Baseball Ready for Season-Opening Series Against Northern Kentucky

Baseball vs. Northern Kentucky (Hoover, Ala.)
Date	Friday-Sunday, Feb. 17-19 \| 1 p.m. CT, 1 p.m. CT, 12 p.m. CT
Venue	Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Hoover, Ala.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch/Listen	Eagle All-Access

HOOVER, Ala. (EMUEagles.com) - At long last, baseball is back! The Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to escape the cold of Michigan as it heads south to take on Northern Kentucky University in a three-game, season-opening stretch beginning Friday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. CT. Games two and three of the series will follow suit Saturday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. CT and Sunday, Feb. 19, at 12 p.m. CT with each competition taking place inside the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, in Hoover, Ala. Eastern Michigan will be the home team in games one and three, respectively, and will play as the road team in game two.
   The games will be broadcast via Eagle All-Access with Greg Steiner and Alex Jewell on the call. Additional statistics will be available through live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats. The team's Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball, will also provide score updates throughout the games.

EMU IN SEASON OPENERS: Eastern Michigan is entering its 75th season in 2023, with its start dating back to 1949. In its 74 previous seasons, Eastern is 36-38 in season openers. After consecutive season-opening wins in 2020 and 2021, respectively, EMU fell it is lid-lifter at Winthrop in 2022, 11-9, in Rock Hill, S.C., Feb. 18.

THE SEASON AHEAD: Eastern is scheduled to play 54 regular-season contests in 2023, including 21 inside Oestrike Stadium. After playing 22 home contests a season ago, 2023 will mark the first time EMU has played 20+ home games in consecutive years since the 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively.
   Eastern will play its first 10 games away from the State of Michigan. The set includes the three neutral-site games in Hoover, coupled with a three-game trip to the University of Evansville (Indiana), Feb. 24-26, and four-game stretch at Towson University (Maryland), March 3-5. The Green and White will play on Mitten State soil for the first time when it heads to Oakland University, March 7, for a single game against the Golden Grizzlies.

ALL THE LEAGUES EMU WILL FACE: Eastern Michigan is set to play teams from seven different conferences in 2023. In addition to its regular Mid-American Conference foes, EMU will face two teams from the Horizon League (Northern Kentucky and Oakland), and one team from each of the following: Missouri Valley Conference (Evansville), Colonial Athletic Association (Towson), Big East Conference (Butler), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Niagara), Big Ten Conference (Michigan State). EMU will also play two non-NCAA Division I opponents (Alma and Concordia).

IN THE HEART OF DIXIE: Since the 1998 season, Eastern Michigan has made just four prior trips to the State of Alabama, compiling a record of 4-6-1 in that time. In 2010, EMU traveled to Mobile, Ala., for the Coke Classic, falling to South Alabama, 11-5, and Wichita State, 11-1, before picking up the win against North Florida, 10-8. EMU and South Alabama met for one more contest in Mobile, with the Jaguars coming away with the 15-14 victory.
A season later, EMU trekked to Huntsville, Ala., taking on Alabama A&M in a single contest and earning the win, 13-1.
The Eagles returned to the Heart of Dixie in 2019, taking on NJIT in a four-game series in Hoover, Ala., falling 5-4, 10-4, and 10-9 in the first three games and ending in a tie, 9-9, after eight innings in the final contest.
   The Eagles played two games against Alabama State, picking up a pair of victories, to begin the 2021 campaign as well.

OVERVIEW OF 2023 ROSTER: Head Coach Eric Roof and the Eagles welcome back 20 letterwinners to the 2023 squad. EMU returns 13 pitchers and five starters from the field, including 17 newcomers to this season's roster. An offense that tied for the league lead in homers (81) in 2022, 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.

RETURNING PRODUCTION: The Eagles have good returning production at the plate this season, as 46 percent of the team's overall hitting is back from a season ago. A total of 239 of EMU's 515 total knocks came from players that return in 2023, while 54 percent (181-of-333) of the squad's overall RBIs were produced by players that are on this year's team. EMU hit 81 long balls during the 2021 campaign, 37 of which (46%) were hit by returning players in 2023.
   On the bump, the Eagles bring back pitchers that accounted for 67 percent of their record 416 strikeouts a season ago. Returning this season are bona fide starters Thomas House, Luke Russo, and Adam Fanlinski.         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.

WELCOME BACK, KING KIRK: Eastern Michigan welcomes back the reigning MAC Player of the Year, Matt Kirk, back to Ypsilanti this season. 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.
   Kirk finished the 2022 regular season tied for first in the NCAA Division I ranks in total doubles (25). 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). Kirk's 25 two-baggers tied 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.

PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Matt Kirk's historic 2022 campaign has garnered national recognition as the outfielder was recognized as a Preseason All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Dec. 19, 2022. Kirk, who led the MAC in hits (80 - 37th nationally), doubles (25), home runs (17 - 44th nationally), and total bases (156 - 14th nationally), was voted as a Third Team All-American by the organization.
   The last time an Eagle earned the "All-American" title following a season was Brian Bixler who garnered the ditinction in 2004.

