Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, April 21
Oestrike Stadium
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-31-1, 0
2
vs
8
Ohio
12-24, 0
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
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Ohio
1
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8
15
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Eastern Michigan
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
8
0
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Baseball Swept by Ohio in Easter Sunday Doubleheader
4/21/2019 6:40:00 PM | Baseball
Taylor Hopkins provides three RBIs in the twin bill
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team dropped both games of its Easter Sunday doubleheader, falling 8-2 in Game 1 before coming up short in Game 2 by a 6-3 count at Oestrike Stadium, April 21.
EMU (8-32-1, 3-12 MAC) was unable to avoid a three-game sweep against Ohio (13-24, 8-7 MAC), and did not record a win on Easter Sunday for the first time since a 9-7 setback versus Miami University, April 20, 2013.
GAME 1: Ohio 8, Eastern Michigan 2
Redshirt senior Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, a walk, and a run scored, while junior Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) finished 1-for-5 with an RBI double. Freshman Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) hit 2-for-3 with two singles, an RBI, and a walk, while junior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community) reached base twice, going 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
On the mound, sophomore Holden Cook (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Casady (Murray State)) was tagged with the loss after allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out three in 4.2 innings pitched. Fellow sophomore Luke McGuire (Shelby Township, Mich.-Stevenson) fanned a trio of Bobcats over three innings of relief, surrendering two earned runs on five hits and a couple walks, before redshirt junior Nick Porretto (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva (McHenry C.C.)) retired all four batters he faced.
Ohio opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Green and White pulled even in the bottom of the second frame. Peggs drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.), and scored when Hopkins lined a base hit into right.
The Bobcats manufactured a run to reclaim the lead in the top of the fourth and posted a four-spot an inning later to seize a 6-1 advantage. EMU scored once during the home half of the fifth, as Owings smashed a two-out double into deep center to drive in Timko all the way from first and trim the deficit to 6-2.
Ohio padded its cushion in the top of the eighth when junior Trevor Hafner whacked a two-out, two-run triple to left-center that extended the lead to 8-2, which held on to be the final tally.
GAME 2: Ohio 6, Eastern Michigan 3
Although both teams managed eight hits in the series finale, Ohio used the strength of four homers to drive in all six of its runs. Owings finished 2-for-4 with a double, a single, and two runs scored, while Peggs went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Sophomore Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) ended the game 2-for-3 with a double, a single, and a walk, while Hopkins hit 1-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored.
Freshman Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park) set a career-high with six strikeouts and matched a personal best with 103 pitches, but picked up the loss after allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks in 6.2 innings of work. Senior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) tossed the final 2.1 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits while striking out three.
Ohio grabbed a 2-0 lead just two batters into the nightcap. Redshirt freshman Trevor Lukkes started the contest with a base hit through the left side, before sophomore Aaron Levy lifted a two-run shot over the center-field fence.
The Eagles finally broke through with a run in the last of the fourth. Owings recorded EMU's first hit of the game with a leadoff single and swiftly moved into scoring position with his 10th stolen base of the season. Junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) advanced Owings to third base on a ground ball to short, and Hopkins brought him home with an RBI groundout to second.
The Green and White eventually knotted the score at two apiece in the bottom of the sixth as Hopkins ripped a ground-rule double down the right-field line, and Nate Jones followed by ending an eight-pitch at-bat with an infield single to short. With runners on the corners and one down, senior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) successfully executed a squeeze bunt to score Hopkins.
The Bobcats jumped back in front during their next trip to the plate. Redshirt freshman Cole Revels sent an inside-out single into shallow right, and eventually scored when sophomore Sebastian Fabik gave the visitors a 4-2 edge with a drive to center.
Trailing 5-2 after Ohio senior Rudy Rott led off the top of the eighth with a home run to right, EMU scored once in the bottom of the inning. Owings shot a double into the left-center gap, before Nick Jones singled to center to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Representing the potential tying run, Hopkins chopped a ground ball to second that resulted in a fielders' choice, but allowed Owings to advance 90 feet to home plate. However, Ohio wrapped up the scoring with a home run to start the final frame that sealed a three-run victory.
With no games on the midweek calendar, Eastern Michigan will welcome the University of Toledo to Oestrike Stadium for a three-game weekend series, Fri.-Sun., April 26-28. The series will start Friday, April 26, at 6 p.m. with games to follow Saturday, April 27, at 3 p.m. and Sunday, April 28, at 1 p.m.
EMU (8-32-1, 3-12 MAC) was unable to avoid a three-game sweep against Ohio (13-24, 8-7 MAC), and did not record a win on Easter Sunday for the first time since a 9-7 setback versus Miami University, April 20, 2013.
