Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
21-29, 0
Central Michigan
34-15, 0
Baseball Drops a Pair Saturday
5/14/2022 10:05:00 PM | Baseball
EMU will honor its seniors Sunday, May 15, in the team's final home game of 2022
Watch Complete Game | Photo Gallery
GAME 1 | Central Michigan 10, Eastern Michigan 4
GAME 2 | Central Michigan 7, Eastern Michigan 2
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- On a Saturday filled with sunshine, rain, and thunderstorms, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team dropped a pair to Central Michigan University, May 14, inside Oestrike Stadium.
In the first game, Junior Frankie Volkers (Maple Grove, Minn.-Maple Grove) (1-4) got the ball to start for Eastern Michigan (21-29, ) and took the loss.
Senior Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ontario-Leamington District (Parkland)) led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 1-for-4 in the ballgame with a home run and two RBI. Junior Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford (Toledo)) compiled a noteworthy day at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Senior Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) also chipped in, going 1-for-3 for Eastern Michigan with a double and an RBI.
In the nightcap, sophomore right-hander Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile) (1-3) got the ball to start game two for the Green and White, and took the loss. He gave way to redshirt junior Zach Gillig (Valley Center, Kan.-Valley Center (Pratt)), who was a bright spot for the Eagles, coming out of the bullpen and throwing five innings, giving up one run on three hits, with two walks and picking up five strikeouts.
At the plate, it was freshman Aaron Dolney (Plymouth, Mich.-Detroit Country Day (Nebraska)) who had the hot stick for Eastern under the lights. A three-hit day for the lefty included a double, a triple, and a walk to lead the Eagles. Kirk furnished 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI to help set the EMU offense. Senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) was also strong at the plate, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a walk.
How It Happened - Game 1
The Eagles were trailing 2-0 in the first inning when they first put runs on the board. Kirk put Eastern Michigan on the board with a two-out solo home run off sophomore Andrew Taylor.
The Eagles kept the Chippewas off the board before tying it up in the second. Eastern Michigan pushed across a run on Gora's two-out RBI double, which evened the score at 2-2.
Central Michigan busted up the tie and grabbed an 8-2 lead moving into the fifth, when Eastern Michigan closed the gap to 8-4. The Eagles added two to their tally on Warkentin's two-run homer to center. The Eagles were unable to get any closer, as CMU added two runs to its tally on the way to a 10-4 final.
Game Notes - Game 1
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 39 Central Michigan hitters in the game, allowing two ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out four.
» Warkentin led the Eagles at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. The home run was Warkentin's 15th on the season, a mark that leads the Mid-American Conference.
» Additionally, Kirk hit his 14th homer of the 2022 campaign, a number that puts the outfielder second on the squad in round-trippers.
» Warkentin (15) and Kirk (14) now sit first and second, respectively, atop the MAC's home run leaders.
How it Happened - Game 2
The Eagles were trailing 1-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. Dolney came across to score the lone run of the inning for Eastern Michigan and get them on the board.
The Chippewas then scored five runs to retake their advantage heading into the third inning, when the Eagles responded by getting back on the scoreboard themselves. Eastern Michigan pushed across a run on Kirk's two-out RBI double, which brought the score to 6-2 in favor of the Chippewas. The Eagles were unable to get any closer, as Central Michigan added one run to its tally on the way to a 7-2 final.
Game Notes – Game 2
» Dolney led the Eagles, compiling three hits in the ballgame. It was Dolney's 14th multiple-hit game of the season, which ranks fifth on the team and first among freshmen on this year's roster. It was his second game with three hits this season.
» Hopkins, with his two hits, recorded his 16th multiple-hit contest of the 2022 campaign. That number is tied for second on the team. He has notched five such performances in his last 10 outings, dating back to April 30.
» Gillig allowed just one run in his 5.0 innings of relief work against the Chippewas. He has now allowed just one run in his last 11.0 frames of baseball, his best stretch of one-run-or-less baseball this season. Additionally, he has thrown five or more innings in two consecutive appearances for just the second time this season. His first such outings came in a pair of games against Butler, March 20 (5.0) and Akron, March 25 (6.1), respectively.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 42 Central Michigan hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground
Historical Notes
» Warkentin's 15 round-trippers in 2022 are the ninth-most in EMU's history in a single season.
Up Next
EMU will honor its seniors Sunday, May 15, for Senior Day. Pregame Senior Day festivities will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. with first pitch set for 1 p.m. Fans can catch the action via Eagle All-Access.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: TAYLOR, Andrew (8-3)
L: Volkers, Frankie (1-4)
Batting:
2B: WUESTENFELD, Danny 1 ; LECHNIR, Drew 1 ; MORGAN, Robby 1
3B: MARSEE, Jakob 1
HR: CAMILLETTI, Mario 1
RBI: CAMILLETTI, Mario 2 ; MARSEE, Jakob 1 ; WUESTENFELD, Danny 2 ; LECHNIR, Drew 2 ; SHEPARDSON, Aidan 2
SF: WUESTENFELD, Danny 1 ; LECHNIR, Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CAMILLETTI, Mario 3 ; SIMPSON, Justin 1 ; MARSEE, Jakob 4 ; WUESTENFELD, Danny 1 ; MORGAN, Robby 1
SB: WUESTENFELD, Danny 1
HBP: WUESTENFELD, Danny 1 ; SHEPARDSON, Aidan 1
PO: MORGAN, Robby 1
Batting:
2B: Easter, Shane 1 ; Gora, Eli 1
HR: Warkentin, Daniel 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1
RBI: Warkentin, Daniel 2 ; Kirk, Matt 1 ; Gora, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Warkentin, Daniel 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1 ; Dolney, Aaron 1
HBP: Bault, Christian 1
