Eastern Michigan Athletics
2021 Baseball Season Preview
2/24/2021 3:25:00 PM | Baseball
EMU begins the season Saturday, Feb. 27 at Alabama State
Full Season Preview Video
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After seeing its 2020 campaign cut to just 14 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team returns to the field for the first time in 356 days as it travels to Montgomery, Ala. to take on Alabama State University Saturday, Feb. 27.
Leading the Eagles is Head Coach Eric Roof, who enters his third season as the skipper and seventh season in Ypsilanti. Roof's staff is comprised of returning assistant coaches A.J. Achter and Jonathan Roof, and welcomes Chad Roskelly as the volunteer assistant coach.
The Green and White return 25 members from the 2020 roster, while also welcoming nine newcomers. A trio of seniors earned the honor of being named captains, in Davis Feldman (Warren, Mich.-Brother Rice), Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), and Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), who will look to help guide the Eagles.
"There's nothing that beats competition," began Head Coach Eric Roof. "We're fired up to get rolling and I know our players are as well. We're ready to get back on track to be one of those teams that competes for a MAC championship. I think with the core of guys that we have, and the experience that we have, I like our chances."
PITCHING
Expected to make an impact on the mound for the Eagles in 2021 are graduate student Feldman, sophomore Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park) and junior Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard), among other new and returning faces.
Feldman made two starts for the Eagles in the condensed 2020 season, striking out one in 6.2 innings pitched. In his last fully-healthy season, 2017, he made 19 appearances on the mound, including three starts. The Warren, Mich. product totaled a 4.79 ERA in 47 innings, racking up 28 strikeouts, and notched a pair of wins as well as a pair of saves.
Meis started all four games he appeared in for EMU in 2020, leading the team with 20.2 innings pitched and 29 strikeouts. In 2019, the Pittsburgh native was the only EMU freshman to earn a win on the bump, making 14 appearances, including 12 starts, on the mound for EMU, and led the team in innings pitched (58) and struck out 42 batters.
Making three starts with one relief appearance in 2020, Granzotto compiled 16 strikeouts over 12.0 innings pitched. Although his season was cut short due to injury in 2019, Granzotto appeared in 12 games, making nine starts on the mound two seasons ago, and led the team in strikeouts (47), ERA (3.88), complete games (1), and was second on the team in opponent batting average (.278).
Elsewhere on the staff, a mix of newcomers and veterans will look to log innings out of the bullpen. Junior Luke McGuire (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) returns after being the pitcher of record for the team's win in 2020. Newcomer Zach Fruit (Dundee, Mich.-Dundee (Lansing)) will look to make an impact out of the bullpen, after serving as the primary relief pitcher for Lansing Community College, where he struck out 39 batters in 30.0 innings of work in 2020. Entering his second season at EMU, Cameron Wagoner (Tecumseh, Mich.-Tecumseh) will look to solidify time on the mound after making six appearances on the mound in 2020, tossing 8.0 innings and striking out 11 in that time.
The rest of the staff will be made up of both fresh and returning faces, who will look to earn time on the mound in the Green and White.
CATCHERS
Filling out the back end of the battery in an everyday role will be senior, and returning captain, Nick Jones, who will look to build upon his already impressive career. In 2020, he started all 14 games for EMU behind the plate and in the infield, and led the team with 17 hits and five multiple-hit games. Jones also finished with a 1.000 fielding clip and tallied 69 putouts, the second-most on the team, to finish the abbreviated season. Jones overcame injury to make 44 appearances, all starts, as the team's primary catcher in 2019, tallying 46 hits, including seven for extra bases, 22 RBIs, and compiled a .317 slugging percentage and .341 on-base percentage.
Backing up Jones will be a mix of his teammates, including redshirt sophomore Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson), who appeared in eight games for EMU in 2020, making five starts behind the dish. Finishing with a .273 batting average and .318 slugging percentage, the Cincinnati, Ohio native tallied six hits and drove in three runs and recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage for the abbreviated season.
In addition, the Eagles could see time from redshirt junior Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline), freshman Ryan Lux (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson), and transfer Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)).
INFIELD
The infield will anchor the EMU defense this season, offering solid depth and experience as a unit, with numerous players being able to play multiple spots.
Contending for the starting job at first base will be junior Christian Bault (Maineville, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller (Lincoln Trail)). Bault started all 13 games he appeared in for the Green and White in 2020, tallying eight hits and 13 RBIs during the abbreviated campaign. The Maineville, Ohio native fielded at a .989 clip and posted a team-high 83 putouts in his debut season as an Eagle. Also competing for the job is newcomer Will Oberg (Wayzata, Minn-Wayzata (Heartland)), who batted .407 in his final season with Heartland C.C. and started all nine games in the infield in 2020.
