Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
1-2
Winthrop
2-1
Falinski Shines in Pitching Debut as Eagles Earn First Win of 2022
2/20/2022 3:43:00 PM | Baseball
Three EMU pitchers combine for a three-hit shutout
ROCK HILL, S.C. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team completed a 6-0 shutout victory over Winthrop University Sunday, Feb. 20, to cap off the season-opening series with its first win of the 2022 campaign.
Freshman right-hander Adam Falinski (Howell, Mich.-Detroit Catholic Central) (1-0) started on the mound and picked up the win for Eastern Michigan (1-2), going seven shutout innings while giving up two hits, walking three, and striking out six. Freshman hurler Dom Anderson (Hagerstown, Ind.-Hagerstown) and junior lefty Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) were both dealing out of the bullpen as well, closing out the final two innings for Eastern.
At the plate, the Eagles were paced by sophomore Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville), who went 1-for-3 on the day with a home run, a walk, and two RBIs. Junior Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford (Toledo)) compiled a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Shane Easter (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Comstock) also chipped in for Eastern Michigan, where he notched two hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
How It Happened
The Eagles took the lead for good in the third, scoring for the first time in the inning. Eastern Michigan got an RBI single from senior Brady Huebbe (Peru, Ill.-La Salle-Peru (Northern Illinois)), scoring freshman Coltrane Rubner (Livonia, Mich.-Livonia Stevenson) from third base.
EMU then tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth innings, with their biggest output coming in the sixth when they scored four times. The big hit in that inning was a one-run flyout off the bat of Taylor.
Game Notes
» EMU's pitching staff of Falinski, Anderson, and House combined to throw a three-hit shutout for the Green and White. It is the first shutout victory for Eastern since it blanked Toledo, 6-0, May 11, 2021. Additionally, it took the Green and White 33 games to record its first shutout of the season in 2021. This year's staff needed just three. Three games is the earliest an EMU team has shut out an opposing team under Head Coach Eric Roof (2018-Pres.), and the earliest it has held an opponent scoreless to start a season since 2016, when the Eagles blanked NJIT, 8-0, in the third game of that season.
» Eastern Michigan's highest-scoring inning was the sixth when it pushed four runs across.
» Eastern pitchers limited Winthrop to just 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and faced 33 Winthrop hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out eight.
» Falinski earned his first collegiate victory on Sunday in his collegiate debut, allowing no earned runs on just two hits, fanning six batters in 7.0 innings of work.
» Kirk earned two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. The outfielder finished the series 8-for-13 with two RBIs, four runs scored, and two extra base hits. The eight knocks currently lead the team.
» Easter went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win. He currently rides a three-game hitting streak, tallying six total hits in the season-opening series.
» Taylor led Eastern's offense on Sunday, tabbing two RBIs, a home run, a walk, and a run scored in the win. The homer was Taylor's first of his career and the second home run of the season for the Eagles.
» Huebbe notched a hit, an RBI, and a run scored. Huebbe earned a hit in each of the three contests this weekend, including a triple, three RBIs, and four runs scored. Dating back to his two previously seasons with Northern Illinois (2020-21), Huebbe has earned a hit in every series in his collegiate career.
» EMU tabbed four walks on Sunday. In total, the Eagles earned 16 free passes in the three-game series against Winthrop. That is the most walks awarded since the team totaled 18 in a four-game series versus Ball State, April 16-18. Furthermore, it is the most walks in a three-game series since the Eagles recorded 18 free passes at Toledo, April 20-22, 2018.
Historical Notes
» The win marks the first time the Eagles have defeated Winthrop. Winthrop now holds the all-time series lead 1-4.
Up Next
The Eagles will continue with their trip south with a three-game series at Tennessee Tech, Feb. 25-27.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Falinski, Adam (1-0)
L: JONES, T. (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Taylor, Cory 1
RBI: Huebbe, Brady 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1 ; Easter, Shane 1 ; Taylor, Cory 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Huebbe, Brady 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1 ; Easter, Shane 1 ; Miller, Glenn 1 ; Rubner, Coltrane 1 ; Taylor, Cory 1
SB: Huebbe, Brady 1 ; Rubner, Coltrane 1
HBP: Hopkins, Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: SPYKE, J. 1
Base Running:
SB: CONRAD, C.J. 1