GAME 1: Ohio 8, Eastern Michigan 2
Redshirt senior Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, a walk, and a run scored, while junior Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) finished 1-for-5 with an RBI double. Freshman Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) hit 2-for-3 with two singles, an RBI, and a walk, while junior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community) reached base twice, going 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
On the mound, sophomore Holden Cook (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Casady (Murray State)) was tagged with the loss after allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out three in 4.2 innings pitched. Fellow sophomore Luke McGuire (Shelby Township, Mich.-Stevenson) fanned a trio of Bobcats over three innings of relief, surrendering two earned runs on five hits and a couple walks, before redshirt junior Nick Porretto (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva (McHenry C.C.)) retired all four batters he faced.
Ohio opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Green and White pulled even in the bottom of the second frame. Peggs drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.), and scored when Hopkins lined a base hit into right.
The Bobcats manufactured a run to reclaim the lead in the top of the fourth and posted a four-spot an inning later to seize a 6-1 advantage. EMU scored once during the home half of the fifth, as Owings smashed a two-out double into deep center to drive in Timko all the way from first and trim the deficit to 6-2.
Ohio padded its cushion in the top of the eighth when junior Trevor Hafner whacked a two-out, two-run triple to left-center that extended the lead to 8-2, which held on to be the final tally.
GAME 2: Ohio 6, Eastern Michigan 3
Although both teams managed eight hits in the series finale, Ohio used the strength of four homers to drive in all six of its runs. Owings finished 2-for-4 with a double, a single, and two runs scored, while Peggs went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Sophomore Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) ended the game 2-for-3 with a double, a single, and a walk, while Hopkins hit 1-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored.
Freshman Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park) set a career-high with six strikeouts and matched a personal best with 103 pitches, but picked up the loss after allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks in 6.2 innings of work. Senior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) tossed the final 2.1 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits while striking out three.
Ohio grabbed a 2-0 lead just two batters into the nightcap. Redshirt freshman Trevor Lukkes started the contest with a base hit through the left side, before sophomore Aaron Levy lifted a two-run shot over the center-field fence.
The Eagles finally broke through with a run in the last of the fourth. Owings recorded EMU's first hit of the game with a leadoff single and swiftly moved into scoring position with his 10th stolen base of the season. Junior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) advanced Owings to third base on a ground ball to short, and Hopkins brought him home with an RBI groundout to second.
The Green and White eventually knotted the score at two apiece in the bottom of the sixth as Hopkins ripped a ground-rule double down the right-field line, and Nate Jones followed by ending an eight-pitch at-bat with an infield single to short. With runners on the corners and one down, senior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge) successfully executed a squeeze bunt to score Hopkins.
The Bobcats jumped back in front during their next trip to the plate. Redshirt freshman Cole Revels sent an inside-out single into shallow right, and eventually scored when sophomore Sebastian Fabik gave the visitors a 4-2 edge with a drive to center.
Trailing 5-2 after Ohio senior Rudy Rott led off the top of the eighth with a home run to right, EMU scored once in the bottom of the inning. Owings shot a double into the left-center gap, before Nick Jones singled to center to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Representing the potential tying run, Hopkins chopped a ground ball to second that resulted in a fielders' choice, but allowed Owings to advance 90 feet to home plate. However, Ohio wrapped up the scoring with a home run to start the final frame that sealed a three-run victory.
With no games on the midweek calendar, Eastern Michigan will welcome the University of Toledo to Oestrike Stadium for a three-game weekend series, Fri.-Sun., April 26-28. The series will start Friday, April 26, at 6 p.m. with games to follow Saturday, April 27, at 3 p.m. and Sunday, April 28, at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LIBERATORE, Jack (5-4)
L: Cook, Holden (1-5)
S: MANIS, Brett (5)
Batting:
2B: LEVY, Aaron 1
3B: HAFNER, Trevor 1
RBI: RICHARDSON, Michael 2 ; HAFNER, Trevor 3 ; REVELS, Cole 2 ; MALLOTT, Nathan 1
SH: LUKKES, Trevor 1 ; HAFNER, Trevor 1
SF: HAFNER, Trevor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LUKKES, Trevor 1 ; LEVY, Aaron 1 ; ROTT, Rudy 2 ; RICHARDSON, Michael 2 ; FUNDERBURG, Treyben. 2
SB: LUKKES, Trevor 1 ; RICHARDSON, Michael 1 ; HAFNER, Trevor 1
HBP: RICHARDSON, Michael 1
Batting:
2B: Owings, Zachary 1
RBI: Owings, Zachary 1 ; Hopkins, Taylor 1
SH: Cruz, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Timko, Jeff 1 ; Peggs, Drake 1
CS: Timko, Jeff 1
Game Leaders
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RBI
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AB
4
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0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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