Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, April 17
East Lansing, Mich.
6:35 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-29-1
3
at
5
Michigan State
9-26
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Eastern Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
6
0
Michigan State
2
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
X
5
8
1
Late-Inning Rally Not Enough as Baseball Falls to MSU
4/18/2019 12:04:00 AM | Baseball
Weather delay caused a 90 minute stoppage in play
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team was unable to spark consistent offense, as it dropped a non-conference midweek game against Michigan State University by a 5-3 margin, April 17, at McLane Stadium.
Falling behind in the first inning, 2-0, Eastern (8-29-1) was unable to take advantage of early scoring opportunities, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning before failing to score a baserunner from second in the third. After severe weather forced a 90 minute break in the action, the Eagles remained off-balance, unable to score until the seventh inning.
On the mound, sophomore Luke McGuire (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) took advantage of his three-inning tune up. After giving up two runs in the first inning, McGuire found his rhythm, blanking the Spartans in 1-2-3 fashion in each of the next two frames. McGuire did not return to the hill after the extended delay. In all, the righty tossed 41 pitches, allowing just two hits in his three-inning effort.
Sophomore Nick Porretto (Geneva, Ill.- Geneva (McHenry C.C), senior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) and senior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) also saw time on the hill for Eastern.
In total, Eastern allowed five runs on eight hits, which included a key insurance run in the seventh inning, extending MSU's lead to a pair, 5-3.
Despite knocking three hits through the first three innings, Eastern's offense was unable to score before the weather delay. Freshman Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller), redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), and junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) all notched one-baggers for the Green and White. Following the delay, the offense remained stagnant, failing to score in the first three frames after the game resumed.
Down, 4-0, in the seventh inning, Eastern fought to score its first runs of the contest. Senior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) began the inning with a single, and advanced to second base when MSU committed a throwing error. After Timko loaded the bases with his second single of the night, Eastern drew a walk to score its first run of the game. Eastern added two additional runs in the inning via a wild pitch and ground out, cutting the Spartan lead to one, 4-3, at the seventh-inning stretch. MSU tacked on a run in their half of the frame to extend its lead to 5-3.
Despite showing offensive resolve in the late innings, Eastern's 5-3 deficit proved too much to overcome, as the offense was blanked in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, eventually falling by two.
Eastern returns to the field when it hosts MAC-foe Ohio for a three-game Easter weekend series, April 19-21, at Oestrike Stadium. The series begins with a single game Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m., with games to follow Saturday, April 20, at 3 p.m., and Sunday, April 21, at 1 p.m.
Falling behind in the first inning, 2-0, Eastern (8-29-1) was unable to take advantage of early scoring opportunities, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning before failing to score a baserunner from second in the third. After severe weather forced a 90 minute break in the action, the Eagles remained off-balance, unable to score until the seventh inning.
On the mound, sophomore Luke McGuire (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) took advantage of his three-inning tune up. After giving up two runs in the first inning, McGuire found his rhythm, blanking the Spartans in 1-2-3 fashion in each of the next two frames. McGuire did not return to the hill after the extended delay. In all, the righty tossed 41 pitches, allowing just two hits in his three-inning effort.
Sophomore Nick Porretto (Geneva, Ill.- Geneva (McHenry C.C), senior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) and senior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) also saw time on the hill for Eastern.
In total, Eastern allowed five runs on eight hits, which included a key insurance run in the seventh inning, extending MSU's lead to a pair, 5-3.
Despite knocking three hits through the first three innings, Eastern's offense was unable to score before the weather delay. Freshman Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller), redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), and junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) all notched one-baggers for the Green and White. Following the delay, the offense remained stagnant, failing to score in the first three frames after the game resumed.
Down, 4-0, in the seventh inning, Eastern fought to score its first runs of the contest. Senior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) began the inning with a single, and advanced to second base when MSU committed a throwing error. After Timko loaded the bases with his second single of the night, Eastern drew a walk to score its first run of the game. Eastern added two additional runs in the inning via a wild pitch and ground out, cutting the Spartan lead to one, 4-3, at the seventh-inning stretch. MSU tacked on a run in their half of the frame to extend its lead to 5-3.
Despite showing offensive resolve in the late innings, Eastern's 5-3 deficit proved too much to overcome, as the offense was blanked in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, eventually falling by two.
Eastern returns to the field when it hosts MAC-foe Ohio for a three-game Easter weekend series, April 19-21, at Oestrike Stadium. The series begins with a single game Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m., with games to follow Saturday, April 20, at 3 p.m., and Sunday, April 21, at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Heikkinen,Jesse (1-2)
L: McGuire, Luke (2-2)
S: Diaz,Indigo (4)
Batting:
RBI: Peggs, Drake 1 ; Jones, Nate 1
SH: Peggs, Drake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Timko, Jeff 1 ; Rensel Jr., John 1 ; Kauffman, Jared 1
Batting:
2B: Walker,Zaid 1 ; Iverson,Zach 1
RBI: Ando,Royce 2 ; Proctor,Adam 1 ; Walker,Zaid 2
SH: Chmielewski,Dan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Antoncic,Justin 1 ; Bechina,Marty 2 ; Ando,Royce 1 ; Iverson,Zach 1
SB: Antoncic,Justin 1 ; Bechina,Marty 2
HBP: Bechina,Marty 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ BaseballC/IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballInside the Ride Episode 1: Celia Murkowski
Wednesday, September 17
Drew 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