Baseball Travels to Kansas State for Three-Game Slate

March 13-15 at Kansas State
Date	Friday-Sunday, March 13-15
Venue	Tointon Family Stadium \| Manhattan, Kan.
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball \| @EMUAthletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. (EMUEagles.com) - Following a three-game slate in the Queen City, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team treks west for a series against Kansas State University, Friday-Sunday, March 13-15. The three-game set will take place at Tointon Family Stadium. Eastern looks to snap a 13-game losing skid and bounce back after being swept by Cincinnati, March 7-8.
   For those who can't make the trip but want to follow along, the games will be televised on ESPN+, and K-StateTV will provide an audio-only stream. Live stats will be available through the Eastern Michigan University Athletics website, EMUEagles.com/livestats. The team's Twitter, @EMU_Baseball will also have inning-by-inning updates throughout the weekend.

50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: The 2020 season marks 50 years since the Eastern Michigan baseball program captured the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship. The then-Hurons won five out of six games to capture the title, as they defeated Emporia State, New Haven, Northeast Louisiana (twice), and Livingston to capture the crown.
   Jeff Peck was named the Tournament MVP after setting a national tournament mark at the plate, where he went 13-for-23 (.565) with three RBIs. Eastern Michigan shortstop Terry Collins was named the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Tournament, as the then-Hurons finished the season with a 41-11 mark.

THE WARKENTIN WAY: After starting the season 0-for-15 through the first four games, junior transfer Daniel Warkentin has found his groove at the plate. The Leamington, Ontario native is currently on a 10-game reached base streak, and seven-game hitting streak. Both streaks are the longest by any Eagle in 2020.

MAKE WAY FOR THE MEIS-STER: Sophomore righty Justin Meis has been consistently good for Eastern on the 2020 campaign. Last weekend, the Pittsburgh native tossed his most efficient outing of the season, going 5.0 innings and allowing just two runs. The pitcher also tallied seven strikeouts and walked no one in his start against Cincinnati, March 7. Additionally, Meis ranks third in the Mid-American Conference in total strikeouts (29), while his 11 strikeouts looking lead the league.

BEST IN THE MAC: EMU's .973 fielding percentage is the best of any school in the Mid-American Conference. Eastern has just 13 errors in 477 chances this season. In addition, the Eagles are one-of-two MAC teams with no passed balls so far on the season.

WE SEE YOU, MIKEY!: Redshirt junior Mike Monahan made his first start in the Green and White in 2020 against Cincinnati, March 8. In his first start since 2018, the Saline, Mich. native recorded Eastern's only RBI with a single to center field. The redshirt junior also had the team's best batting average over the series, .400 (2-for-5) against the Bearcats.
   The fourth-year Eagle had a career-best game against Northeastern the week prior, March. 1. Monahan notched a personal-best two RBIs in the contest, and had EMU's best hit of the day, a double down the left field line. Monahan's three RBIs this season is already a career-best for the Saline, Mich. product.

STOLEN BAGS: Eastern Michigan recorded a season-best four stolen bases at Cincinnati, March 7. Redshirt junior Drake Peggs accounted for half of those (2), a single-game career-high for the Knightstown, Ind.-native.

BROTHERS IN ACTION: Against Cincinnati, March 8, Eastern Michigan had three sets of brothers involved in the game. Along with Head Coach Eric Roof and Assistant Coach Jonathan Roof in the dugout, the Eagles had two sets of brothers on the field. Senior Nick Jones and junior brother Nate Jones started at catcher and center field, respectively. On the mound, junior Thomas House got the start, and freshman sibling Trevor House was brought in for relief.

SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT: Doing their best to move on after the 11-43-1 2019 season, the Eagles have shown some signs of change for the better through 14 games. In the first 14 games of the 2020 season, the Eagles have recorded 63 runs, 110 hits, and 56 RBIs, which is improved from the same stretch to start the 2019 campaign of 56 runs, 106 hits and 43 RBIs.

RACKING UP THE FLYER MILES: As with most northern-based teams, EMU is tasked with playing its early-season games in warmer climates before it can play at home. The Eagles will play their first 17 games away from Ypsilanti this season. At its longest, the Eagles played nearly 1,083 miles from the comfort of home, when it traveled to Fort Myers, Fla. for a single game against Florida Gulf Coast.

