Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, April 11
Athens, Ohio
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-17, 4-12
2
at
3
Ohio
15-11, 9-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Eastern Michigan
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
7
1
Ohio
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
X
3
9
0
Late-Game Home Run Stuns Baseball in Athens
4/11/2021 3:46:00 PM | Baseball
EMU poked two long balls of its own, but was unable to avoid the series sweep at Ohio
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – A late-game home run again proved detrimental to the Eastern Michigan University baseball team as it fell, 3-2, in the fourth and final game of its Mid-American Conference series against Ohio University today, April 11, inside Bob Wren Stadium.
Ohio's (15-11, 9-7 MAC) win gave the Bobcats the series sweep over Eastern (8-17, 4-12 MAC), which has now fallen in eight-consecutive contests.
Offensively, Eastern was able to notch seven hits, although just two provided the Eagles with runs as a pair of solo home runs by junior transfer Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich-Clare (North Iowa)) and his fellow upperclassman, Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) were the extent of EMU's run production for the day. Despite the struggles, Hopkins was able to lead the team with two knocks on the day, while a total of six Eagles mustered hits in the contest.
On the mound, EMU got an impressive performance from senior southpaw Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard), who went five innings and allowed just one run during his start. In command from the start, Granzotto offered just one walk, while striking out four, in his effort. The Mitten State native gave way to sophomore Cameron Wagoner (Tecumseh, Mich.-Tecumseh), who tossed the next two frames before the pair of sophomore Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) and senior John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) combined to finish the final inning of work for Eastern.
A pitcher's duel at the front-end of the contest, the two squads traded scoreless innings through the first two frames. Eastern had good scoring chances in both at-bats, including a bases-loaded situation with only one out in the top half of the second inning. Although the Green and White were unable to break through with that opportunity, it did score the game's first run of the game in the third when Denton blasted his second home run of the season and first since March 7.
With a 1-0 lead in hand, Granzotto faced a scoring threat of his own in the bottom of the third, as Ohio put a runner on third with two outs. Not hindered by the adversity, Granzotto recovered with a strikeout to end the Bobcat threat and keep the score at bay. Ohio was able to get on the board in the fourth inning, however, as the home squad strung together a two-hit swing that included a single and an RBI-double, which tied the game at 1-1.
Eastern did not need much time to answer back following the Ohio run, as Hopkins came through with Eastern's second home run of the game in the top of the fifth. His fourth of the season, the shot put the visitors ahead, 2-1, and gave the Mason, Ohio native his seventh RBI of the 2021 campaign.
Hopkins' home run was the last scoring that either team recorded until the bottom of the seventh inning. With Granzotto out of the game and Wagoner on the hill for his second frame of work, the Bobcats used another timely home run, this time with two outs and one on, to deflate the Eastern Michigan defense. The two-run home run was the sixth between the two teams in three games and put Ohio ahead, 3-2.
Refusing to quit, Eastern gave itself yet another fantastic scoring chance in the top of the eighth inning as it loaded the bases with one out for the second time in the game. Three hit-by-pitches gave Eastern runners on each bag. Just as it did in the earlier portion of the game, however, the Ohio defense held strong and forced EMU into a force out at home and strike out in consecutive at-bats to end the Eagles' scoring threat.
Although Eastern made another trip to the plate in the ninth, it failed to find another scoring opportunity like that of the eighth inning. Unable to cross the plate in its final attempts from the batter's box, Eastern fell in the contest, 3-2.
Eastern will next see action when it returns home Friday-Sunday, April 16-18, for a four-game conference set against Ball State.
Ohio's (15-11, 9-7 MAC) win gave the Bobcats the series sweep over Eastern (8-17, 4-12 MAC), which has now fallen in eight-consecutive contests.
Offensively, Eastern was able to notch seven hits, although just two provided the Eagles with runs as a pair of solo home runs by junior transfer Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich-Clare (North Iowa)) and his fellow upperclassman, Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) were the extent of EMU's run production for the day. Despite the struggles, Hopkins was able to lead the team with two knocks on the day, while a total of six Eagles mustered hits in the contest.
On the mound, EMU got an impressive performance from senior southpaw Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard), who went five innings and allowed just one run during his start. In command from the start, Granzotto offered just one walk, while striking out four, in his effort. The Mitten State native gave way to sophomore Cameron Wagoner (Tecumseh, Mich.-Tecumseh), who tossed the next two frames before the pair of sophomore Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) and senior John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) combined to finish the final inning of work for Eastern.
A pitcher's duel at the front-end of the contest, the two squads traded scoreless innings through the first two frames. Eastern had good scoring chances in both at-bats, including a bases-loaded situation with only one out in the top half of the second inning. Although the Green and White were unable to break through with that opportunity, it did score the game's first run of the game in the third when Denton blasted his second home run of the season and first since March 7.
With a 1-0 lead in hand, Granzotto faced a scoring threat of his own in the bottom of the third, as Ohio put a runner on third with two outs. Not hindered by the adversity, Granzotto recovered with a strikeout to end the Bobcat threat and keep the score at bay. Ohio was able to get on the board in the fourth inning, however, as the home squad strung together a two-hit swing that included a single and an RBI-double, which tied the game at 1-1.
Eastern did not need much time to answer back following the Ohio run, as Hopkins came through with Eastern's second home run of the game in the top of the fifth. His fourth of the season, the shot put the visitors ahead, 2-1, and gave the Mason, Ohio native his seventh RBI of the 2021 campaign.
Hopkins' home run was the last scoring that either team recorded until the bottom of the seventh inning. With Granzotto out of the game and Wagoner on the hill for his second frame of work, the Bobcats used another timely home run, this time with two outs and one on, to deflate the Eastern Michigan defense. The two-run home run was the sixth between the two teams in three games and put Ohio ahead, 3-2.
Refusing to quit, Eastern gave itself yet another fantastic scoring chance in the top of the eighth inning as it loaded the bases with one out for the second time in the game. Three hit-by-pitches gave Eastern runners on each bag. Just as it did in the earlier portion of the game, however, the Ohio defense held strong and forced EMU into a force out at home and strike out in consecutive at-bats to end the Eagles' scoring threat.
Although Eastern made another trip to the plate in the ninth, it failed to find another scoring opportunity like that of the eighth inning. Unable to cross the plate in its final attempts from the batter's box, Eastern fell in the contest, 3-2.
Eastern will next see action when it returns home Friday-Sunday, April 16-18, for a four-game conference set against Ball State.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU baseball, visit EMUEagles.com, and continue to follow the team on social media, at @EMU_Baseball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: C. Harris (1-1)
L: Wagoner, Cameron (1-2)
S: B. Manis (4)
Batting:
2B: Bault, Christian 1 ; Monahan, Mike 1
HR: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Denton, Gabe 1
RBI: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Denton, Gabe 1
SH: Jones, Nate 1 ; Helgeson, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Denton, Gabe 1
HBP: Gora, Eli 1 ; Denton, Gabe 1 ; Warkentin, Daniel 1 ; Oberg, Will 1
Batting:
2B: M. Minzey 1
3B: I. Peterson 1
HR: I. Peterson 1
RBI: I. Peterson 2 ; M. Minzey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: I. Peterson 1 ; H. Witwer-Du 1 ; S. Harbert 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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