Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 22
DeKalb, Ill.
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Baseball Opens MAC-Play at Northern Illinois
3/20/2019 3:09:00 PM | Baseball
March 22-24 at Northern Illinois University
| March 22-24 at Northern Illinois University | |
| Date | Fri.-Sun., March 22-24 |
| Venue | DeKalb, Ill.| Ralph McKinzie Stadium |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | Watch ($$$) |
| Listen | N/A |
| @EMU_Baseball | @EMUAthletics | |
DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to begin Mid-American Conference play with a three-game weekend set against Northern Illinois, March 22-24, at Ralph McKinzie Stadium. The series will commence Friday, March 22, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. CT with games to follow Saturday, March 23, at 1 p.m. CT and Sunday, March 24, at 12 p.m. CT. Make sure to follow the games via Twitter and live stats, at @EMU_Baseball, and EMUEagles.com. Video for the games is available courtesy of NIU, at NIUHuskies.com/watch.
A NEW BEGINNING: While every team has ambitions of performing well in the non-conference season, one fact holds true: Conference play is all that matters when it's "all said and done."
After struggling in the non-conference season (3-16-1), Eastern finds itself with a "clean slate," as it heads into conference play, against Northern Illinois, March 22-24. Battle tested, the Eagles have faced some of the toughest non-conference opponents of any team in the MAC, playing teams such as Notre Dame and No. 20 TCU.
In addition to early-season experience, history is on Eastern's side, as the Eagles are one of the MAC's best, racking up 594 conference wins, and making two trips to the College World Series along the way (1975, 1976).
ALL TIME VS. NIU: When Eastern takes the field at Ralph McKinzie Stadium, March 22, it will face-off with a familiar conference foe. The Eagles and Huskies have squared-off 123 times in their respective history, with EMU holding a commanding 76-47 edge over NIU.
In its last series against NIU, May 17-19, 2018, at Oestrike Stadium, Eastern took 2-of-3 games from the Huskies. Riding strong pitching, Eastern allowed just three runs through the first two games of the series, both wins. The series was highlighted by Justin McMurtrey, who tossed seven innings in the series opening win, giving up just one run while fanning two.
Although unable to complete the sweep, the Eagles were impressive in their only series against the Huskies in 2018, racking up 21 total hits on the weekend.
EYES ON AVON: Home of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, Avon, Ohio is on the mind of every player and coach in the conference as MAC play begins. With 10 league members, only six teams will earn the right to play for a tournament title at Sprenger Stadium, May 22-26.
CLOSE CONNECTIONS: The rivalry between Eastern and Northern will have added flair when the two schools meet, March 22-24, as two members of the NIU program have direct ties to the Green and White.
Andrew Maki, the fifth-year assistant coach for the Huskies, and native of Wyandotte, Mich., came to DeKalb after serving six seasons (2009-2014) in Ypsilanti, as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the EMU Baseball team.
Also, residing in the NIU dugout is sophomore Connor Montgomery, the younger brother of former Eagle John Montgomery. A four-year contributor from 2014-17, Montgomery started 142 contests for the Eagles, driving in 105 RBIs and tallying a .358 on-base percentage in his career.
CHAMPIONS BUILT HERE: When the EMU athletic department coined the phrase "Champions Built Here," during the 2015-16 athletic year, it did so with the records to back it up. Simply put, no one wins the MAC like Eastern Michigan. Since it first joined the Mid-American Conference in 1973, Eastern has hoisted 146 team championship trophies, more than any other team in the conference. Baseball has certainly done its part, earning five conference regular season championships, and four conference tournament championships since it joined the MAC. Most recently, EMU took the MAC tournament crown in 2008, when it defeated Kent State, 12-4, in the championship game, played May 24, in Chillicothe, Ohio.
BEST OF THE BEST: Along with its team's historical success, Eastern Michigan baseball is home to some of the best individual talent that the Mid-American Conference has seen in the past half-century.
Since joining the MAC in 1973, Eastern has produced 48 First Team All-MAC selections, with 10 individuals securing the honor on multiple occasions. An EMU player has been selected in each of the last three seasons, most recently in 2018, when then sophomore Zachary Owings took home the award.
Eastern Michigan players have taken home the conference's highest honor, MAC Player of the Year, on two occasions, as Greg Ryan and Brian Bixler earned the award in 1997, and 2004, respectively.
NINE AT A TIME: In its series finale with TCU, March 17, all nine Eastern Michigan starters picked up a hit, a first for the Eagles this season. Leading the way, junior Zachary Owings notched a pair of singles, and delivered Eastern's lone RBI, going 2-for-4 in the contest.
Senior Cameron Cruz smashed EMU's only extra-base hit, a double in the sixth inning.