ALL-TIME AGAINST KANSAS STATE: Meeting for the first time since 2005, the Wildcats hold the all-time series lead over the Eagles, 4-0. All four meetings took place during the same season. First, the sides met in Natchitoches, La. at the Northwestern State tournament, Feb. 26, then again for a three-game series in Manhattan, Kan., March 11-13.

AGAINST THE BIG 12: Eastern Michigan has faced Big 12 competition in the past, having previously competed against all but one member of the Irving, Tex.-based league (Baylor). Holding an 18-60 all-time record against the Big 12, Eastern has the most wins against Kansas (6), while also having victories over West Virginia (4), Iowa State (3), Oklahoma State (3), and Oklahoma (2).

NEW YEAR, NEW FACES: With every year, a crop of new talent arrives in Ypsilanti. This season, the Eagles will welcome a total of 10 new players to campus, adding a slew of talent to an already promising roster. In all, the Eagles have added five right-handed pitchers, two infielders, one catcher, one outfielder, and one left-handed pitcher. A total of 34 players will don the "Script E" in 2020.

THE SEASON AHEAD: The Eagles will play a 53-game slate in 2020, including 16 contests at Oestrike Stadium. While not in the Mitten, the Eagles will do their fair share of sight-seeing, as they will travel to six different states for games: Tennessee, Florida, Ohio, Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana.

A LOOK BACK AT 2019: Last year's season saw the Eagles win just 11 games, including six in conference play, en route to a 11-43-1 overall record. The squad finished ninth-overall in the league, and failed to participate in the MAC Tournament for the first time since the 2015 season. EMU's six conference wins came in the form of sweeps, as it bested both Toledo and Bowling Green in perfect 3-0 fashion.

EAGLES ADD 35th PLAYER TO ROSTER: Together with Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams, the EMU baseball program welcomed Bentley "Bennie" Booth, a nine-year old from Belleville, Mich., as its newest team member, Friday, Jan. 31.
   With his mom, Marguerita, and brother, Bradley standing by, Booth entered the Convocation Center media room to participate in a full-scale press conference and official signing. Nearly 50 guests, made up of EMU student-athletes, staff members, and local media, were in attendance to watch as the wide-smiling boy suffering from short bowel syndrome penned his name on his official "letter of intent."

THE LEAGUES THE EAGLES WILL FACE: The Eagles will face Division I competition from a total of 12 different conferences this season. In addition to games against its Mid-American Conference-counterparts, EMU will see teams from the: Ohio Valley Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, American Athletic Conference, Big 12 Conference, Horizon League, Missouri Valley Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, and the Big Ten Conference.

BIG LEAGUE SUCCESS: Head Coach Eric Roof has proven his ability to develop pro-level talent in his two seasons patrolling the dugout. Each season, the Eagles have had a player drafted in the annual MLB Draft. 2018 saw shortstop Max Schuemann go to the Oakland Athletics, before Zachary Owings was selected by the Miami Marlins in 2019.
   This year, Roof has already shown the ability to lure top talent to Ypsilanti. Despite being drafted in the 22nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, freshman Cameron Wagoner still chose to enroll at EMU. This top-prospect will now don the "Script E," for the foreseeable future.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern was selected to finish eighth-overall in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, as announced by the league office, Feb. 12. EMU finished just behind Ohio (67 points), and Western Michigan (57 points), after receiving 38 points in the poll. The Eagles finished the 2019 season ninth-overall with a 11-43-1 mark, including a 6-21 record in league play. Toledo (33 points), Bowling Green (30 points), and Akron (20 points) rounded out the poll in the No. 8 through No. 10 spots, respectively.

MAC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Central Michigan (3) – 109 points
2. Kent State (2) – 106 points
3. Ball State (3) -- 105 points
4. Miami (2) – 93 points
5. Northern Illinois (1) – 68 points
6. Ohio – 67 points
7. Western Michigan – 57 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 38 points
9. Toledo – 33 points
10. Bowling Green – 30 points
11. Akron – 20 points

Tournament Champion: Kent State (6), Miami (2), Ball State (1), Central Michigan (1), Northern Illinois (1)

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will host Findlay University Tuesday, March 17 at Oestrike Stadium. The 3 p.m. game will be EMU's first at home in 2020.

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Players Mentioned

Thomas House

Trevor House

Nate Jones

Nick Jones

Justin Meis

Mike Monahan

Zachary Owings

Drake Peggs

Max Schuemann

Cameron Wagoner

Daniel Warkentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics