Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
3-9
Dayton
2-7
Comeback Comes Up Just Shy For Eagles at Dayton
3/6/2018 6:29:00 PM | Baseball
EMU tied it in the seventh, but gave up two runs in the eighth
DAYTON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team mounted a four-run comeback, but in the end fell short in an 11-9 defeat to the University of Dayton Tuesday evening, March 6, at Woerner Field. EMU (3-9) tied the game in the seventh inning, but Dayton (2-7) got two back in the eighth to escape with the win.
EMU's offense carried the day, striking for 12 hits to score its nine runs. Junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) led the way with a huge game, as his two hits were home runs, including a grand slam, to finish with five RBIs. It is the third five-RBI game for an Eagle this season. It was also the first grand slam and two-home run game since Jordan Peterson did so in his monster game at Northern Illinois last season. Also homering was freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) in his return to southwestern Ohio. His first career collegiate homer was a two-run shot.
On the mound, senior Brad Allen (Manchester, Mich.-Manchester (Jackson College)) tossed three strong innings in relief, allowing EMU to mount the comeback. He only allowed one run while striking out three batters.
The Flyers struck first in the bottom of the first inning, getting a pair on a two-run home run. EMU got one back in the second on an infield single from junior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) after a leadoff triple from freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), to cut the deficit in half. UD didn't relent in the second, getting three more to grab a four-run lead.
UD's lead extended to five in the third inning, as they capitalized on a pair of EMU errors to manufacture a run, putting the tally at 6-1 after three. That all changed in the fourth, as EMU got four back at once on a grand slam from Schenker. After the bags became loaded on an error, walk, and hit by pitch, the first baseman smoked one over the fence in right to get EMU back to within one, 6-5.
Dayton's offense kept the pressure on in the fourth inning, getting two more runs to get back up by three, 8-5. They tacked on one more in the fifth to extend the advantage to four, 9-5.
EMU chipped away in the sixth with an RBI single from redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice). His team-leading 12th RBI of the season got the Eagles back to within three, 9-6. Two more runs crossed in the seventh on a two-run blast from Kauffman. The rookie's first career dinger pulled EMU to within one for the third time. This time, EMU broke through to tie the game, as Schenker hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot to right, to knot it at nine apiece.
Allen tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh to bring it to the eighth still tied up. Dayton leapt back ahead in the bottom of the eighth with two more runs, leaving EMU with one more opportunity in the ninth. The Green and White got one on in the ninth, but the runner was stranded on second to conclude the two-run defeat.
EMU gets back onto the diamond this weekend for a three-game weekend series against Oklahoma State University. Action against the Cowboys is set to begin Friday, March 9, with a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: NIXON, Josh (1-2)
L: McMurtrey, Justin (1-3)
Batting:
3B: Jones, Nate 1
HR: Kauffman, Jared 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 2
RBI: Timko, Jeff 1 ; Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 2 ; Schenker, Kolton 5
Base Running:
RUNS: Peggs, Drake 1 ; Jones, Nate 2 ; Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 2 ; Hager, Devin 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 2
SB: Jones, Nate 1
CS: Cruz, Cameron 1
HBP: Kauffman, Jared 1 ; Hager, Devin 1
Batting:
2B: MEEHAN, Pat 2 ; GARRITY, Mitchell 1 ; TIROTTA, Riley 1 ; HAGAN, Tate 1 ; ECHOLS, Connor 1 ; MONTOYA, Bailey 1
HR: SMITH, Brandon 1
RBI: MEEHAN, Pat 2 ; GARRITY, Mitchell 2 ; SMITH, Brandon 4 ; HAGAN, Tate 1 ; JOHNSON, Brantley 1
SH: JOHNSON, Brantley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MEEHAN, Pat 3 ; GARRITY, Mitchell 2 ; SMITH, Brandon 1 ; TIROTTA, Riley 1 ; ECHOLS, Connor 1 ; YAMADA, Takahiro 2 ; MONTOYA, Bailey 1
SB: MEEHAN, Pat 2 ; GARRITY, Mitchell 2 ; TIROTTA, Riley 1
CS: TIROTTA, Riley 1 ; HAGAN, Tate 1 ; JOHNSON, Brantley 1
