March 17, at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. The Eagles (5-13) were close in both games, falling in game one 6-3, and then losing in walk-off fashion, 4-3, in 13 innings in game two.
Game One: UTRGV 6, Eastern Michigan 3
EMU out-hit UTRGV (13-8) in game one, 9-8, but could not quite get over the hump. Freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) led the way offensively with two extra base hits, a double and triple, as well as two runs scored. Sophomore Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) drove in two of the three runs, while freshman Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) knocked in the other to compliment his two-hit game.
Junior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) had a solid start in a no decision, going the first five with just one run allowed on two hits while striking out four, tying his season best.
The first three and a half innings went by in a breeze as EMU had just a pair of hits, while Shaver held UTRGV without a hit through the first three. The Vaqueros broke through in the fourth with a run on a sacrifice fly, making it 1-0 into the fifth.
Following a scoreless fifth, EMU finally got on the board in the sixth. Kauffman led the frame off with a double down the line, and he advanced to third on the next at-bat. Owings was able to drive him in on a sacrifice fly, knotting the game at one-each in the middle of the sixth. The tie was short lived, as UTRGV struck for three more in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead with three innings to play.
UTRGV tacked on another run in the seventh to extend its advantage to 5-1 heading into the eighth. EMU got a pair back in the eighth inning, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Kauffman led off with his second extra base hit, a triple, followed by an RBI single from Owings to plate the first. Later in the inning, redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) singled to center, putting runners on the corners for Gora. The catcher singled in the second run, making it a two-run contest.
It did not stay that way, as UTRGV got a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-3 lead into the final inning. EMU then went in order in the ninth to seal the three-run defeat.
Game Two: UTRGV 4, Eastern Michigan 3 (13 inn.)
EMU had a hot start, but stalled out at the end in the 13-inning affair. It was EMU's second extra inning game, and longest this season.
The Eagle pitching staff commanded almost the entire contest, giving up just three earned runs. Senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) went a career-high 7.1 innings in his start, giving up three runs while striking out three. In relief, freshman Thomas House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) got the other two outs in the eighth, both strikeouts. After House, junior Caleb Hester (Coloma, Mich.-Coloma) had his best outing, throwing four innings of scoreless baseball, a career-best, while striking out a pair.
Offensively, EMU had nine hits in the first three innings, but only four the rest of the way. Leading the Green and White was Owings who had a three-hit game, including a double and triple, as well as a walk. Adding two-hit games were Timko, sophomore Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), and junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)).
The Vaqueros struck first once again, getting a run in the second inning. EMU had the immediate response with a big third inning, scoring three runs on six hits and an error. The frame began with a single from junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) and double from Owings, followed by an RBI single from Timko to tie it. Schenker followed with the third straight hit, followed by back-to-back singles from the Jones brothers to drive in two more and make it 3-1 early on.
DeVenney went to work in the bottom of the third, fourth and fifth innings, retiring eight straight to keep the two-run lead into the sixth inning. There, UTRGV got a two-out, two-run double to knot it up at three apiece into the seventh frame. The senior recovered in the seventh though, tossing a clean inning to keep the tie intact.
In the eighth, DeVenney left with one out in the inning, with a man on second. House came on in relief, and proceeded to strike out the next two to strand the runner, and take it to the ninth.
Entering to pitch in the ninth inning, Hester proceeded to pitch four scoreless innings, his longest outing as an Eagle, to maintain the deadlock into the 13th inning. In the 13th, UTRGV used a single, an error, a walk, and then a sacrifice fly to walk off with the 4-3 victory.
EMU returns to the field next Wednesday, March 21, when the Eagles head down to the Buckeye State to battle Ohio State University for the second time this season. Action from Columbus is set to start at 5:05 p.m.
Game One: UTRGV 6, Eastern Michigan 3
EMU out-hit UTRGV (13-8) in game one, 9-8, but could not quite get over the hump. Freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) led the way offensively with two extra base hits, a double and triple, as well as two runs scored. Sophomore Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) drove in two of the three runs, while freshman Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) knocked in the other to compliment his two-hit game.
Junior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) had a solid start in a no decision, going the first five with just one run allowed on two hits while striking out four, tying his season best.