PG/RAWLINGS' TOP PROSPECTS: Perfect Game USA, one of the nation's leaders in amateur scouting and player evaluation, and Rawlings, have named Eastern Michigan University baseball student-athlete Matt Kirk its Preseason Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, the organization announced today, Jan. 31.
   Additionally, Kirk was selected as the No. 2 overall draft prospect for the league in 2023, while Adam Falinski was named the No. 2 overall prospect for eligible players in 2024. Eastern Michigan senior shortstop Taylor Hopkins made the 2023 list as the 19th-best prospect in the league.

NEW ADDITION - CASEY WILA: In addition to its new players, Eastern Michigan also welcomes one new staff member in 2023 - volunteer assistant coach Casey Wila. Wila will work closely with the outfielders and hitters, helping assistant coach Jonathan Roof with an EMU offense that belted a Mid-American Conference-leading 81 home runs in 2021.
   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 as the highest in the program's history in the BBCOR (official bat construction restriction) era.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern was selected to finish eigth overall in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, as announced by the league office, Feb. 15

MAC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Ball State (5 first place votes) - 115
2. Central Michigan (3) - 107
3. Kent State (1) - 96
4. Toledo (1) - 86
5. Miami (1) - 70
6. Ohio - 68
7. Western Michigan - 53
8. Eastern Michigan - 52
9. Bowling Green - 39
10. Northern Illinois - 27
11. Akron - 13

Tournament Champions: Ball State (5), Central Michigan (2), Kent State (1), Miami (1), Northern Illinois (1), Toledo (1)

REMEMBERING 2022: Eastern Michigan baseball finished the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 22-34, and 16-24 in conference play.
   The team's 22 wins mark the most since the 2018 team's 22. In addition, EMU has now recorded 20-or-more wins in all but three full seasons since 1999. The Eagles did not reach 20 wins in 2008 (17), 2014 (19), and 2019 (11). The 2020 season is excluded as 20 games were not played.

RE-WRITING THE HISTORY BOOKS IN 2022: With its 35 strikeouts of Kent State hitters in its final series of 2022, Eastern Michigan's pitching staff officially set a school record for strikeouts in a season (416). The previous high, set in 2012, was 389.
   At the plate, junior Matt Kirk amassed 25 doubles on the year. His 25 two-baggers tie EMU's single-season program record (Greg Ryan - 25, 1997). Furthermore, Kirk's 17 home runs in 2022 are tied for fourth all-time in EMU program history in a single season.
GOOD EYE!: The Eagles were disciplined at the plate in 2022 as the Green and White finished third in the Mid-American Conference in fewest strikeouts (382). Eastern finished the season with 275 walks (197 bases on balls and 78 HBP). The Eagles also led the MAC in home runs (81) and finished second in the conference in total bases (883).

DROPPIN' TANKS IN 2022: Eastern Michigan finished the 2022 campaign with 81 home runs in 56 games. That number equates to a 1.45 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, its program-best.
   The 81 round-trippers is also good for third in EMU program history in a single season. The Eastern Michigan team in 2009 launched 100 homers, a program record.
   EMU led the MAC in total home runs. Moreover, the Eagles ranked 32nd in the nation in dingers and 42nd in home runs per game. Additionally, EMU finished 55th in Division I baseball in slugging percentage (.481).
   Matt Kirk (17) sat atop the league lead in homers while former Eagle Daniel Warkentin finished second in the conference with 15 home runs. Then-seniors Brady Huebbe (11 - seventh) and Gabe Denton (10 - 10th)

HOPKINS ENDS THE YEAR HOT: Senior Taylor Hopkins will be critical to EMU's success this season. 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.

DON'T LOOK PAST DOLNEY: Eastern Michigan returns veteran catcher Aaron Dolney in 2023. 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.

MORE ON RUSSO: Pitcher Luke Russo finished the 2022 season tied for the team lead with four wins on the year (4-0). The wins came on four consecutive appearances for the right-hander. It marked the first time in his career that he has notched four consecutive victories. In his last four appearances (two starts), Russo amassed 25 strikeouts, allowing just four earned runs on nine hits in 18.0 innings of work.

HUGO READY FOR MORE: Eastern Michigan outfielder Logan Hugo was impressive during his freshman campaign one season ago. Hugo, who started in 33 of his 39 appearances in the outfield for the Eagles last season, finishing 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

SCOUTING NKU: The Norse finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 19-35 and a 11-17 mark in Horizon League play. NKU reached the second round of the league's postseason tournament before falling to Youngstown State University, 11-7.
   Northern Kentucky finished the 2022 campaign second in its conference in doubles (107), home runs (53), RBIs (313), total bases (789), and slugging percentage (43.3). On the bump, the Norse recorded the highest team ERA in the conference (7.41).

ALL-TIME VS. THE NORSE: Eastern is undefeated when facing NKU, besting the Norse four times in the all-time head-to-head series (4-0). The last time the two programs met, March 15, 2014, EMU defeated NKU, 13-2, and, 13-3, respectively in a neutral-site doubleheader. In the four victories over Northern Kentucky, Eastern has outscored the Norse, 43-15.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will continue their season-opening road trek when they battle the University of Evansville in a three-game series, Feb 24-26, in Evansville, Ind.

Baseball Ready for Season-Opening Series Against Northern Kentucky

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Players Mentioned

Gabe Denton

Aaron Dolney

Adam Falinski

Taylor Hopkins

Thomas House

Brady Huebbe

Logan Hugo

Matt Kirk

Luke Russo

Daniel Warkentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics