Baseball Splits Saturday Double-Dip, Wins Series Over Zips

Photo Gallery

Game 1: EMU 8, AKR 5
Game 2: AKR 7, EMU 5 (11)

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a successful day on the diamond for the Eastern Michigan University baseball team, as it split a doubleheader with the University of Akron to claim the overall series victory against the Zips, three games to one, March 26, at Oestrike Stadium.

Eastern (8-13, 4-4 MAC) defeated Akron (6-15, 5-7 MAC) by an 8-5 margin in game one behind 11 hits and solid pitching. Although the Eagles had a chance to claim victory in the bottom of the ninth in game two of the double-dip, it was Akron that persisted for the 7-5, 11-inning victory.

Senior Brady Huebbe (Peru, Ill.-La Salle-Peru (Northern Illinois)) racked up a career-high three hits to lead EMU's offensive attack in game one of the Saturday doubleheader. In addition to his three hits, one of which was a home run, Huebbe added a walk and two RBIs to lead the Eagles. Freshman Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich.-Essexville Garber) put together a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. Junior Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)) also helped the Eagles' offense, adding a late-game double and an RBI in the contest.

Freshman Dom Anderson (Hagerstown, Ind.-Hagerstown) (1-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Eastern Michigan. His first collegiate win, the right-hander went five innings, giving up one run on three hits, allowing two walks, and striking out four. His innings pitched and strikeout totals are season-highs for the first-year Eagle.

How It Happened – Game 1
The Eagles scored in six different innings on the way to the win. Eastern Michigan broke a 4-4 tie and took the lead for good at 5-4 in the fifth inning. The Eagles punctuated their two-run inning with a run-scoring double from Denton.

Game Notes – Game 1
» Eastern fell behind in the first inning of each of the first three games of the series against the Zips. However, each time the squad has responded, this time knotting the score at 1-all in the bottom of the second inning. Eastern came into the weekend 0-6 when the opponent had scored first.
» The Zips struck out eight times in the first five innings against EMU pitching. Conversely, the Eagles were not retired via the strikeout until the seventh inning. Overall, the streak for Eastern continues, as the last time an EMU batter was not struck out when batting was April 23, 2017, at Western Michigan (L, 1-6).
» The bats were again alive in "Hits-ilanti", as the Eagles recorded 11 hits. It marked the first time this season that the Eagles had pounded out 10-or-more base knocks in three consecutive games. The last occurrence came May 1-7, 2021, when Eastern did it in four straight games with 23, 15, 12, and 11, respectively.
» Huebbe picked up a career-high three base hits in the game for Eastern Michigan. His eighth multi-hit game of the season, Huebbe has recorded two-or-more hits in three consecutive contests (ties season-best effort).
» Senior Thomas House (Ross, Ohio-Ross) got the start on the mound for the Green and White, going 4.0 innings. House struck out six Zips hitters, which ties his career-high. He has hit the number twice previously, including once this season (Feb. 19, at Winthrop).
» The Eagles out-hit the Zips at an 11-7 clip. It marks the 11th game this season in which Eastern has out-hit its competition, seven of which have been wins.
» Hugo matched his career-high with two knocks at the dish in game three of the series against Akron. He has hit the mark twice previously.
» With the win, EMU claimed its second overall and first Mid-American Conference series victory of 2022.

How it Happened – Game 2
The Eagles got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Eastern Michigan plated two runs when Warkentin left the yard with junior Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford (Toledo)) aboard.

The Zips failed to push any runs across before the Eagles built on their lead in the third inning. EMU picked up a run on Warkentin's leadoff home run, his second long ball of the game, which brought the score to 3-0 in favor of the Eagles.

Akron clawed back to even the ballgame at three before Eastern Michigan reclaimed a 5-3 advantage in the seventh inning. Huebbe's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run output in the frame for the Eagles. The Eagles were unable to hold the lead, as Akron scored four times over the remaining four innings to grab the 7-5 win.