POWERING UP: After going the entirety of 2018 without hitting a home run, redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko has been on a tear in 2019, showing that his added power is no fluke. With three home runs through the first 20 games of the season, Timko is not slowing down, delivering yet another long ball, a solo shot, against TCU, March 16.
Timko is off to his best start as an Eagle, compiling a .377 batting average on the season to go along with seven extra-base hits, and 10 RBIs.
KAUFFMAN CONNECTS: Entering the three-game weekend series with TCU, March 15-17, sophomore Jared Kauffman had yet to spark offensively, hitting just .111 on the season.
The three-game Lone Star State rodeo proved successful for the sure-handed infielder, as he delivered hits in all three contests. His best performance of the weekend came in the Friday opener against the Horned Frogs, where Kauffman went 2-for-4 at the plate, and delivered an RBI for EMU. Kauffman provided arguably the best performance of any Eagle in the series at TCU, racking up a .364 series average while notching four hits in 11 at-bats for the Green and White.
YOU CAN'T CATCH ME: In each of the last four seasons, EMU has finished in the top-60 nationally in stolen bases, including 21st nationally in 2017, third in 2016, and 11th in 2015. This season, Eastern is approaching the top once again, as it has swiped 26 bags, good for 87th in the country and third in the MAC.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: With his two-bagger against TCU, March 17, senior Cameron Cruz remains among the nations best in the category. With eight doubles on the season, Cruz ranks 54th nationally (fourth in the MAC), just six behind the nations leaders, with 14.
Cruz has been essential to the Eagle offense in 2019, providing six RBIs for the Green and White, while compiling a .307 batting average, and swiping four bags for EMU.
TRIPLE TAKE: While the Eastern offense has been strong in many categories throughout the season, its three-bagging efforts are especially noteworthy, both individually and as a collective unit. EMU is ranked 87th nationally in triples this season (fourth in MAC), and has two players ranked inside the top 60 in that category. Ranking 14th nationally is Zachary Owings, whose three triples lead the EMU offense, and rank second in the MAC. Jeff Timko, a redshirt sophomore, ranks 60th nationally with two triples on the season, good for sixth in the MAC.
FUN-DAMENTALS: Eastern ranks 72nd nationally in fielding percentage (.974) with just 17 errors this season. Doing the small things has been critical for Eastern, as the team ranks inside the top ten in the MAC with six sacrifice bunts, and eight sacrifice flies.
Individually, sophomore Nate Jones has poked four sacrifice flies for EMU, ranking sixth nationally and first in the MAC.
ON THE HORIZON: Following its series with NIU, Eastern will return to Ypsilanti, where it will begin its 2019 home season with a single game, Tuesday, March 26, against Northwestern Ohio. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
After a second-consecutive home game, against Concordia (Mich.), March 27, Eastern will return to Mid-American Conference play with a three-game weekend series against Miami, March 29-31, in Oxford, Ohio.
A NEW BEGINNING: While every team has ambitions of performing well in the non-conference season, one fact holds true: Conference play is all that matters when it's "all said and done."
After struggling in the non-conference season (3-16-1), Eastern finds itself with a "clean slate," as it heads into conference play, against Northern Illinois, March 22-24. Battle tested, the Eagles have faced some of the toughest non-conference opponents of any team in the MAC, playing teams such as Notre Dame and No. 20 TCU.
In addition to early-season experience, history is on Eastern's side, as the Eagles are one of the MAC's best, racking up 594 conference wins, and making two trips to the College World Series along the way (1975, 1976).
ALL TIME VS. NIU: When Eastern takes the field at Ralph McKinzie Stadium, March 22, it will face-off with a familiar conference foe. The Eagles and Huskies have squared-off 123 times in their respective history, with EMU holding a commanding 76-47 edge over NIU.
In its last series against NIU, May 17-19, 2018, at Oestrike Stadium, Eastern took 2-of-3 games from the Huskies. Riding strong pitching, Eastern allowed just three runs through the first two games of the series, both wins. The series was highlighted by Justin McMurtrey, who tossed seven innings in the series opening win, giving up just one run while fanning two.
Although unable to complete the sweep, the Eagles were impressive in their only series against the Huskies in 2018, racking up 21 total hits on the weekend.
EYES ON AVON: Home of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, Avon, Ohio is on the mind of every player and coach in the conference as MAC play begins. With 10 league members, only six teams will earn the right to play for a tournament title at Sprenger Stadium, May 22-26.
CLOSE CONNECTIONS: The rivalry between Eastern and Northern will have added flair when the two schools meet, March 22-24, as two members of the NIU program have direct ties to the Green and White.
Andrew Maki, the fifth-year assistant coach for the Huskies, and native of Wyandotte, Mich., came to DeKalb after serving six seasons (2009-2014) in Ypsilanti, as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the EMU Baseball team.
Also, residing in the NIU dugout is sophomore Connor Montgomery, the younger brother of former Eagle John Montgomery. A four-year contributor from 2014-17, Montgomery started 142 contests for the Eagles, driving in 105 RBIs and tallying a .358 on-base percentage in his career.
CHAMPIONS BUILT HERE: When the EMU athletic department coined the phrase "Champions Built Here," during the 2015-16 athletic year, it did so with the records to back it up. Simply put, no one wins the MAC like Eastern Michigan. Since it first joined the Mid-American Conference in 1973, Eastern has hoisted 146 team championship trophies, more than any other team in the conference. Baseball has certainly done its part, earning five conference regular season championships, and four conference tournament championships since it joined the MAC. Most recently, EMU took the MAC tournament crown in 2008, when it defeated Kent State, 12-4, in the championship game, played May 24, in Chillicothe, Ohio.
BEST OF THE BEST: Along with its team's historical success, Eastern Michigan baseball is home to some of the best individual talent that the Mid-American Conference has seen in the past half-century.
Since joining the MAC in 1973, Eastern has produced 48 First Team All-MAC selections, with 10 individuals securing the honor on multiple occasions. An EMU player has been selected in each of the last three seasons, most recently in 2018, when then sophomore Zachary Owings took home the award.
Eastern Michigan players have taken home the conference's highest honor, MAC Player of the Year, on two occasions, as Greg Ryan and Brian Bixler earned the award in 1997, and 2004, respectively.
NINE AT A TIME: In its series finale with TCU, March 17, all nine Eastern Michigan starters picked up a hit, a first for the Eagles this season. Leading the way, junior Zachary Owings notched a pair of singles, and delivered Eastern's lone RBI, going 2-for-4 in the contest.
Senior Cameron Cruz smashed EMU's only extra-base hit, a double in the sixth inning.
POWERING UP: After going the entirety of 2018 without hitting a home run, redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko has been on a tear in 2019, showing that his added power is no fluke. With three home runs through the first 20 games of the season, Timko is not slowing down, delivering yet another long ball, a solo shot, against TCU, March 16.
Timko is off to his best start as an Eagle, compiling a .377 batting average on the season to go along with seven extra-base hits, and 10 RBIs.
KAUFFMAN CONNECTS: Entering the three-game weekend series with TCU, March 15-17, sophomore Jared Kauffman had yet to spark offensively, hitting just .111 on the season.
The three-game Lone Star State rodeo proved successful for the sure-handed infielder, as he delivered hits in all three contests. His best performance of the weekend came in the Friday opener against the Horned Frogs, where Kauffman went 2-for-4 at the plate, and delivered an RBI for EMU. Kauffman provided arguably the best performance of any Eagle in the series at TCU, racking up a .364 series average while notching four hits in 11 at-bats for the Green and White.
YOU CAN'T CATCH ME: In each of the last four seasons, EMU has finished in the top-60 nationally in stolen bases, including 21st nationally in 2017, third in 2016, and 11th in 2015. This season, Eastern is approaching the top once again, as it has swiped 26 bags, good for 87th in the country and third in the MAC.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: With his two-bagger against TCU, March 17, senior Cameron Cruz remains among the nations best in the category. With eight doubles on the season, Cruz ranks 54th nationally (fourth in the MAC), just six behind the nations leaders, with 14.
Cruz has been essential to the Eagle offense in 2019, providing six RBIs for the Green and White, while compiling a .307 batting average, and swiping four bags for EMU.
TRIPLE TAKE: While the Eastern offense has been strong in many categories throughout the season, its three-bagging efforts are especially noteworthy, both individually and as a collective unit. EMU is ranked 87th nationally in triples this season (fourth in MAC), and has two players ranked inside the top 60 in that category. Ranking 14th nationally is Zachary Owings, whose three triples lead the EMU offense, and rank second in the MAC. Jeff Timko, a redshirt sophomore, ranks 60th nationally with two triples on the season, good for sixth in the MAC.
FUN-DAMENTALS: Eastern ranks 72nd nationally in fielding percentage (.974) with just 17 errors this season. Doing the small things has been critical for Eastern, as the team ranks inside the top ten in the MAC with six sacrifice bunts, and eight sacrifice flies.
Individually, sophomore Nate Jones has poked four sacrifice flies for EMU, ranking sixth nationally and first in the MAC.
ON THE HORIZON: Following its series with NIU, Eastern will return to Ypsilanti, where it will begin its 2019 home season with a single game, Tuesday, March 26, against Northwestern Ohio. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
After a second-consecutive home game, against Concordia (Mich.), March 27, Eastern will return to Mid-American Conference play with a three-game weekend series against Miami, March 29-31, in Oxford, Ohio.
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