Baseball Set for Weekend Clash at Northern Illinois

Baseball at Northern Illinois
Date	Friday-Sunday, May 6-8 \| Game 1 - 3 p.m. CT; Games 2/3 (DH) - 12 p.m. CT; Game 4 - 12 p.m. CT
Venue	Ralph McKinzie Field \| DeKalb, Ill.
Preview Info	EMU Game Notes
Watch	NIU All-Access
Live Stats	EMUEagles.com
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball \| @EMUAthletics

DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will play a critical Mid-American Conference series against Northern Illinois University Friday-Sunday, May 6-8, in DeKalb. Friday's action is set to get underway at 3 p.m. CT, with a Saturday doubleheader and Sunday series finale also on the docket at Ralph McKinzie Field.
   Eastern (19-25, 13-15 MAC) is one spot out of the league's top-4, the cut off point to earn a bid into the upcoming MAC Tournament. The Eagles currently sit behind Ball State, Central Michigan, Toledo, and Ohio. A series victory over Northern (9-33, 8-18 MAC) can help the Eagles stay in contention for postseason play.
   Although the games will not be aired on Eagle All-Access, fans can catch this weekend's action via NIU's livestream, NIU All-Access, which can be found by visiting www.NIUHuskies.com/watch.

WALK IT OFF: Down 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, EMU's Daniel Warkentin came up big for the Green and White against BGSU, April 29, hitting a walk-off single to give Eastern the win. It was Eastern's first walk-off win of the season and the first time EMU has notched a walk-off hit since former Eagle Nick Jones tallied an RBI single to defeat Ball State, 2-1, April 17, 2021. Furthermore, it is Warkentin's first career walk-off hit.
   Moreover, the game-winning base knock was the first time Eastern had won a game in walk-off fashion since Taylor Hopkins tabbed a two-run walk-off home run to defeat Kent State 5-4, May 28, 2021.

FIFTH FROM BEHIND: Down one run in the ninth inning, Eastern tabbed two runs on three hits in the last half inning to defeat the Falcons of Bowling Green, April 29. It is EMU's fifth come-from-behind victory this season (see page 8 for the full list).

ANOTHER 11 K DAY: Freshman hurler Adam Falinski was outstanding on the bump against Bowling Green in game one of EMU's Saturday doubleheader against the Falcons, April 30. Falinski fanned 11 Falcons hitters. The 11 K's ties a season-high for Falinski and ties the most an Eagle hurler has notched in a contest this season (Falinski - 11; Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell) - 11).
   Additionally, the 11 punch outs by Falinski is tied for second in EMU's modern statistical history (1999-Pres.) for strikeouts in an outing (Falinski - 11, Russo - 11, and Ryan Lavoie -11)

HOPKINS HEATING UP: Junior Taylor Hopkins was outstanding for EMU against Bowling Green in game three of the four-game weekend set, April 30. Hopkins collected four hits on the day to tie a career-high (4 vs. St. Bonaventure, May 1, 2021). Additionally, the shortstop is just the fourth Eagle this season to tab four hits in a contest (Aaron Dolney, Matt Kirk, and Daniel Warkentin).
   After hitting just .229 in his first 39 games this season, the Mason, Ohio native has erupted during his last five. Hopkins is a team-best .500 at the dish (11-for-22) during that stretch, with three home runs (tied for the team lead), a team-best seven RBIs, and .955 slugging percentage. Additionally, he has not gone down via the strikeout during that stretch.

DID YOU SAY EIGHT?!: EMU blasted eight home runs en route to its 19-4, series-finale victory over BGSU, May 1. The eight home runs are a season-high for the Eagles, surpassing the previous season-high of six at Morehead State, March 5. Additionally, it is the third time this season EMU has amassed five homers-or-more in a contest (6 at Morehead State, March 5 and 5 vs. Akron, March 25). Before the 2022 campaign, the Eagles did not hit five homers in a game since 2009 when Eastern launched six vs. Ohio, May 22.
   Furthermore, the eight homers is the seventh-most by a team in a contest in the NCAA Division I this season. EMU is the fourth NCAA DI program to hit eight deep shots. Eastern's eight home runs is the second-highest mark in the program's history. EMU totaled nine homers versus Bowling Green, April 8, 2009.

