Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, May 18
Oestrike Stadium
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
11-43-1, 6-21
0
vs
4
Kent State
30-22, 17-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kent State
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
4
15
0
Eastern Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
Baseball Falls Short in Season Finale
5/18/2019 3:47:00 PM | Baseball
Seven seniors honored in annual celebration
Senior Letter Videos: John Rensel Jr. | Mitchell Sparks
Senior Day Photo Tribute
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a special day at Oestrike Stadium today, May 18, as the Eastern Michigan University baseball team payed tribute to its five senior players and two senior staff members during its annual Senior Day Celebration.
Among those honored were Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)), Alex Wolanski (Naperville, Ill.-Neuqua Valley), Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)), Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)), John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge), senior manager Travis Waker, and Director of Baseball Operations Brendan Cach.
Following the ceremony, Eastern (11-43-1; 6-21 MAC) took the field for the final game of its three-game weekend series against Kent State University, falling short in the last contest of the 2019 season, 4-0.
Despite the loss, Saturday served as a positive celebration of the tremendous accomplishments that Eastern's senior class has contributed to the program and university, including three trips to the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
It was Sparks that got the nod on the bump for the Green and White. Making his first-career start in his last game as an Eagle, Sparks was outstanding from start to finish, tossing 7.0 innings in the Saturday showdown.
The veteran southpaw set the tone early. After giving up a lead-off double in the first at-bat of the game, the senior recovered, sitting down the next three Kent State batters to keep the Flashes off the board in the first. After Kent scored a single run in the second and third innings, respectively, to go ahead, 2-0, Sparks regained control, shutting down the Flashes in three consecutive innings.
Although Kent State pushed a third run across the board in the seventh to take a 3-0 lead, Sparks ended his outing, and Eastern Michigan career, in impressive fashion, allowing just three runs and fanning two in his 80 pitch effort.
Out of the pen, redshirt junior Caleb Hester (Coloma, Mich.-Coloma) tossed the first out of the eighth inning before giving way to freshman Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park), who tossed the game's final 1.2 innings.
In all, the Eagles turned in their best pitching performance of the weekend, allowing just four runs in the game.
Offensively, EMU was unable to piggy-back off of the hot hitting it displayed in the first two games of the series. The Eagles mustered just two hits in Saturday's contest, both one-baggers off the bats of junior Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline), and sophomore Jared Kauffman (Springboro Ohio-Bishop Fenwick), respectively.
Overpowered by the Golden Flashes pitching staff, EMU was unable to spark its offense, failing to score in its final game of the season.
After a 55-game 2019 slate, the Eagles now begin their offseason preparations. Many EMU players will take part in summer baseball leagues across the country, before returning to campus for the start of the fall semester. For 2020 schedule release updates and team information, continue to follow @EMU_Baseball on Twitter, and visit EMUEagles.com.
Senior Day Photo Tribute
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a special day at Oestrike Stadium today, May 18, as the Eastern Michigan University baseball team payed tribute to its five senior players and two senior staff members during its annual Senior Day Celebration.
Among those honored were Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)), Alex Wolanski (Naperville, Ill.-Neuqua Valley), Cameron Cruz (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)), Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)), John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge), senior manager Travis Waker, and Director of Baseball Operations Brendan Cach.
Following the ceremony, Eastern (11-43-1; 6-21 MAC) took the field for the final game of its three-game weekend series against Kent State University, falling short in the last contest of the 2019 season, 4-0.
Despite the loss, Saturday served as a positive celebration of the tremendous accomplishments that Eastern's senior class has contributed to the program and university, including three trips to the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
It was Sparks that got the nod on the bump for the Green and White. Making his first-career start in his last game as an Eagle, Sparks was outstanding from start to finish, tossing 7.0 innings in the Saturday showdown.
The veteran southpaw set the tone early. After giving up a lead-off double in the first at-bat of the game, the senior recovered, sitting down the next three Kent State batters to keep the Flashes off the board in the first. After Kent scored a single run in the second and third innings, respectively, to go ahead, 2-0, Sparks regained control, shutting down the Flashes in three consecutive innings.
Although Kent State pushed a third run across the board in the seventh to take a 3-0 lead, Sparks ended his outing, and Eastern Michigan career, in impressive fashion, allowing just three runs and fanning two in his 80 pitch effort.
Out of the pen, redshirt junior Caleb Hester (Coloma, Mich.-Coloma) tossed the first out of the eighth inning before giving way to freshman Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park), who tossed the game's final 1.2 innings.
In all, the Eagles turned in their best pitching performance of the weekend, allowing just four runs in the game.
Offensively, EMU was unable to piggy-back off of the hot hitting it displayed in the first two games of the series. The Eagles mustered just two hits in Saturday's contest, both one-baggers off the bats of junior Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline), and sophomore Jared Kauffman (Springboro Ohio-Bishop Fenwick), respectively.
Overpowered by the Golden Flashes pitching staff, EMU was unable to spark its offense, failing to score in its final game of the season.
After a 55-game 2019 slate, the Eagles now begin their offseason preparations. Many EMU players will take part in summer baseball leagues across the country, before returning to campus for the start of the fall semester. For 2020 schedule release updates and team information, continue to follow @EMU_Baseball on Twitter, and visit EMUEagles.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: ALBRIGHT, Luke (4-1)
L: Sparks, Mitchell (1-4)
Batting:
2B: CAREW, BEN 1 ; TOUCHETTE, Cam 1 ; TURNER, Michael 1 ; DOBOS, Kevin 2
HR: KIRBY, Justin 1
RBI: TURNER, Michael 2 ; KIRBY, Justin 1 ; DOBOS, Kevin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CAREW, BEN 1 ; TOUCHETTE, Cam 1 ; PARKS, Pavin 1 ; KIRBY, Justin 1
SB: CAREW, BEN 2 ; TOUCHETTE, Cam 2
CS: CAREW, BEN 1
PO: TOUCHETTE, Cam 1
Base Running:
CS: Owings, Zachary 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
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Oestrike Stadium Upgrades Reveal
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Alumni Achievement Award - Anthony Tomey
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