On the opposite corner, junior Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ontartio-Leamington District (Parkland C.C.)) will likely have the starting job, making an immediate impact on the hot corner for the Eagles in 2020. The junior started all 14 games for EMU at third base while posting the second-best marks on the team in hits (14), RBIs (8), and multiple-hit games (3). The Canadian finished the season with a .264 batting average, and was on a seven-game hitting streak and 10-game reached base streak when the season was called, both the longest streaks of any Eagle in 2020, while also garnering a 1.000 fielding clip. Prior to Eastern Michigan, Warkentin played in 50 games during the 2019 season at Parkland, where he tallied 53 hits, 43 RBI, and a .323 batting average for the Cobras.
A variety of players will handle the middle section of the infield for the Green and White. Highlighting the returners is sophomore shortstop Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller). The Ohio native started 13 games for EMU in 2020, tallying a .222 batting average with 12 hits and a team-leading nine RBIs, while adding a .955 fielding clip to his season numbers. Hopkins made 46 appearances, including 45 starts, as the team's primary shortstop in 2019. He tallied 36 hits, including eight extra-base hits, 17 RBIs, and 18 runs in his freshman campaign, the most of any freshman on the team.
Veterans Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community), and Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) should all be fixtures within the infield for the Eagles.
OUTFIELD
The outfield will see junior Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) and Timko return for the 2021 season, aiming to patrol center and left field, respectively.
Nate Jones started all 14 games for EMU in 2020, compiling a .217 batting average with 10 hits while driving in four runs. He also finished the season with a .953 fielding percentage. Prior to that, Jones appeared in 53 games, making 52 starts in 2019. He led all sophomores in games played, at-bats (181), runs (28), hits (42), and RBIs (23), and had 12 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games, both good for third on the team in 2019.
Also starting all 14 games in the outfield for EMU was Timko, who tallied 13 hits, good for third-best on the team, and knocked in three runs. The Rochester Hills, Mich. native also recorded three multiple-hit games, which tied for second-most on the team. During the 2019 campaign, Timko made a career-high 53 appearances and 51 starts in left field for the Green and White. He knocked 52 hits, had 24 RBIs, compiled a .451 slugging percentage and had a .382 on-base percentage, all career-bests. He led the team with five home runs and tied for the team lead in triples, with five.
Finally, the designated hitter spot will likely see a mix of talented Eagles fill that role. In 2020, Monahan took advantage of his opportunity in the spot, appearing in five games with one start for the Green and White and tallying four hits and four RBIs with a .444 batting average. With the depth that the EMU bench offers, numerous players will see an opportunity to make an impact from inside the batter's box in 2021.
The Eagles begin the 2021 season this Saturday, Feb. 27, when they take on Alabama State for the first of a two-game series in Montgomery, Ala. First pitch will be at 6 p.m., Feb. 27, and 1 p.m., Feb. 28. For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU baseball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team on social media at @EMU_Baseball.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After seeing its 2020 campaign cut to just 14 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team returns to the field for the first time in 356 days as it travels to Montgomery, Ala. to take on Alabama State University Saturday, Feb. 27.
Leading the Eagles is Head Coach Eric Roof, who enters his third season as the skipper and seventh season in Ypsilanti. Roof's staff is comprised of returning assistant coaches A.J. Achter and Jonathan Roof, and welcomes Chad Roskelly as the volunteer assistant coach.
The Green and White return 25 members from the 2020 roster, while also welcoming nine newcomers. A trio of seniors earned the honor of being named captains, in Davis Feldman (Warren, Mich.-Brother Rice), Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), and Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), who will look to help guide the Eagles.
"There's nothing that beats competition," began Head Coach Eric Roof. "We're fired up to get rolling and I know our players are as well. We're ready to get back on track to be one of those teams that competes for a MAC championship. I think with the core of guys that we have, and the experience that we have, I like our chances."
PITCHING
Expected to make an impact on the mound for the Eagles in 2021 are graduate student Feldman, sophomore Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park) and junior Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard), among other new and returning faces.
Feldman made two starts for the Eagles in the condensed 2020 season, striking out one in 6.2 innings pitched. In his last fully-healthy season, 2017, he made 19 appearances on the mound, including three starts. The Warren, Mich. product totaled a 4.79 ERA in 47 innings, racking up 28 strikeouts, and notched a pair of wins as well as a pair of saves.
Meis started all four games he appeared in for EMU in 2020, leading the team with 20.2 innings pitched and 29 strikeouts. In 2019, the Pittsburgh native was the only EMU freshman to earn a win on the bump, making 14 appearances, including 12 starts, on the mound for EMU, and led the team in innings pitched (58) and struck out 42 batters.
Making three starts with one relief appearance in 2020, Granzotto compiled 16 strikeouts over 12.0 innings pitched. Although his season was cut short due to injury in 2019, Granzotto appeared in 12 games, making nine starts on the mound two seasons ago, and led the team in strikeouts (47), ERA (3.88), complete games (1), and was second on the team in opponent batting average (.278).