HUEBBE HUNDREDS: With three hits against BGSU Sunday, May 1, senior Brady Huebbe surpassed 100 career hits (51 hits at Northern Illinois). Huebbe joins teammate Shane Easter as the only two active Eagles to reach the 100 career hit mark. Easter has recorded the feat solely at EMU.

TAKE A BOWWWWWWWWWWW: EMU took its series against Bowling Green, 3-1. EMU has now taken 11 consecutive series from Bowling Green, dating back to 2005.

WOWZERS, WILL: Senior Will Oberg had a career day for Eastern against BGSU, May 11. The third baseman went 3-for-4 with three RBIs on a home run and a double. The round-tripper was Oberg's first of the season. Furthermore, his three hits and three RBIs are both career-highs.

19 RUNS OF FUN: Eastern put up 19 runs against Bowling Green, May 1. The 19 runs by the Eagles is a season-best. The last time EMU earned 19-or-more runs was May 1, 2021, when the Green and White amassed 20 at St. Bonaventure.

THE BIG 20: The Eagles notched a season-high 20 hits in their game, May 1. It is the most hits Eastern has recorded since the Eagles tallied 23 at St. Bonaventure, May 1, 2021.

FIVE GUYS: Five different Eagles tabbed a home run against BGSU, May 1. It is the second time this year five EMU batters have tallied a homer (at Morehead State, March 5).

TRIPLE THREAT: Senior Daniel Warkentin led the Eagles at the plate Sunday, May 1, going 3-for-5 with three home runs and three RBIs. His three round-trippers are a career-high for the second baseman. Additionally, it was Warkentin's third multi-home run game of the 2022 campaign.
   Warkentin's three long shots are tied for third-most in the NCAA Division I ranks this season. Additionally, Warkentin is the 37th player in the nation this season to total three homers in a game. Moreover, the second baseman is the first Eagle to round the pillows three times in a game since former Eagle Jordan Peterson did it at NIU, May 14, 2017.
   The Leamington, Ontario native now leads the Eagles, and the Mid-American Conference, with 14 homers on the year. His 14 round-trippers are tied for ninth-most in EMU's history in a single season.

MATT'S BAT: Junior Matt Kirk has some of the best numbers in the Mid-American Conference this season. The Milford, Ohio native is third in the league in home runs (12), first in doubles (18), OBP + slugging (1.076) and slugging percentage (.672), and ranks inside the league's top-10 in hits (2nd - 62), and RBIs (6th - 36).

DROPPIN' TANKS: EMU hit 11 more home runs in its weekend series against Bowling Green. Eastern Michigan has hit 66 home runs in 44 games this season. That number equates to a 1.5 home runs per game average. Eastern 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.
   EMU leads the MAC in total home runs (66). Moreover, the Eagles rank 26th in the nation in dingers and 26th in home runs per game. Senior Daniel Warkentin paces the Mid-American Conference with 14 homers this season.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Captain Shane Easter is fourth on the team with 40 hits this season. Additionally, Easter is fourth on the team in RBIs (27) and third in doubles (8). Furthermore, the captain has started all 44 games this season and has a fielding percentage of .987.

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 (287). Additionally, EMU owns the league lead in home runs (66) and home runs per game (1.5).

SCORING IN BUNCHES: EMU scored four runs in three separate innings against Bowling Green, May 1. The Eagles have scored four-or-more runs in a single inning 21 times this season.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles return home for their final home weekend of the 2022 campaign when they host in-state rival, Central Michigan University, Friday-Sunday, May 13-15. Fans can catch the action on Eagle All-Access.

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Players Mentioned

Aaron Dolney

Shane Easter

Adam Falinski

Taylor Hopkins

Brady Huebbe

Nick Jones

Matt Kirk

Will Oberg

Luke Russo

Daniel Warkentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics