Baseball Heads to Ohio to Battle the Bobcats

Baseball at Ohio (16-15, 4-5 MAC)
Date	Friday-Sunday, April 13-15
Venue	Athens, Ohio \| Bob Wren Stadium
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	(Fri) (Sat) (Sun)
Radio	WOUB AM 1340
Stream	Youtube Live
Twitter	@EMUBaseball

ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team hits the road once again for its first of two straight MAC weekend road series, this one at Ohio University, April 13-15. The weekend against the Bobcats begins Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch, followed by a 3 p.m. start time on Saturday, and a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
The action can be tracked live on Twitter by following @EMU_Baseball. Fans can also follow the game through live stats, while Ohio will provide both a radio and video stream. Links can be found on the schedule page of EMUEagles.com.

ALL-TIME VS. THE BOBCATS: The Eagles and Bobcats have met 117 times in their respective histories, with EMU owning the series lead, 67-54. EMU swept the regular season series last year in Ypsilanti, April 14-16. Ohio had the last laugh though, as they defeated EMU in the MAC Tournament title game, 7-4, May 28. This weekend marks Eastern's first trek to Athens since 2014, when the Bobcats took two-of-three, April 25-27.

CONCORDIA WIN CHOCK FULL OF MILESTONES: In the 6-1 win over Concordia, April 11, EMU had numerous players reach career milestones. First, redshirt freshman Mike Monahan earned his first career start, and made the most of it, tallying his first career hit and RBI in a two-hit day. Fellow freshman Shane Easter notched his first career multi-RBI game with a two-run single. Rookie pitcher Luke McGuire had the best game of his young career, going six strong innings with only allowing three hits and one run while striking out a career-high six batters. Finally, junior Mitchell Sparks earned the first save of his Eagle career after pitching out of a bases loaded and no outs situation in the ninth inning.

LOOKING LIKE A POTY CANDIDATE: Junior Max Schuemann has had a breakout 2018 campaign for the Eagles, and has put himself near the top of almost all statistical categories in the MAC. He ranks in the top-three in batting average, hits, doubles, hits-per-game, steals, and total bases, while also ranking in the top-ten in runs scored, slugging, on-base percentage, and RBIs, and is the second-hardest player to strikeout. In addition, he has started 29-of-30 games at shortstop, and has the second-most assists (91) in the MAC while helping to turn 16 double plays and has also registered a hit in 26-of-30 games this season.

EAGLES HEATING UP ON THE MOUND: Since entering conference play, EMU's pitching staff has been lights out against its competition. As a staff, EMU holds the best ERA in MAC-only games with a mark of 2.74, which is 0.61 points better than the next team (Ohio, 3.35). In addition, EMU starting pitchers Justin McMurtrey and Luke DeVenney have ERAs of 1.27 and 1.76, respectively, in their first three MAC starts, which ranks eighth and 10th in the league.

DEVENNEY DEVELOPING ON THE HILL: Despite being a senior, Luke DeVenney is in just his second season as a pitcher at EMU. After being a primary bullpen/midweek pitcher in 2017, DeVenney has found his way into the weekend rotation in 2018 as the Sunday starter. He has been fantastic this season, leading the team in ERA (3.22) and IPs (44.2), while striking out the second-most batters (27). In addition, he owns a 1.76 ERA in three MAC starts, which is 10th in the conference.

FOR THE GREATER GOOD: When EMU gets runners on base, almost no other team is more unselfish when it comes to advancing them an extra base. Thus far this season, EMU is 16th in the nation and second in the MAC with 28 sacrifice bunts. In addition, sophomore Devin Hager is sixth in the country with 10 sac bunts, just two behind the national leaders.

BLISTERING OFFENSIVE NUMBERS: After the first three weekends of conference play, the EMU offense is at or near the top in the MAC in the biggest offensive categories, including first in batting average (.280) and steals (56), second in hits (289), third in doubles (52), and fourth in on-base percentage (.366), and slugging percentage (.382).

ZOOM ZOOM: In each of the last three seasons, EMU has finished in the top-60 nationally in stolen bases, including third in the NCAA in 2016 and 11th in 2015. This season, Eastern is near the top once again, as it has swiped 61 bags, good for 12th in the country and first in the MAC.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN: Junior Mitchell Sparks has been rewarded for having the most appearances for EMU this season as he has tallied a team-leading five wins in 14 games. His five wins are second in the MAC (most for a reliever) and 40th in the nation, just two behind the national leaders.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU remains on the road when it heads down the road for a weekend series against the University of Toledo, April 20-22. The three-game series against the Rockets begins with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch, Friday, April 20.

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Players Mentioned

Luke DeVenney

Shane Easter

Devin Hager

Luke McGuire

Justin McMurtrey

Mike Monahan

Max Schuemann

Mitchell Sparks

Eastern Michigan Athletics