Elsewhere on the staff, a mix of newcomers and veterans will look to log innings out of the bullpen. Junior Luke McGuire (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) returns after being the pitcher of record for the team's win in 2020. Newcomer Zach Fruit (Dundee, Mich.-Dundee (Lansing)) will look to make an impact out of the bullpen, after serving as the primary relief pitcher for Lansing Community College, where he struck out 39 batters in 30.0 innings of work in 2020. Entering his second season at EMU, Cameron Wagoner (Tecumseh, Mich.-Tecumseh) will look to solidify time on the mound after making six appearances on the mound in 2020, tossing 8.0 innings and striking out 11 in that time.
The rest of the staff will be made up of both fresh and returning faces, who will look to earn time on the mound in the Green and White.
CATCHERS
Filling out the back end of the battery in an everyday role will be senior, and returning captain, Nick Jones, who will look to build upon his already impressive career. In 2020, he started all 14 games for EMU behind the plate and in the infield, and led the team with 17 hits and five multiple-hit games. Jones also finished with a 1.000 fielding clip and tallied 69 putouts, the second-most on the team, to finish the abbreviated season. Jones overcame injury to make 44 appearances, all starts, as the team's primary catcher in 2019, tallying 46 hits, including seven for extra bases, 22 RBIs, and compiled a .317 slugging percentage and .341 on-base percentage.
Backing up Jones will be a mix of his teammates, including redshirt sophomore Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson), who appeared in eight games for EMU in 2020, making five starts behind the dish. Finishing with a .273 batting average and .318 slugging percentage, the Cincinnati, Ohio native tallied six hits and drove in three runs and recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage for the abbreviated season.
In addition, the Eagles could see time from redshirt junior Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline), freshman Ryan Lux (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson), and transfer Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)).
INFIELD
The infield will anchor the EMU defense this season, offering solid depth and experience as a unit, with numerous players being able to play multiple spots.
Contending for the starting job at first base will be junior Christian Bault (Maineville, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller (Lincoln Trail)). Bault started all 13 games he appeared in for the Green and White in 2020, tallying eight hits and 13 RBIs during the abbreviated campaign. The Maineville, Ohio native fielded at a .989 clip and posted a team-high 83 putouts in his debut season as an Eagle. Also competing for the job is newcomer Will Oberg (Wayzata, Minn-Wayzata (Heartland)), who batted .407 in his final season with Heartland C.C. and started all nine games in the infield in 2020.
On the opposite corner, junior Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ontartio-Leamington District (Parkland C.C.)) will likely have the starting job, making an immediate impact on the hot corner for the Eagles in 2020. The junior started all 14 games for EMU at third base while posting the second-best marks on the team in hits (14), RBIs (8), and multiple-hit games (3). The Canadian finished the season with a .264 batting average, and was on a seven-game hitting streak and 10-game reached base streak when the season was called, both the longest streaks of any Eagle in 2020, while also garnering a 1.000 fielding clip. Prior to Eastern Michigan, Warkentin played in 50 games during the 2019 season at Parkland, where he tallied 53 hits, 43 RBI, and a .323 batting average for the Cobras.
A variety of players will handle the middle section of the infield for the Green and White. Highlighting the returners is sophomore shortstop Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller). The Ohio native started 13 games for EMU in 2020, tallying a .222 batting average with 12 hits and a team-leading nine RBIs, while adding a .955 fielding clip to his season numbers. Hopkins made 46 appearances, including 45 starts, as the team's primary shortstop in 2019. He tallied 36 hits, including eight extra-base hits, 17 RBIs, and 18 runs in his freshman campaign, the most of any freshman on the team.
Veterans Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community), and Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) should all be fixtures within the infield for the Eagles.
OUTFIELD
The outfield will see junior Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) and Timko return for the 2021 season, aiming to patrol center and left field, respectively.
Nate Jones started all 14 games for EMU in 2020, compiling a .217 batting average with 10 hits while driving in four runs. He also finished the season with a .953 fielding percentage. Prior to that, Jones appeared in 53 games, making 52 starts in 2019. He led all sophomores in games played, at-bats (181), runs (28), hits (42), and RBIs (23), and had 12 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games, both good for third on the team in 2019.
Also starting all 14 games in the outfield for EMU was Timko, who tallied 13 hits, good for third-best on the team, and knocked in three runs. The Rochester Hills, Mich. native also recorded three multiple-hit games, which tied for second-most on the team. During the 2019 campaign, Timko made a career-high 53 appearances and 51 starts in left field for the Green and White. He knocked 52 hits, had 24 RBIs, compiled a .451 slugging percentage and had a .382 on-base percentage, all career-bests. He led the team with five home runs and tied for the team lead in triples, with five.
Finally, the designated hitter spot will likely see a mix of talented Eagles fill that role. In 2020, Monahan took advantage of his opportunity in the spot, appearing in five games with one start for the Green and White and tallying four hits and four RBIs with a .444 batting average. With the depth that the EMU bench offers, numerous players will see an opportunity to make an impact from inside the batter's box in 2021.
The Eagles begin the 2021 season this Saturday, Feb. 27, when they take on Alabama State for the first of a two-game series in Montgomery, Ala. First pitch will be at 6 p.m., Feb. 27, and 1 p.m., Feb. 28. For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU baseball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team on social media at @EMU_Baseball.
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