Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, May 30
Oestrike Stadium
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
21-30, 15-25
2
vs
4
Kent State
30-26, 23-17
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9
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E
Kent State
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12
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Eastern Michigan
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5
1
Seniors Shine Despite Season Finale Loss to Kent State
5/30/2021 4:06:00 PM | Baseball
All EMU hits came from the bats of seniors, while the pitching staff combined for three scoreless innings
Photo Gallery
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A late comeback by the Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell short as the Eagles fell to Kent State University, 4-2, in its final Mid-American Conference game of the 2021 season, May 30 at Oestrike Stadium.
Eastern Michigan finished the series with a 21-30 record, and 15-25 mark in conference play. The Eagles' 21 season wins are the most since the 2018 squad's 22.
Prior to the game, Eastern Michigan's 11-man class of 2021, along with one member of the 2020 class, were accompanied by friends and family for a pregame Senior Day ceremony to highlight their career accomplishments and celebrate their dedication to the EMU baseball program.
At the plate, all five EMU hits came from the senior class, led by Eli Gora's (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) two-hit day.
KSU loaded the bases with a walk and two singles in their first three at-bats, but a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts from senior Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) kept them off the board.
With Eastern unable to put a run on the board in the bottom of the first, Kent State returned to the plate to score two in the top of the second, a lead it would hold until adding more run the following inning for the 3-0 advantage.
At the plate, Eastern saw a two-out base knock from senior Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline) in the second and single from classmate Gora in the fourth, but EMU was unable to move them over.
Seniors John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) and Holden Cook (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Casady (Murray State)) took the mound for the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Holding things down, Holt tossed Eastern's first 1-2-3 inning of the day, while Cook also kept the Golden Flashes off the board in his frame of work.
KSU added a run in the seventh to take a 4-0 lead, but was shut down in their next at-bats by sophomore Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell), who hurled a scoreless eighth inning for EMU.
The Eagles would break the shutout in the bottom of the eighth. A single from senior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community) would start things off, and an ensuing fielder's choice from junior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) would put him on first. Senior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) would proceed to launch a deep double to left center, giving Hopkins time score from first and cut in to the Golden Flashes' lead, 4-1.
Junior Zach Fruit (Dundee, Mich.-Dundee (Lansing)) closed the ninth inning on the bump, keeping Kent State scoreless and bringing the Green and White back to the plate for its final at-bats.
Making one last comeback effort, Gora doubled to right center, and moved to third on a groundout from Monahan. The senior managed to score on a wild pitch to close in, 4-2. However, the Eagles were unable to plate any more runs and ultimately fell to the Golden Flashes in its season finale, 4-2.
To stay up to date on all things EMU baseball throughout the offseason, continue to check EMUEagles.com, or follow the team on Twitter, @EMU_Baseball.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A late comeback by the Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell short as the Eagles fell to Kent State University, 4-2, in its final Mid-American Conference game of the 2021 season, May 30 at Oestrike Stadium.
Eastern Michigan finished the series with a 21-30 record, and 15-25 mark in conference play. The Eagles' 21 season wins are the most since the 2018 squad's 22.
Prior to the game, Eastern Michigan's 11-man class of 2021, along with one member of the 2020 class, were accompanied by friends and family for a pregame Senior Day ceremony to highlight their career accomplishments and celebrate their dedication to the EMU baseball program.
At the plate, all five EMU hits came from the senior class, led by Eli Gora's (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) two-hit day.
KSU loaded the bases with a walk and two singles in their first three at-bats, but a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts from senior Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) kept them off the board.
With Eastern unable to put a run on the board in the bottom of the first, Kent State returned to the plate to score two in the top of the second, a lead it would hold until adding more run the following inning for the 3-0 advantage.
At the plate, Eastern saw a two-out base knock from senior Mike Monahan (Saline, Mich.-Saline) in the second and single from classmate Gora in the fourth, but EMU was unable to move them over.
Seniors John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) and Holden Cook (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Casady (Murray State)) took the mound for the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Holding things down, Holt tossed Eastern's first 1-2-3 inning of the day, while Cook also kept the Golden Flashes off the board in his frame of work.
KSU added a run in the seventh to take a 4-0 lead, but was shut down in their next at-bats by sophomore Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell), who hurled a scoreless eighth inning for EMU.
The Eagles would break the shutout in the bottom of the eighth. A single from senior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown Community) would start things off, and an ensuing fielder's choice from junior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) would put him on first. Senior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) would proceed to launch a deep double to left center, giving Hopkins time score from first and cut in to the Golden Flashes' lead, 4-1.
Junior Zach Fruit (Dundee, Mich.-Dundee (Lansing)) closed the ninth inning on the bump, keeping Kent State scoreless and bringing the Green and White back to the plate for its final at-bats.
Making one last comeback effort, Gora doubled to right center, and moved to third on a groundout from Monahan. The senior managed to score on a wild pitch to close in, 4-2. However, the Eagles were unable to plate any more runs and ultimately fell to the Golden Flashes in its season finale, 4-2.
To stay up to date on all things EMU baseball throughout the offseason, continue to check EMUEagles.com, or follow the team on Twitter, @EMU_Baseball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: ROEBUCK, BENNY (2-0)
L: Granzotto, Scott (3-3)
S: RIPPL, MAX (2)
Batting:
2B: MIKNIS, JUSTIN 1 ; DOBOS, KEVIN 1
RBI: TOUCHETTE, CAM 1 ; ELSEN, NICK 1 ; REIFSNYDER, JAKE 1 ; DOBOS, KEVIN 1
SH: REIFSNYDER, JAKE 1
SF: TOUCHETTE, CAM 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MIKNIS, JUSTIN 1 ; ELSEN, NICK 1 ; JACKSON, KYLE 1 ; REIFSNYDER, JAKE 1
Batting:
2B: Jones, Nick 1 ; Gora, Eli 1
RBI: Jones, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Gora, Eli 1
SB: Timko, Jeff 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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LHP
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RHP/IF
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