Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, March 4
Pensacola, Fla.
11 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-8
6
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Ohio State
7-4
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9
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H
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Ohio State
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Eastern Michigan
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3
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X
6
10
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Photo by: Brian Tietz
Baseball Earns Commanding Win Over Ohio State, 6-1
3/4/2018 4:52:00 PM | Baseball
Senior Luke DeVenney allowed just one run in seven innings
PENSACOLA, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team wrapped up play at the Cox Diamond Invitational with a dominating 6-1 win over Ohio State University Sunday afternoon, March 4, at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It was the second straight win for EMU (3-8) over the Buckeyes (7-4) dating back to last season.
The Eagles pitching carried the day as two seniors combined to go the distance. Senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) had his best career start, getting the win after pitching the first seven innings, a career-best, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five, tying his career high. Fellow senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) tossed the final two frames, only allowing one hit and striking out three.
Offensively, freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) had a monster game in just his second career appearance, tallying three hits, including a double, while knocking in a run and scoring two more. Junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) added two more of EMU's ten team hits, while also driving in a pair, while junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage) had his seventh multi-hit game of the year with two knocks, keeping his season average at a sturdy .438 (21-for-48).
After a scoreless first inning, EMU jumped all over the Buckeyes in the second, springing for three runs. A leadoff walk from freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) got it started, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles from junior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) and Kauffman to make it 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner, Schenker drove in the third with an RBI groundout.
In the top of the third, DeVenney pitched his third straight scoreless inning, aided by a 6-3 double play from Schuemann, to maintain the three-run advantage. Another blank frame in the fourth from the right hander allowed EMU to add to its lead in the bottom half.
The first two batters in the inning reached on a walk from Cruz and bunt single from Kauffman. Both quickly advanced on a double steal, setting up Schenker. He drove in the first on a single, and, after a throw home, the catcher tried to pick Kauffman off at third but the throw was wild, allowing him to score, putting the tally at 5-0, and chasing the OSU starter from the game. Following the pitching change, Schenker scored one batter later on a wild pitch, doubling the EMU lead, 6-0, into the fifth.
DeVenney ran into a little trouble in the fifth, allowing a couple of two-out singles, but he induced a pop out to escape with no damage and keep the shutout intact. The Buckeyes broke the shutout in the sixth with a run on a pair of hits, but DeVenney limited the damage to keep it 6-1. He recovered to toss a 1-2-3 seventh in his final inning of work.
McMurtrey entered from the pen in the eighth and picked up where DeVenney left off by sending the Buckeyes down in order to take it to the ninth. In the final inning, McMurtrey surrendered a hit, but struck out two of the next three to seal the five-run triumph.
EMU returns to action Tuesday, March 6, for a midweek contest with the University of Dayton. First pitch against the Flyers is set for 3 p.m.
The Eagles pitching carried the day as two seniors combined to go the distance. Senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) had his best career start, getting the win after pitching the first seven innings, a career-best, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five, tying his career high. Fellow senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) tossed the final two frames, only allowing one hit and striking out three.
Offensively, freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) had a monster game in just his second career appearance, tallying three hits, including a double, while knocking in a run and scoring two more. Junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) added two more of EMU's ten team hits, while also driving in a pair, while junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage) had his seventh multi-hit game of the year with two knocks, keeping his season average at a sturdy .438 (21-for-48).
After a scoreless first inning, EMU jumped all over the Buckeyes in the second, springing for three runs. A leadoff walk from freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) got it started, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles from junior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) and Kauffman to make it 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner, Schenker drove in the third with an RBI groundout.
In the top of the third, DeVenney pitched his third straight scoreless inning, aided by a 6-3 double play from Schuemann, to maintain the three-run advantage. Another blank frame in the fourth from the right hander allowed EMU to add to its lead in the bottom half.
The first two batters in the inning reached on a walk from Cruz and bunt single from Kauffman. Both quickly advanced on a double steal, setting up Schenker. He drove in the first on a single, and, after a throw home, the catcher tried to pick Kauffman off at third but the throw was wild, allowing him to score, putting the tally at 5-0, and chasing the OSU starter from the game. Following the pitching change, Schenker scored one batter later on a wild pitch, doubling the EMU lead, 6-0, into the fifth.
DeVenney ran into a little trouble in the fifth, allowing a couple of two-out singles, but he induced a pop out to escape with no damage and keep the shutout intact. The Buckeyes broke the shutout in the sixth with a run on a pair of hits, but DeVenney limited the damage to keep it 6-1. He recovered to toss a 1-2-3 seventh in his final inning of work.
McMurtrey entered from the pen in the eighth and picked up where DeVenney left off by sending the Buckeyes down in order to take it to the ninth. In the final inning, McMurtrey surrendered a hit, but struck out two of the next three to seal the five-run triumph.
EMU returns to action Tuesday, March 6, for a midweek contest with the University of Dayton. First pitch against the Flyers is set for 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DeVenney, Luke (1-0)
L: Niemeyer (0-2)
Batting:
RBI: Fishel 1
SH: Foppe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pohl 1
Batting:
2B: Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1
RBI: Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 2
SH: Hager, Devin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Nate 1 ; Cruz, Cameron 2 ; Kauffman, Jared 2 ; Schenker, Kolton 1
SB: Peggs, Drake 1 ; Schuemann, Max 2 ; Timko, Jeff 1 ; Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1
CS: Kauffman, Jared 1
HBP: Timko, Jeff 1
PO: Timko, Jeff 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
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