Eastern Michigan Athletics
Baseball Routs UNOH in Home Opener
3/26/2019 7:02:00 PM | Baseball
Thirteen position players reach base as Eagles overrun Racers
Postgame Audio: Granzotto. Owings. Timko.
Video Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team opened its 49th season at Oestrike Stadium on a winning note Tuesday, March 26, defeating the University of Northwestern Ohio, 13-3, in a seven-inning, run-rule shortened contest.
Back on campus following a 23-game road swing encompassing five states, the Eagles (4-19-1, 0-3 MAC) scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to finish off the Racers (8-17-1, 3-1 WHAC).
Junior Zach Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a pair of runs scored. Redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) also went 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBI, and three runs scored, while junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) ended the day 1-for-3 with a two-run double and a run scored. Additionally, sophomore Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) reached base four times, going 1-for-1 with a single, two walks, an RBI, and a run scored.
Senior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) made his fourth start of the year and tossed four innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out five. Sophomore Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Brother Rice) was credited with his second win of the 2019 campaign after striking out a pair during one scoreless inning of relief.
UNOH opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the first inning, but the Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Timko and Owings reached base to lead off the inning, and scored when Nick Jones lined a double into the gap in left-center. After moving to third when sophomore Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) grounded out, Nick Jones advanced another 90 feet on a passed ball to increase EMU's lead to 3-1.
The Green and White padded their margin with another three-spot an inning later. With runners on the corners and one down, Timko tripled into right-center to drive in Nate Jones and freshman Drake Peggs (Flat Rock, Mich.-Gibraltar Carlson). Owings then singled up the middle past a drawn-in infield to plate Timko and give the Eagles a 6-1 advantage.
EMU continued to pull away with insurance runs in the third and fourth innings. Seniors Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) and John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) drew back-to-back walks before Nate Jones smashed a base hit into center to score Cruz. The lead ballooned to 8-1 after Owings doubled into center, advanced to third on a fly-out, and scored when Kauffman ripped a two-base hit down the right-field line.
The hit parade continued as the Green and White loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth. Timko's infield single to third brought in Nate Jones, while Owings grounded a fielders' choice to short that allowed freshman Stephen Karis (Zionsville, Ind.-Zionsville Community) to score.
Northwestern Ohio eventually trimmed the deficit to 10-3, but the Eagles wrapped up the contest with three runs in the last of the seventh. Sophomore Shane Easter (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Comstock) was plunked with the bases loaded, before redshirt junior Jacob Bolton (Lewis Center, Ohio-Bishop Watterson (Sinclair C.C.)) and redshirt sophomore Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline) picked up consecutive walks to bring the mercy rule into effect.
Eastern Michigan returns to action Wednesday, March 27, as it welcomes Concordia University (Mich.) to Oestrike Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Granzotto, Scott (2-4)
L: DE SOUSA, James (0-1)
Batting:
2B: LONDON, Noah 1
HR: JAMES, Hunter 1
RBI: JAMES, Hunter 1 ; LONDON, Noah 1
SH: FRAZIER, Lorenz 1
Base Running:
RUNS: JAMES, Hunter 1 ; KNOLLMAN, Michael 1 ; RUSTIN, Brendan 1
SB: FRAZIER, Lorenz 1

Batting:
2B: Owings, Zachary 1 ; Jones, Nick 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1
3B: Timko, Jeff 1
RBI: Timko, Jeff 3 ; Owings, Zachary 2 ; Jones, Nick 2 ; Kauffman, Jared 1 ; Easter, Shane 1 ; Bolton, Jacob 1 ; Jones, Nate 1 ; Monahan, Mike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Timko, Jeff 3 ; Owings, Zachary 2 ; Jones, Nick 1 ; Wolanski, Alex 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1 ; Cruz, Cameron 1 ; Jones, Nate 2 ; Karis, Stephen 1 ; Peggs, Drake 1
SB: Owings, Zachary 1
HBP: Wolanski, Alex 1 ; Easter, Shane 1 ; Jones, Nate 1 ; Karis, Stephen 1 ; Peggs, Drake 1