Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 20
Toledo, Ohio
3:05 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
13-21, 0
2
at
3
Toledo
13-21, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Eastern Michigan
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
6
3
Toledo
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
3
7
0
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Walked Off in Series Opener at Toledo
4/20/2018 6:29:00 PM | Baseball
It was a pitchers duel until the unearned run crossed in the ninth
TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team lost in heartbreaking fashion, 3-2, on a walk off error in the series opener at the University of Toledo Friday afternoon, April 20, at Scott Park. Eastern (13-21, 7-6) and Toledo (13-21, 7-6 MAC) had a pitchers duel all game, before the Eagles surrendered the unearned run in the ninth.
Senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) had another masterful start, pitching 8.0 innings while only giving up two earned runs on eight hits while striking out three. It was his fifth-straight quality start, lowering his season ERA to 3.53 and putting his MAC-only ERA at 2.04.
The offense was led by a two hit day, one run day from freshman Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson), his third two-hit output of the season. Knocking in the runs were freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) and junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)).
After a scoreless first, EMU struck for a run in the second inning, capitalizing off a pair of Toledo walks. With two outs, and runners on first and second due to free passes, Nate Jones lined a solid single up the middle to open the scoring, 1-0, in the second.
Toledo answered back in the bottom of the third with a solo home run, tying the contest at one each. Other than the homer, McMurtrey was stout through the first five innings, only allowing four hits while striking out three, keeping the 1-1 tally into the sixth.
The Eagles picked up another run in the top of the sixth, manufacturing a run on a leadoff single from Gora. The freshman got to third with one out on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt, and was driven home by Schenker on a sacrifice fly, putting EMU back ahead, 2-1. McMurtrey went three-up, three-down again in the bottom of the sixth to keep the lead.
Another solo home run for Toledo to lead off the bottom of the seventh tied the contest back up at two apiece, but McMurtrey battled back to retire the next three batters, and keep it tied into the final two frames.
In the bottom of the eighth, McMurtrey ran into some trouble, as a runner got to third with just one out. EMU's defense was able to cut down the runner at the plate on a groundout, and the score remained deadlocked into the ninth. There, Toledo got the first two runners aboard on a hit and error, and eventually got the winning run to cross on another error, saddling the Eagles with the tough defeat.
Eastern and Toledo get back into action tomorrow afternoon, April 21, for game two of the series. Action from Scott Park is set to begin at 1:05 p.m.
Senior Justin McMurtrey (Redding, Calif.-Shasta (Butte C.C.)) had another masterful start, pitching 8.0 innings while only giving up two earned runs on eight hits while striking out three. It was his fifth-straight quality start, lowering his season ERA to 3.53 and putting his MAC-only ERA at 2.04.
The offense was led by a two hit day, one run day from freshman Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson), his third two-hit output of the season. Knocking in the runs were freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) and junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)).
After a scoreless first, EMU struck for a run in the second inning, capitalizing off a pair of Toledo walks. With two outs, and runners on first and second due to free passes, Nate Jones lined a solid single up the middle to open the scoring, 1-0, in the second.
Toledo answered back in the bottom of the third with a solo home run, tying the contest at one each. Other than the homer, McMurtrey was stout through the first five innings, only allowing four hits while striking out three, keeping the 1-1 tally into the sixth.
The Eagles picked up another run in the top of the sixth, manufacturing a run on a leadoff single from Gora. The freshman got to third with one out on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt, and was driven home by Schenker on a sacrifice fly, putting EMU back ahead, 2-1. McMurtrey went three-up, three-down again in the bottom of the sixth to keep the lead.
Another solo home run for Toledo to lead off the bottom of the seventh tied the contest back up at two apiece, but McMurtrey battled back to retire the next three batters, and keep it tied into the final two frames.
In the bottom of the eighth, McMurtrey ran into some trouble, as a runner got to third with just one out. EMU's defense was able to cut down the runner at the plate on a groundout, and the score remained deadlocked into the ninth. There, Toledo got the first two runners aboard on a hit and error, and eventually got the winning run to cross on another error, saddling the Eagles with the tough defeat.
Eastern and Toledo get back into action tomorrow afternoon, April 21, for game two of the series. Action from Scott Park is set to begin at 1:05 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HAUGH, Nate (1-3)
L: McMurtrey, Justin (3-5)
Batting:
2B: Wolanski, Alex 1
RBI: Jones, Nate 1 ; Schenker, Kolton 1
SH: Jones, Nick 1
SF: Schenker, Kolton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gora, Eli 1 ; Hager, Devin 1
PO: Wolanski, Alex 1
Batting:
2B: SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1
HR: BOSS, Brad 1 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1
RBI: BOSS, Brad 1 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BOSS, Brad 1 ; MEYERS, Chris 1 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballDrew Beckner's Comments After BGSU Win in MAC Tournament
Friday, May 23
Robbie Britt's Comments After MAC Tournament Win over BGSU
Friday, May 23
EMU Stuns BGSU for First Postseason Win Since 2017
Friday, May 23
Baseball 2025 MAC Tournament Practice Day Recap
Wednesday, May 21