Game Notes – Game 2
» Warkentin bolstered another two home runs in the series finale against Akron, bringing his weekend total to five, while increasing his current hitting streak to a career-best 10 games. His previous best hitting stretch came in 2020, when he recorded knocks in seven consecutive contests between Feb. 28-March 8.
» Warkentin's 10-game hitting streak is the best of any Eagle this season. Junior Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford (Toledo)) previously held the top spot, at nine games, and accomplishment he recorded between March 4-20.
» Warkentin has recorded multiple home runs in two-or-more contests for the first time in his career. He hit a pair in game in game two of the weekend series against Akron, March 25, before belting another pair off the Zips in Saturday's finale, March 26.
» Junior Frankie Volkers (Maple Grove, Minn.-Maple Grove (North Iowa)) made his first start with Eastern Michigan, putting together a solid series-finale performance. The Maple Grove, Minn. Native went a career-best 5.0 innings on the bump, while racking up three strikeouts and issuing just two free passes.
» Eastern Michigan played its first extra-inning game of the season in the finale against Akron. The contest is the 21st of the season for the Green and White. Last season, the Eagles saw their first extra baseball in their 13th game, also against the Zips, March 21.
» Eastern Michigan left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» Warkentin led the Eagles with three RBIs in the contest. It marks the third contest this season in which Warkentin has tallied at least three runs batted in. His season-high of four came in game two of the series against the Zips.
» Senior Shane Easter (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Comstock) led the Eagles with three walks in the series finale against the Zips. That ties his career-high mark, which he set against Concordia (Ann Arbor), March 27, 2019.
» Junior lefty Trevor House (Mason, Ohio-Ross) spent a season-high 2.2 innings on the bump against Akron, March 26. He racked up a career-high five strikeouts in the outing. His previous high came at Butler, March 19.

Historical Notes
» Game time temperature was 35 degrees with snow flurries for game one of Saturday's doubleheader, the coldest first pitch for an EMU home game at Oestrike Stadium since March 22, 2015. That day the Eagles also hosted the Zips with first pitch at 30 degrees but under sunny skies.
» The last time Eastern won three consecutive games after trailing was during the 2019 campaign against Toledo, April 26-28. EMU fell behind one run against the Rockets in the opener before notching a 6-5 win at home. In game two, the Midnight Blue and Gold also had a one-run cushion early before EMU won 5-3. Finally, in the finale, Toledo had a 4-1 edge in the fourth before Eastern scored five runs in between the fifth and six innings to escape with a 6-5 triumph.
» The Eagles hit round-trippers in each of the four games of the series, the third-longest streak of the season for the squad. EMU's longest stretch is eight, between March 5-20, while also posting a five-game streak Feb. 19-27.
» Warkentin recorded five home runs in the four-game set against the Zips. He is the first Eastern Michigan player to hit five deep shots in a four-game stretch since the 2009 season, when Jim Gulliver did it between May 8-12.
» Eastern won four straight games against Akron (one game in 2021, three in 2022) and is now 10-9 in the series at Oestrike Stadium. The Eagles have averaged better than 6.0 runs per game since the Zips dating back to the 1999 season.
» Game four of Eastern's series against the Akron Zips, March 26, marked the team's first extra-innings contest since April 10, 2021, when the team lost in a game at Ohio University, 2-1, in 10 innings.

Up Next
EMU returns home to face Western Michigan in a four-game, Mid-American Conference set Friday-Sunday, April 1-3. All games are free to the public, and will also be streamed via Eagle All-Access at EMUEagles.com/watch.

Next Event

Team Stats

Brady Huebbe

Taylor Hopkins

Logan Hugo

Matt Kirk

Players Mentioned

Dom Anderson

Gabe Denton

Shane Easter

Thomas House

Trevor House

Brady Huebbe

Logan Hugo

Matt Kirk

Frankie Volkers

Players Mentioned

Dom Anderson

Gabe Denton

Shane Easter

Thomas House

Trevor House

Brady Huebbe

Logan Hugo

Matt Kirk

Frankie Volkers

Eastern Michigan Athletics