Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
2-5
Morehead State
3-7
Baseball Powers Past Morehead State, 6-4
3/4/2022 7:59:00 PM | Baseball
The Eagles will finish the three-game series Saturday, March 5, with a doubleheader set to being at 12 p.m.
MOREHEAD, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team tallied a season-high 14 hits to defeat Morehead State University, 6-4, in non-conference action Friday, March 4, at Allen Field.
Senior Justin Reinkall (Superior, Wis.-Superior (Southeast)) (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Eastern Michigan (2-5). The right-hander went one shutout inning without giving up a hit, no walks and striking out one. Freshman Dom Anderson (Hagerstown, Ind.-Hagerstown) also pitched well, going three innings, surrendering one run on two hits, walking one and striking out two.
Junior Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford (Toledo)) led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 2-for-5 in the ballgame with a double and two RBIs. Senior Brady Huebbe (Peru, Ill.-La Salle-Peru (Northern Illinois)) put together a noteworthy day at the dish as well, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Senior Shane Easter (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Comstock) also contributed, going 2-for-3 for Eastern with an RBI.
How It Happened
The Eagles got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Eastern Michigan plated two runs off of Morehead State pitching, one of which was driven in on a run-scoring double off the bat of Huebbe.
The MSU then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 2-1 until EMU expanded their advantage in the fifth. Eastern Michigan pushed across a run on Kirk's one-out RBI double, which brought the Eagles' lead to 3-1.
Morehead State came back to even the ballgame at three before Eastern Michigan reclaimed a 4-3 advantage in the seventh inning.
Eastern Michigan held MSU without a run before their offense got in gear the next inning. Kirk's run-scoring single brought home one run in a two-run output for the Eagles, bringing the Eastern Michigan advantage to 6-3. Morehead State put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but EMU still held on for the 6-4 win.
Game Notes
» Every Eastern Michigan starter reached base safely in the win.
» Eastern Michigan's highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed two runs across.
» The Green and White never trailed in the contest on Friday.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 38 Morehead State hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out four.
» EMU tabbed a season-high 14 hits in the series opener on Friday afternoon.
» For the first time this season, six Eagles earned multiple hits (Huebbe - 2, Kirk - 2, Easter - 2, Bault - 2, Gora - 2, Taylor - 2). Additionally, it is the first time EMU has had six-or-more Eagles tally multiple base knocks in a game since the team did so in a 10-8 victory over Bowling Green State University, May 7, 2021.
» Kirk went 2-for-5 with a team-high two RBIs and a double. It is Kirk's fifth multi-hit game of the season, a mark that leads the team. Furthermore, the two RBIs for Kirk gives the outfielder his second game of the season with multiple RBIs (3 RBI at Tennessee Tech, Feb. 26).
» Easter finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored, and a walk. With a base knock today, the senior extends his hitting streak to seven games. Easter has tallied a hit in every game this season.
» Senior Christian Bault (Maineville, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) earned a season-high two hits, to go along with an RBI. Bault has earned an RBI in three straight contests, totaling five on the year.
» Sophomore Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville) recorded his first multi-hit game of his collegiate career, going 2-for-5 for the Green and White.
» Senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) finished 1-for-4 with game-highs in runs scored (3) and walks (2). The base knock extends Hopkins' hitting streak to four games as the senior has only failed to earn a hit in one game this season.
» Reinkall tabbed his second career win, tossing one inning in relief, striking out a batter.
» Anderson notched his first collegiate save, throwing a career-high 3.0 innings, allowing only one earned run on two hits and fanning a pair of MSU batters.
» The victory snaps a three-game losing skid for EMU.
Historical Notes
» The victory is EMU's fourth over Morehead State in school history. MSU leads the all-time head-to-head series 4-6.
Up Next
EMU returns to Allen Field to compete against Morehead State in a Saturday doubleheader to complete the three-game series. First pitch for the first game is set for 12 p.m. Both contests can be streamed via ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reinkall, Justin (1-0)
L: SHERMAN, John (0-1)
S: Anderson, Dom (1)
Batting:
2B: Huebbe, Brady 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1
RBI: Huebbe, Brady 1 ; Kirk, Matt 2 ; Easter, Shane 1 ; Bault, Christian 1
SH: Easter, Shane 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hopkins, Taylor 3 ; Huebbe, Brady 2 ; Easter, Shane 1
SB: Rubner, Coltrane 1
HBP: Easter, Shane 1 ; Denton, Gabe 1
PO: Gora, Eli 1
Batting:
2B: FELTNER, Jackson 1 ; BECKER, Colton 2
RBI: PREECE, Ryley 1 ; FELTNER, Jackson 1 ; JACOBS, Alex 2
SH: PREECE, Ryley 1 ; SHOUPE, Brody 1
SF: JACOBS, Alex 2
Base Running:
RUNS: FELTNER, Jackson 2 ; BECKER, Colton 2
