Eastern Michigan Athletics
Ready to Roll: 2023 EMU Baseball Season Preview
2/14/2023 4:42:00 PM | Baseball
The 2023 EMU baseball season gets underway Friday, Feb. 17, in Hoover, Ala.
Season Preview Video
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After leading the Mid-American Conference with 81 home runs and picking up 22 victories a season ago, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to begin play in 2023 when it heads to Hoover, Ala. for a season-opening three-game set with Northern Kentucky University in a neutral-site matchup between the Eagles and Norse. The first game of the season will begin at 3 p.m. CT and will be the first of 53 scheduled games for the team this season.
Leading the Eagles is Head Coach Eric Roof, who enters his fourth season as the full-time skipper for Eastern Michigan. Roof previously served as the program's Interim Head Coach in 2018 and as an assistant on the staff from 2015-17.
Jonathan Roof, the longest-tenured assistant coach on staff, enters his fourth season in 2023. He will command the hitting and defensive efforts for the team. Meanwhile, Aaron Hilt returns as the team's pitching coach after a successful first season in 2022 that saw his staff finish with a program-record 416 strikeouts. This year's staff also welcomes volunteer assistant coach Casey Wila, who will work closely with Jonathan Roof and the outfielders specifically. Wila comes to Ypsilanti from Aquinas College, where he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for six seasons (2016-21). In his final season with the Saints, Wila guided Aquinas' offense to 27 homers, a mark that ranks the highest in the program's history in the BBCOR (collegiate bat regulations) era.
The Eagles return 19 letterwinners to the 2023 squad, including 13 pitchers and five starters from the field. The team also welcomes including 19 newcomers to this season's roster.
Offensively, Eastern will return 43.6 percent of its run production for the upcoming 2023 campaign despite losing five meaningful bats from last year's lineup. On the bump, the Eagles bring back pitchers that accounted for 67 percent of its record 416 strikeouts a season ago.
PITCHING
Eastern Michigan's 2023 pitching staff will be led by multiple newcomers, and aided by an impressive selection of first-year arms.
Returning this season are bona fide starters Thomas House (Ross, Ohio-Ross), Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell), and Adam Fanlinski (Howell, Mich.-Detroit Catholic Central-Ashland).
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2022, House started in 14 games and fanned 64 batters in 65.2 innings pitched. Russo made seven appearances, including three starts, on the bump for the Green and White. Of all EMU hurlers who threw significant innings, Russo led the Eagles with an ERA of 3.63 including 30 strikeouts in 22.1 innings pitched. Additionally, he had a 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings average and a .154 opposing batting average. He etched his name in the record book, April 11, against Miami, racking up 11 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings of work, including a stretch of nine consecutive strikeouts. His 11 strikeouts tied for the second-most in a single game at EMU since 1999. Falinski was outstanding in his freshman season for EMU. He made 12 starts for the Eagles on the mound, and finished tied for the team lead in wins (4), including a team-leading four complete game performances..
The Green and White also welcome back key bullpen pieces, such as Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross), and Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile), among many others. Additionally, nine new pitchers will contribute for Eastern this season, as either "true freshmen," first-year transfers, or first-time-eligible players.
CATCHERS
EMU has five catchers on the 2023 roster, highlighted by returning pro prospect Aaron Dolney (Plymouth, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Nebraska-Hillsborough CC). Dolney appeared in 49 games, making 47 starts, for the Eagles in 2022. He finished second on the squad in batting average (.344) and slugging percentage (.597). Additionally, he finished ranked inside the top-10 in the MAC in batting average (10th), slugging percentage (7th), and runners caught stealing (14 - third). Dolney's seven homers in 2022 were good for fifth on EMU's squad. He finished with a .990 fielding percentage with 270 putouts and 34 defensive assists.
Returners Ryan Lux (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) and Jad Oestrike (Tomball, Texas-Tomball Memorial) add depth to the lineup behind the dish, while two first-year Eagles, Josh Kross (Burnswich, Ohio-Brunswick-Toledo), and Jackson Militello (Howell, Mich.-Howell) will look to make immediate impact as well.
INFIELD
Eastern Michigan's infield will see a mix of both returning and new faces this season. The infield is undoubtedly led by senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller), who will be Eastern Michigan's starting shortstop for the fifth consecutive season in 2023, a rarity in college baseball.
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2022, Hopkins made 54 starts for the Eagles. He finished with a .262 batting average, including 53 hits, seven home runs, and 29 RBIs. He finished the 2022 season with a team-best five-game hit streak, and raised his average nearly 40 points over the team's final 15 games. Additionally, Hopkins committed just one error in his final 10 games of the season.
Eastern also returns Evan Sines (Lancaster, Ohio-Lancaster), Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich.-Pentwater-Spring Arbor), Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville) and Darren Kraft (Mount Pleasant, S.C.-Oceanside Collegiate). Last season, Miller appeared in 28 games, making 22 starts, for EMU. He finished with a .260 batting average (20-for-77) including six extra-base hits (five doubles, one triple) and eight RBIs. Sines was able to play in just one game due to injury, but played in 18 as a freshman during the 2021 season. Taylor and Kraft added 17 and eight games of experience, respectively, a season ago.
The infield also welcomes a trio of newcomers in Hudson Davenport (Richomond, Mich.-Richmond), Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio-Mohawk), both freshmen, and Kross, who also catches.
OUTFIELD
The outfield will be patrolled by six-man group for the Eagles this season. Leading the way is Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford-Cypress-Toledo).
Kirk returns for the 2023 season after a storybook year in 2022 that saw him named the MAC's Player of the Year. He joined Brian Bixler (2004) and Greg Ryan (1997) as the only players to collect the MAC's ultimate award while donning the Green and White. Kirk also earned First Team All-MAC honors and was named to the All-MAC Defensive Team in 2022.
In his first season in Ypsilanti, Kirk finished the 2022 regular season tied for first in the NCAA Division I ranks in total doubles (25). Additionally, Kirk had some of the best numbers in the Mid-American Conference season. The Milford, Ohio native led the league in hits (80 - 37th nationally), doubles (25), home runs (17 - 44th nationally), and total bases (156 - 14th nationally).
Moreover, Kirk ranked in the top-10 in the MAC in slugging percentage (.693 - second in the MAC; 45th nationally), OPS (1.101 - second), RBIs (49 - seventh), and runs scored (50 - sixth). Furthermore, Kirk's 25 two-baggers this season tie the EMU single-season program record (Ryan - 25, 1997). When it came to power at the plate, Kirk's 17 round-trippers in 2022 is tied for fourth all-time in EMU's single-season history. Additionally, he had more extra-base hits (42) than strikeouts (38).
A testament to his mastery at the plate, Kirk finished sixth in the league in batting average (.356) all while leading the MAC in at-bats (225). The BA mark of .356 is the best single-season batting average by an Eagle since 2014. Kirk is just the second Eagle (Zachary Owings - 2018) to earn the All-MAC Defensive Team nod since the award was first given in 2015.
The transfer from Toledo had just 21 combined hits and one home run in two seasons in the Glass City prior to joining Eastern's team. He is considered the No. 9 overall best draft prospect in the MAC this year by Rawlings and Perfect Game.
Eastern also welcomes back Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich.-Essexville Garber), who started in 33 of his 39 appearances in the outfield for the Eagles last season, fishing with a .261 batting average. He led all freshmen with 30 hits, four home runs, and 20 RBIs, and recorded a fielding percentage of .963 in his rookie season.
Four new Eagles, Cole Wilcox (Shiocton, Wis.-Shiocton-Lake County), Blake McRae (Armada, Mich.-Romeo-Lansing C.C.), Chyran Humphries (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), and Kyle Schroedle (Redding, Calif.-University Prep-Crown College) will also bolster the back three.
WATCH: Friday's season-opener will be available to stream via EMUEagles.com/watch and the EMU Athletics mobile app. Coverage will begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch. Saturday and Sunday's respective contests will also be aired.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After leading the Mid-American Conference with 81 home runs and picking up 22 victories a season ago, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to begin play in 2023 when it heads to Hoover, Ala. for a season-opening three-game set with Northern Kentucky University in a neutral-site matchup between the Eagles and Norse. The first game of the season will begin at 3 p.m. CT and will be the first of 53 scheduled games for the team this season.
Leading the Eagles is Head Coach Eric Roof, who enters his fourth season as the full-time skipper for Eastern Michigan. Roof previously served as the program's Interim Head Coach in 2018 and as an assistant on the staff from 2015-17.
Jonathan Roof, the longest-tenured assistant coach on staff, enters his fourth season in 2023. He will command the hitting and defensive efforts for the team. Meanwhile, Aaron Hilt returns as the team's pitching coach after a successful first season in 2022 that saw his staff finish with a program-record 416 strikeouts. This year's staff also welcomes volunteer assistant coach Casey Wila, who will work closely with Jonathan Roof and the outfielders specifically. Wila comes to Ypsilanti from Aquinas College, where he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for six seasons (2016-21). In his final season with the Saints, Wila guided Aquinas' offense to 27 homers, a mark that ranks the highest in the program's history in the BBCOR (collegiate bat regulations) era.
The Eagles return 19 letterwinners to the 2023 squad, including 13 pitchers and five starters from the field. The team also welcomes including 19 newcomers to this season's roster.
Offensively, Eastern will return 43.6 percent of its run production for the upcoming 2023 campaign despite losing five meaningful bats from last year's lineup. On the bump, the Eagles bring back pitchers that accounted for 67 percent of its record 416 strikeouts a season ago.
PITCHING
Eastern Michigan's 2023 pitching staff will be led by multiple newcomers, and aided by an impressive selection of first-year arms.
Returning this season are bona fide starters Thomas House (Ross, Ohio-Ross), Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell), and Adam Fanlinski (Howell, Mich.-Detroit Catholic Central-Ashland).
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2022, House started in 14 games and fanned 64 batters in 65.2 innings pitched. Russo made seven appearances, including three starts, on the bump for the Green and White. Of all EMU hurlers who threw significant innings, Russo led the Eagles with an ERA of 3.63 including 30 strikeouts in 22.1 innings pitched. Additionally, he had a 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings average and a .154 opposing batting average. He etched his name in the record book, April 11, against Miami, racking up 11 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings of work, including a stretch of nine consecutive strikeouts. His 11 strikeouts tied for the second-most in a single game at EMU since 1999. Falinski was outstanding in his freshman season for EMU. He made 12 starts for the Eagles on the mound, and finished tied for the team lead in wins (4), including a team-leading four complete game performances..
The Green and White also welcome back key bullpen pieces, such as Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross), and Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile), among many others. Additionally, nine new pitchers will contribute for Eastern this season, as either "true freshmen," first-year transfers, or first-time-eligible players.
CATCHERS
EMU has five catchers on the 2023 roster, highlighted by returning pro prospect Aaron Dolney (Plymouth, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Nebraska-Hillsborough CC). Dolney appeared in 49 games, making 47 starts, for the Eagles in 2022. He finished second on the squad in batting average (.344) and slugging percentage (.597). Additionally, he finished ranked inside the top-10 in the MAC in batting average (10th), slugging percentage (7th), and runners caught stealing (14 - third). Dolney's seven homers in 2022 were good for fifth on EMU's squad. He finished with a .990 fielding percentage with 270 putouts and 34 defensive assists.
Returners Ryan Lux (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Stevenson) and Jad Oestrike (Tomball, Texas-Tomball Memorial) add depth to the lineup behind the dish, while two first-year Eagles, Josh Kross (Burnswich, Ohio-Brunswick-Toledo), and Jackson Militello (Howell, Mich.-Howell) will look to make immediate impact as well.
INFIELD
Eastern Michigan's infield will see a mix of both returning and new faces this season. The infield is undoubtedly led by senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller), who will be Eastern Michigan's starting shortstop for the fifth consecutive season in 2023, a rarity in college baseball.
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2022, Hopkins made 54 starts for the Eagles. He finished with a .262 batting average, including 53 hits, seven home runs, and 29 RBIs. He finished the 2022 season with a team-best five-game hit streak, and raised his average nearly 40 points over the team's final 15 games. Additionally, Hopkins committed just one error in his final 10 games of the season.
Eastern also returns Evan Sines (Lancaster, Ohio-Lancaster), Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich.-Pentwater-Spring Arbor), Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville) and Darren Kraft (Mount Pleasant, S.C.-Oceanside Collegiate). Last season, Miller appeared in 28 games, making 22 starts, for EMU. He finished with a .260 batting average (20-for-77) including six extra-base hits (five doubles, one triple) and eight RBIs. Sines was able to play in just one game due to injury, but played in 18 as a freshman during the 2021 season. Taylor and Kraft added 17 and eight games of experience, respectively, a season ago.
The infield also welcomes a trio of newcomers in Hudson Davenport (Richomond, Mich.-Richmond), Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio-Mohawk), both freshmen, and Kross, who also catches.
OUTFIELD
The outfield will be patrolled by six-man group for the Eagles this season. Leading the way is Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio-Milford-Cypress-Toledo).
Kirk returns for the 2023 season after a storybook year in 2022 that saw him named the MAC's Player of the Year. He joined Brian Bixler (2004) and Greg Ryan (1997) as the only players to collect the MAC's ultimate award while donning the Green and White. Kirk also earned First Team All-MAC honors and was named to the All-MAC Defensive Team in 2022.
In his first season in Ypsilanti, Kirk finished the 2022 regular season tied for first in the NCAA Division I ranks in total doubles (25). Additionally, Kirk had some of the best numbers in the Mid-American Conference season. The Milford, Ohio native led the league in hits (80 - 37th nationally), doubles (25), home runs (17 - 44th nationally), and total bases (156 - 14th nationally).
Moreover, Kirk ranked in the top-10 in the MAC in slugging percentage (.693 - second in the MAC; 45th nationally), OPS (1.101 - second), RBIs (49 - seventh), and runs scored (50 - sixth). Furthermore, Kirk's 25 two-baggers this season tie the EMU single-season program record (Ryan - 25, 1997). When it came to power at the plate, Kirk's 17 round-trippers in 2022 is tied for fourth all-time in EMU's single-season history. Additionally, he had more extra-base hits (42) than strikeouts (38).
A testament to his mastery at the plate, Kirk finished sixth in the league in batting average (.356) all while leading the MAC in at-bats (225). The BA mark of .356 is the best single-season batting average by an Eagle since 2014. Kirk is just the second Eagle (Zachary Owings - 2018) to earn the All-MAC Defensive Team nod since the award was first given in 2015.
The transfer from Toledo had just 21 combined hits and one home run in two seasons in the Glass City prior to joining Eastern's team. He is considered the No. 9 overall best draft prospect in the MAC this year by Rawlings and Perfect Game.
Eastern also welcomes back Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich.-Essexville Garber), who started in 33 of his 39 appearances in the outfield for the Eagles last season, fishing with a .261 batting average. He led all freshmen with 30 hits, four home runs, and 20 RBIs, and recorded a fielding percentage of .963 in his rookie season.
Four new Eagles, Cole Wilcox (Shiocton, Wis.-Shiocton-Lake County), Blake McRae (Armada, Mich.-Romeo-Lansing C.C.), Chyran Humphries (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), and Kyle Schroedle (Redding, Calif.-University Prep-Crown College) will also bolster the back three.
WATCH: Friday's season-opener will be available to stream via EMUEagles.com/watch and the EMU Athletics mobile app. Coverage will begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch. Saturday and Sunday's respective contests will also be aired.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballThank You from EMU Baseball!
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - EMU Baseball
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - Eastern Michigan Baseball
Monday, December 01
2026 Baseball Media Day Behind the Scenes
Saturday, November 22