Baseball Set to Take On Central Michigan

Baseball at Central Michigan
Date	Friday-Sunday, May 21-23
Venue	Theunissen Stadium \| Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stream	CSN Digital
Listen	91.5 WMHW
Live Stats	EMUEagles.com
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball \| @EMUAthletics

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will hit the road once more in the 2021 season, taking on Central Michigan University Friday-Sunday, May 21-23. Friday's game is set to begin at 3 p.m., with Saturday's doubleheader scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday's game will get underway at 1 p.m.
     Fans can watch the games on the Chippewa Sports Network, listen on 91.5 WMHW, or follow via live stats, with links being found on the baseball schedule page of EMUEagles.com. Updates will also be posted throughout the game on the team's Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball.

CAPTAIN IN MACTION: Eastern Michigan senior Nick Jones posted his first over-.400 series at the plate for the Green and White in its four games against Toledo, May 4-18. The captain paced the Eagle offense with a .455 clip after a 5-for-11 showing over the four games, adding to RBI's.
       Continuing his strong performance in Mid-American Conference play at the plate, Jones has recorded at least three hits in every conference series so far in 2021, the only Eagle to do so.

THREE OVER FOUR: For the first time this season, Eastern Michigan saw three players hit at .400 or above for a series in its four games against Toledo, May 4-18. Senior Nick Jones led the way at .455, followed by junior Taylor Hopkins at .417. Junior Gabe Denton rounded out the top-three with an even .400.
   Previously, EMU had two players record series averages of .400-or-better five times (at Akron, March 26-28, vs. Ball State, April 16-18, at St. Bonaventure, May 1, at Bowling Green, May 7-8, and vs. NIU, May 14-16).

NATE THE GREAT: Senior Nate Jones had a 3-for-4 day against Toledo, May 18, leading the team in hits and tying for the team lead in RBIs. He also scored two runs, second-most on the team.
   The game was also Jones' first multiple-hit contest of the season, as well as first multiple-RBI game of 2021.

HOW ABOUT RUSSO: Eastern Michigan sophomore Luke Russo impressed on the mound in his longest career outing against the Toledo, May 18. The Howell, Mich. native went 3.0 innings to close out the game for the Eagles, keeping the Rockets off the board and tallying a personal-best five strikeouts. In addition, Russo allowed just two hits over his three innings of work.
   The sophomore has now had three-straight scoreless outings, blanking Toledo and Northern Illinois, May 11 and 15, in his 1.0 inning on the mound in each of the contests.

FIRST START FOR THE FRESHMAN: EMU newcomer Nick Chittum made his first career start in the Green and White against Toledo, May 18. The Grosse Ile, Mich. native went 2.0 innings, tying his longest outing of the season, while striking out two in his appearance. Despite giving up two runs, the freshman did hold the Rockets off the board in the first inning.

NOW WE'RE COOKING: Senior right-hander Holden Cook had a solid night on the mound for the Green and White against Toledo, May 18. His longest outing of the season, Cook went 3.1 innings on the mound, including tossing scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the Rockets off the board for the first time since the first inning. The Oklahoma, City, Okla. native also recorded a season-high two strikeouts in his appearance.

SINGLES FOR SINES: Freshman Evan Sines came through for the Green and White in its game against Toledo, May 18. In addition to recording his third multiple-hit game of the season with two base hits (2-for-2 on the night), the Lancaster, Ohio native posted his first multiple-RBI game of 2021 for the Green and White with a bases-loaded, two-RBI single to center field in the sixth inning.

TWO HITS FOR KAUFFMAN: Adding two hits for the Eagles in its game against Toledo, May 18, was senior Jared Kauffman. His two hits are the most in a game for the senior since his two at Western Michigan, March 27. Additionally, the Springboro, Ohio native has now knocked a double in back-to-back contests (May 16, vs. NIU, and May 18, vs. Toledo).
   Kauffman also led the Green and White in runs scored, with four against the Rockets, and added an RBI via being hit by the pitch with the bases loaded.

DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING: With its 10 runs against Toledo, May 18, Eastern Michigan recorded its ninth game of the season recording 10-or-more runs in a game. Moreover, it marked Eastern's sixth double-digit scoring feat in the last 14 games.
   Prior to the season, Eastern totaled eight double-digit scoring games from 2018-20 (4 - 2018, 3 - 2019, 1 - 2020). The nine scoring feats are the most since the 2017 squad totaled 10 10-or-more run games.

HOW ABOUT THE HOMERS: After launching four home runs over its series against Northern Illinois, May 14-16, Eastern Michigan surpassed the 30 home run mark as a team for the first time since the 2017 season. Additionally, with Will Oberg's long shot against Toledo, May 18, EMU now sits at 34 on the season, just two shy of the 2017 team's total, 36.

TOP 50: In the NCAA rankings, Eastern Michigan junior Will Oberg's 14 hit by pitches ranks 34th in the nation, while his .39 hit by pitch per game average ranks 18th.
   On the mound, Davis Feldman's 2.28 ERA ranks 45th in Division I.

WHAT'S CENTRAL MICHIGAN BEEN UP TO?: Tied for first in the league with a 23-9 mark in Mid-American Conference play, the Chippewas head in to the weekend after falling to Western Michigan in 3-of-4 games against the Broncos, May 14-16. The three losses marked the first series loss for Central Michigan in 2021, having split, won, or swept all of its previous MAC series.

LAST MEETING: Eastern Michigan was swept by Central Michigan at Oestrike Stadium, May 10-12, 2019. The Chippewas took game one, 11-1, game two, 3-1, and the final game, 8-7 for the sweep.

SERIES HISTORY: In the all-time meetings between the two sides, Eastern Michigan holds the advantage in the series, 95-73. Since 1999, the series has been in favor of Central Michigan, 42-29. Since that same season, the Eagles are 11-22 in Mount Pleasant, and 15-18 against the Chippewas in Ypsilanti.

#MACTION MATTERS: The Mid-American Conference announced that, due to circumstances onset by the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be eliminating conference tournaments for eight sports, with baseball being one of them. The result? The MAC regular season champion will receive the conference's automatic bid to a NCAA Regional. With the conference also adapting a 40-game schedule consisting of four-game series, every contest proves critical to staying in the hunt for the league crown.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern was selected to finish ninth overall in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, as announced by the league office, Feb. 17. EMU finished with 36 points, while Central Michigan finished in the top spot for the second consecutive season with 111 points and four first-place votes. Kent State garnered five first-place votes and finished just shy of CMU with 110 points.

MAC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Central Michigan (4) – 111 points
2. Kent State (5) – 110 points
T3. Miami (1) -- 96 points
T3. Ball State – 96 points
5. Northern Illinois (1) – 72 points
6. Western Michigan - 63 points
7. Ohio - 56 points
8. Toledo - 45 points
9. Eastern Michigan – 36 points
10. Bowling Green – 28 points
11. Akron – 13 points

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan returns to Oestrike Stadium for its final series of the 2021 season. The Eagles will welcome Kent State, May 28-30, for a four-game series. May 30th will feature a Senior Day celebration for the Eastern.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nick Chittum

Holden Cook

Gabe Denton

Davis Feldman

Taylor Hopkins

Nate Jones

Nick Jones

Jared Kauffman

Will Oberg

Luke Russo

Evan Sines

Eastern Michigan Athletics