The first three and a half innings went by in a breeze as EMU had just a pair of hits, while Shaver held UTRGV without a hit through the first three. The Vaqueros broke through in the fourth with a run on a sacrifice fly, making it 1-0 into the fifth.
Following a scoreless fifth, EMU finally got on the board in the sixth. Kauffman led the frame off with a double down the line, and he advanced to third on the next at-bat. Owings was able to drive him in on a sacrifice fly, knotting the game at one-each in the middle of the sixth. The tie was short lived, as UTRGV struck for three more in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead with three innings to play.
UTRGV tacked on another run in the seventh to extend its advantage to 5-1 heading into the eighth. EMU got a pair back in the eighth inning, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Kauffman led off with his second extra base hit, a triple, followed by an RBI single from Owings to plate the first. Later in the inning, redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) singled to center, putting runners on the corners for Gora. The catcher singled in the second run, making it a two-run contest.
It did not stay that way, as UTRGV got a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-3 lead into the final inning. EMU then went in order in the ninth to seal the three-run defeat.
Game Two: UTRGV 4, Eastern Michigan 3 (13 inn.)
EMU had a hot start, but stalled out at the end in the 13-inning affair. It was EMU's second extra inning game, and longest this season.
The Eagle pitching staff commanded almost the entire contest, giving up just three earned runs. Senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) went a career-high 7.1 innings in his start, giving up three runs while striking out three. In relief, freshman Thomas House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) got the other two outs in the eighth, both strikeouts. After House, junior Caleb Hester (Coloma, Mich.-Coloma) had his best outing, throwing four innings of scoreless baseball, a career-best, while striking out a pair.
Offensively, EMU had nine hits in the first three innings, but only four the rest of the way. Leading the Green and White was Owings who had a three-hit game, including a double and triple, as well as a walk. Adding two-hit games were Timko, sophomore Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), and junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)).
The Vaqueros struck first once again, getting a run in the second inning. EMU had the immediate response with a big third inning, scoring three runs on six hits and an error. The frame began with a single from junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern) and double from Owings, followed by an RBI single from Timko to tie it. Schenker followed with the third straight hit, followed by back-to-back singles from the Jones brothers to drive in two more and make it 3-1 early on.
DeVenney went to work in the bottom of the third, fourth and fifth innings, retiring eight straight to keep the two-run lead into the sixth inning. There, UTRGV got a two-out, two-run double to knot it up at three apiece into the seventh frame. The senior recovered in the seventh though, tossing a clean inning to keep the tie intact.
In the eighth, DeVenney left with one out in the inning, with a man on second. House came on in relief, and proceeded to strike out the next two to strand the runner, and take it to the ninth.
Entering to pitch in the ninth inning, Hester proceeded to pitch four scoreless innings, his longest outing as an Eagle, to maintain the deadlock into the 13th inning. In the 13th, UTRGV used a single, an error, a walk, and then a sacrifice fly to walk off with the 4-3 victory.
EMU returns to the field next Wednesday, March 21, when the Eagles head down to the Buckeye State to battle Ohio State University for the second time this season. Action from Columbus is set to start at 5:05 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Butler, Ben (1-1)
L: Granzotto, Scott (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Owings, Zachary 1 ; Jones, Nick 1
3B: Owings, Zachary 1
RBI: Timko, Jeff 1 ; Jones, Nate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schuemann, Max 1 ; Timko, Jeff 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 1
SB: Timko, Jeff 1 ; Hager, Devin 4
HBP: Jones, Nick 1
PO: Owings, Zachary 1
Batting:
2B: Dees, Aaron 1
RBI: Dees, Aaron 2 ; Lee, Noah 1 ; McMahon, Conrad 1
SH: Alexander, Elijah 1 ; Gomez, Anthony 1 ; Becerra, David 1
SF: McMahon, Conrad 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gomez, Anthony 1 ; Torres, Tyler 3
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
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H
3
RBI
0
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/RHP
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LHP
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RHP
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IF
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IF
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RHP
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Thursday, October 16
16th Annual EMU Baseball Golf Outing
Sunday, October 05
Oestrike Stadium Turf Replacement Time lapse
Friday, October 03
Oestrike Stadium Upgrades Reveal
Thursday, October 02