Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
8-5, 0
Akron
5-9, 0
Baseball Drops Extra-Inning Affair at Akron
3/12/2023 4:38:00 PM | Baseball
The Green and White took two of the three games to claim a series win over the Zips
AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team put together a spirited comeback, scoring three runs in the ninth inning, but the late-game rally came up short and they fell, 6-5, to the University of Akron Zips Sunday, March 12.
Despite today's setback, Eastern (8-5, 2-1 MAC) picked up the series victory by winning two of the three games between the Eagles and Zips this weekend. It is the first time that EMU has opened Mid-American Conference play with a series victory since 2017, when the Eagles took 2-of-3 from Bowling Green State University, March 24-25, that season.
Freshman Sam Reed (Carmel, Ind.-Brebeuf Jesuit Prep) came out of the bullpen for EMU and took the loss. Junior Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile) was a bright spot for the Eagles, starting the ballgame and throwing 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts.
At the plate, the Eagles were paced by junior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville), who went 2-for-2 on the day with a double, a walk and an RBI. Senior Aaron Dolney (Plymouth, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Nebraska-Hillsborough C.C.) put together a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Graduate student Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio.-Cypress-Toledo) also chipped in for Eastern Michigan, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding a double and an RBI.
How it Happened
The Eagles got on the scoreboard first, starting in the third inning. Eastern Michigan got on the board thanks to Kirk's RBI double with one out.
The Eagles lost the lead they built in the third, but got back on the board in the ninth trailing 2-1. Eastern Michigan put together a three-run frame, culminating in a run-scoring single from senior Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich.-Pentwater-Spring Arbor), which brought the Eagles lead to 4-2.
Akron fought back to even the ballgame at four before Eastern Michigan reclaimed a 5-4 advantage in the tenth inning. The Eagles were unable to hold the lead, as Akron scored two times in the bottom half of the tenth to grab the 6-5 win.
Game Notes
» Chittum had a career day on the bump today for the Eagles. The senior right-hander pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs to go along with eight strikeouts. Chittum's eight punch outs are a career high for the Grosse Ile, Mich. native as well as the most from an EMU pitcher in the 2023 campaign, and the most since Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell) sat down 11 in a 12-7 victory over Miami University, April 11, 2022.
» Sophomore Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich.-Essexville) had two hits and a run in today's contest. This marks the eighth career multi-hit game for the 6-foot-2 outfielder.
» With a double through the left side in the top-half of the third inning, scoring Taylor, Kirk increased his team lead in doubles to six. The reigning MAC Player of the Year's double goes down as the 31st in his career, and the 61st RBI.
» Coming in to relieve Chittum in the bottom of the sixth inning, Dylan Wolff (Joliet, Ill.-Joliet West-Kankakee C.C.) had his second longest stint on the mound for the Green and White. The transfer from Kankakee C.C. pitched 3.2 innings and threw his second career strikeout as an Eagle.
» Finishing the day 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and an RBI, Taylor now has 15 RBIs to go along with four doubles in his career. This also marks the first time Taylor has batted 1.000 in a single game in his career.
» With his sacrifice fly to center field to score Hopkins in the top-half of the tenth inning, Cole Wilcox (Shiocton, Wisc.-Shiocton-Lake County) notched his fourth career RBI as an Eagle.
Historical Notes
» With today's defeat, the Eagles now shift to a 23-18 record versus the Zips.
» Eastern Michigan picked up the series win over Akron, winning two games against the Zips this weekend. It is the first time that EMU has opened Mid-American Conference play with a series victory since 2017, when the Eagles took 2-of-3 from Bowling Green State University, March 24-25, that season.
» EMU opened its 2023 Mid-American Conference slate with a series win at Akron. It is Eastern's first series victory against a MAC opponent on the road since April 9-11, 2022, when it took 3-of-4 from Miami University in a series played in Oxford, Ohio.
» After taking 2-out-of-3 games in the series, the Eagles claimed their first series win in Akron since they swept the zips in three games April 16-18, 2010.
Up Next
The Eagles will head west for a three-game road series versus the Broncos of Western Michigan University, with the series beginning Friday, March 17 at 3:05 p.m. ET in Kalamazoo, Mich.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: FETT, Anthony (0-0)
L: Reed, Sam (0-0)
Batting:
2B: Kirk, Matt 1 ; Taylor, Cory 1
RBI: Miller, Glenn 1 ; Kirk, Matt 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1 ; Dolney, Aaron 1 ; Taylor, Cory 1
SH: Hopkins, Taylor 1
SF: Wilcox, Cole 1 ; Taylor, Cory 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Hugo, Logan 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1 ; Dolney, Aaron 2
SB: Wilcox, Cole 1 ; Dolney, Aaron 1
CS: Kross, Josh 1 ; Kraft, Darren 1
HBP: Kirk, Matt 1 ; Kross, Josh 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1
PO: Kirk, Matt 1
Batting:
HR: FIRESTONE, Jack 1 ; PENNINGTON, Ian 1 ; BOWMAN, Max 1
RBI: FIRESTONE, Jack 1 ; PENNINGTON, Ian 1 ; SEEKER, Sam 1 ; STOLARSKI, Ty 1 ; BOWMAN, Max 2
Base Running:
RUNS: FIRESTONE, Jack 2 ; PENNINGTON, Ian 2 ; POIST, Jack 1 ; BOWMAN, Max 1
SB: FIRESTONE, Jack 1
CS: BOWMAN, Max 1
HBP: POIST, Jack 1 ; STOLARSKI, Ty 1
