Baseballl Battles Siena Heights and Michigan State in a Pair of Midweek Matchups

Baseball vs. Siena Heights \| Baseball at Michigan State
Date	Tuesday, April 19 vs. Siena Heights (3 p.m.) \| Wednesday, April 20 at Michigan State (6:35 p.m.)
Venue	Oestrike Stadium; Ypsilanti, Mich. \| McLane Stadium; East Lansing, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Game Notes \| Siena Heights Program
Watch	Eagle All-Access (Siena Heights) \| BTN+ (Michigan State)
Live Stats	EMUEagles.com
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will participate in back-to-back midweek contests when the Eagles host Siena Heights University, April 19, and travel to Michigan State University, April 20. Tuesday's game can be streamed via Eagle All-Access where Greg Steiner and Alex Jewell will have the call. Wednesday's contest can be streamed via Big Ten Plus (BTN+). Both games can also be followed via live stats on EMUEagles.com/livestats. The team's Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball, will also provide inning-by-inning updates throughout the games.
   Eastern (14-19, 10-10 MAC) dropped its most recent four-game series, April 15-17, falling to Ohio University in three-of-four games. The Saints split a Saturday doubleheader with Aquinas, April 16. The Spartans on the other hand were swept by in-state rival Michigan in a three-game series, April 15-17. MSU will host Oakland University Tuesday, April 19 before battling the Eagles.

DROPPIN' TANKS: The Eagles belted five homers in their four-game weekend series versus Ohio, April 15-17. Eastern Michigan has hit 46 home runs in its first 33 games of the 2022 season. That number equates to a 1.39 home runs per game average. EMU has not had a season with a home runs per game average better than 1.0 since 2009, when the Eagles belted 100 total homers, a 1.67 per game average.
   Additionally, the Eagles launched multiple home runs in a game for the 11th time this season when Eastern recorded two in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, April 16, against Ohio.
   EMU is tied for the lead in the MAC in total home runs (46). Moreover, the Eagles rank 47th in the nation in dingers and 39th in home runs per game. Three Eagles lead the team with 10 homers as senior Daniel Warkentin and juniors Gabe Denton and Matt Kirk pace Eastern. Additionally, only five student-athletes in the Mid-American Conference have totaled double-digit homers thus far, three of which reside on Eastern's roster. Warkentin was the first player in the MAC to reach double digit home runs.

HITTING THE 100-MARK: With a base hit on Sunday, April 17, senior captain Shane Easter tabbed his 100th career hit donning the Green and White. He now has 34 hits on the season for Eastern Michigan, which is the third-highest mark on the team. Additionally, Easter rides a five-game hitting streak dating back to April 11 versus Miami.

DANNY DEEPSHOTS: Senior Daniel Warkentin blasted three home runs in the four-game series versus Miami, April 9-11. The weekend performance included a homer in three consecutive games for the second baseman. With the trio of round-trippers, the Canadian is tied for the team lead, and the Mid-American Conference, in home runs (10).
   Warkentin blasted five home runs in the four-game series versus Akron, March 25-26. The weekend performance earned Warkentin his first career Mid-American Conference Player of the Week honor, March 29.
   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. The senior finished the weekend 7-for-17 with 10 RBIs on five homers, including 10 runs scored and three walks. Warkentin has recorded two multi-home run games this season.
   Additionally, the infielder rides a six-game hitting streak, recording a hit in every game dating back to April 2.

MATT'S BAT: Junior Matt Kirk continues his first year at EMU on fire at the plate. The outfielder leads the team in batting average (.355), hits (49), total bases (94), and extra base hits (25). Moreover, Kirk's 10 home runs is tied for a team-high and league-high. Kirk is second on the team with a slugging percentage of .681.,
   The outfielder leads the MAC in hits and doubles (15), and ranks second in the Mid-American Conference in slugging percentage, while his 1.095 OPS ranks third in the conference.

HISTORIC PERFORMANCES ON THE BUMP: Senior Zach Fruit (vs. Ohio, April 16), junior Luke Russo (at Miami, April 11) and freshman Adam Falinski (at Miami, April 10) each totaled 11 strikeouts in their respective outings.
   The 11 K's marks a career-high for all three hurlers. Additionally, the 11 punch outs by the trio is tied for second in EMU's modern statistical history (1999-Pres.) for strikeouts in an outing, tying with former Eagle Ryan Lavoie (11; at WMU, April 8, 2012). Sam Delaplane holds the top spot with 12 strikeouts versus Ohio, April 14, 2017.
   Fruit also made a notable occurrence in his start Saturday, April 16, versus Ohio when he struck out 10 batters in the first three innings of his start.

RUSSO RACKING UP W's: Junior Luke Russo had a perfect 2-0 week for the Green and White as he helped the Eagles to pair of wins and earned his first two collegiate victories. Against Miami, April 11, he etched his name in the record book, racking up 11 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings of work, including a stretch of nine consecutive K's. His 11 strikeouts tie for the second most in a single game at EMU since 1999
   Russo was incredible in his second start of the season for Eastern Michigan Sunday, April 17, as he propelled the Eagles to a series-finale victory over the visiting Ohio Bobcats.
   Nearly untouchable, Russo put together a career-best 6.0 innings on the bump, using 77 pitches to hold Ohio to just two hits and one earned run. The Howell, Mich. native had everything working, as he twice erased bases-loaded jams and worked to fan five different opposing hitters. The effort was good enough to earn Russo his second collegiate win, and his second in as many outings. The junior has battled two season-ending surgeries during his time at EMU, and returned Sunday to toss a special performance for the Green and White. It marks the first time in his career that he has notched consecutive victories.
   The righty has held opposing teams to two hits or less on four different occasions this season.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Captain Shane Easter finished with a hit Sunday. He now has 34 hits on the season for Eastern Michigan, which is the third-highest mark on the team. Additionally, Easter rides a five-game hitting streak dating back to April 11 versus Miami. Easter's base knock on Easter Sunday was the infielder's 100th of his career donning the Green and White.
   Additionally, Easter is third on the team in RBIs (24) and doubles (8). Furthermore, the captain has started all 29 games this season and has a fielding percentage of .991.
   In the series finale against Miami, April 11, Easter drove in four runs for Eastern Michigan. The four RBIs tie a career-high for the captain (4 at Austin Peay, Feb. 15, 2020). Additionally, it is Easter's fourth multi-RBI game of the 2022 season.

LOGAN'S HEROES: Freshman Logan Hugo has been outstanding for Eastern Michigan since entering into the everyday lineup during mid-March. The Essexville, Mich. native has 20 hits in 18 starts this season, and is currently hitting at a .317 clip. Through 63 collegiate at-bats, Hugo has manufactured a slugging percentage of .365, an on-base percentage of .443, and has recorded 14 RBIs. Already showing discipline beyond his years, he has also drawn as many walks (13) as strikeouts (13) this season.
   Hugo's most memorable moment came Sunday, April 10, at Miami, when he notched his first collegiate extra-base hit. Not only was it a home run, but it was a grand slam that helped EMU take the lead in the ballgame, for good, after being down, 7-6, in the seventh inning. Hugo finished the weekend series going 3-for-5 with an RBI, a walk, and three runs scored for the Green and White.
   The freshman finished the weekend 5-for-15 (.333) with eight RBIs, one homer, five walks, and five runs scored at Miami, April 9-11.

GOOD EYE!: The Eagles have been disciplined at the plate as the Green and White are second in the Mid-American Conference in fewest strikeouts (226). Additionally, EMU currently ranks fifth in the league in on-base percentage (.378) and owns the league lead in home runs (46).

HITTING FOR POWER: EMU powered five balls over the fence in the four-game series versus Ohio, April 15-17. Eastern has tallied a home run in eight of its last 10 games, recording 12 dingers in that span, including a home run in seven straight contests.
   The current streak is the fourth stretch of at least five-straight games with at least one home run this season. Prior to this season, EMU had not seen multiple five-contest home run streaks since 2009, when the team put together three streaks of five-or-more consecutive games (12 games, 6 games, 6 games) with a home run.

SCORING IN BUNCHES: The Eagles tallied four runs on four hits in the fourth inning in the series opener versus Ohio, April 15. It is the 15th time this season the Eagles have tallied four runs-or-more in a half-inning.
   In the final game of the Sunday doubleheader at Miami, April 10, the Eagles tallied seven runs in the seventh inning. The seven scores is the highest in an inning this season for EMU.

EMU BATS TOP THE MAC: Three Eagles lead the team with 10 homers as senior Daniel Warkentin and juniors Gabe Denton and Matt Kirk pace Eastern. Additionally, only five student-athletes in the Mid-American Conference have totaled double-digit homers thus far, three of which reside on Eastern's roster. Warkentin was the first player in the MAC to reach double digit home runs.
   Additionally, Warkentin (.716), Kirk (.681), Denton (.640) are the top-three in the MAC in slugging percentage. The trio also resides in the top-four in the league in OPS (Warkentin - 1.158; Kirk - 1.095; Denton - 1.071).

ALL-TIME AGAINST SIENA HEIGHTS: EMU and Siena Heights will meet for the 13th time this Tuesday, April 19. The Eagles lead the all-time series by a record of 11-1. Eastern will look to extend a six-game winning streak against the Saints. Siena Heights has not beat Eastern since 1983 when the Saints took down the Eagles 1-0, April 5.

ALL-TIME AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE: EMU and MSU will meet for the 139th time this Wednesday, April 20. The Spartans lead the all-time series by a record of 58-78-2. Eastern will look to snap a two-game losing streak against the Spartans. Eastern has not beat MSU since 2017 when EMU took down Michigan State 4-3, April 4.

LAST GAMES VERSUS THE SAINTS & SPARTANS: In the most recent meeting between EMU and Siena Heights, the Eagles topped the Saints 15-9, April 10, 2014. Eastern has outscored the Saints 65-13 in the last four contests against Siena Heights.
   As for MSU, Eastern fell to the Spartans 5-3, April 17, 2019.

LAST TIME IN YPSI & EAST LANSING: EMU defeated Siena Heights 15-9 last time the two programs met at Oestrike Stadium.
   Former Eagles John Rubino and Lee Longo recorded three hits and three RBI apiece to lead the EMU sluggers. Rubino also scored on three occasions while Longo crossed home twice. Austin Wilson, Sam Ott and Adam Sonabend chipped in as each knocked in two runs throughout the evening. Head Coach Jay Alexander's ballclub chalked up 11 combined runs in back-to-back innings, including seven in the bottom of the seventh.
   Last time on the road against Michigan State, the Eagles fell to MSU 5-3, April 17, 2019. Despite knocking three hits through the first three innings, Eastern's offense was unable to score before the weather delay. Then-freshman Taylor Hopkins, redshirt sophomore Jeff Timko, and junior Nick Jones all notched one-baggers for the Green and White. Following the delay, the offense remained stagnant, failing to score in the first three frames after the game resumed.

HISTORY AT OESTRIKE: Opening in 1971, Oestrike Stadium will hold its 51st season of baseball inside the park in 2022. EMU holds a 550-414-2 all-time record at the venue, and has compiled just 12 losing seasons at Oestrike since its opening.
    The home of EMU baseball is named after legendary EMU baseball head coach Ron Oestrike, who led the Green and White from 1965-87, winning an NAIA national championship and four Mid-American Conference titles during his tenure leading the Green and White.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan hits the road for a four-game set at the University of Toledo, April 22-24.

Baseballl Battles Siena Heights and Michigan State in a Pair of Midweek Matchups

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Players Mentioned

Gabe Denton

Shane Easter

Adam Falinski

Zach Fruit

Taylor Hopkins

Logan Hugo

Nick Jones

Matt Kirk

Luke Russo

Jeff Timko

Daniel Warkentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics