Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, March 19
Bowling Green, Ky.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
10-6, 4-2
14
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Western Michigan
5-12, 2-4
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Eastern Michigan
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Western Michigan
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Russo Strikes Out Eight, Offense Pushes Baseball to Another Series Win
3/19/2023 3:37:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern takes two of three from Western Michigan
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) -- Senior Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell) was dominant on Sunday, striking out eight Western Michigan University hitters over five innings of work to help propel the Eastern Michigan University Eagles over the Broncos, 14-3 in the series finale of the three-game set between the two rivals.
The win gave Eastern Michgan (10-6, 4-2 MAC) the series victory over its Mitten-state foe, as the Eagles claimed two of the three weekend games against the Broncos (5-12, 2-4 MAC). The series was played in Bowling Green, Ky. on the campus of Western Kentucky University due to inclement weather in Kalamazoo, Mich., where the games were originally scheduled to be played. Today's win is the 10th of the season for EMU. The Green and White hit that total in just 16 games, well below the 23 games it needed to hit the number a season ago.
In addition to his eight strikeouts, Russo (3-0) tossed five innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on four hits and walking two. Senior Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile) also made an impact on the mound for the Eagles, throwing two shutout innings while allowing no hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
Graduate student Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio.-Milford-Cypress-Toledo) led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 3-for-5 in the ballgame with two doubles and three RBIs. Senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio.-Archbishop Moeller) furnished a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk and three RBIs. Junior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville) also contributed, going 1-for-4 for Eastern Michigan with a home run, a walk and two RBIs.
How it Happened
The Eagles got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Eastern Michigan managed to push across two runs in the inning.
The Eagles then lost some of their lead, expanding on their advantage in the third inning after the Broncos cut it to 2-1. The Eastern Michigan offense exploded for seven runs, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Kirk and a two-run home run from Taylor, which brought the score to 9-1 in favor of the Eagles.
Western Michigan narrowed Eastern Michigan's lead to 9-3 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 12-3 in the fifth inning. The Eagles added three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run single off the bat of Hopkins.
Eastern Michigan kept the Broncos without a run before their offense got in gear the next inning. Junior Cole Wilcox's (Shiocton, Wisc.-Shiocton-Lake County) run-scoring single brought home one run in a two-run output for the Eagles, bringing the score to 14-3 in favor of Eastern Michigan. The score remained 14-3 for the rest of the game, as the Eagles coasted to the win.
Game Notes
» Hopkins got the Eagles' huge third inning started when he tripled to right-center field, scoring Josh Kross (Brunswick, Ohio.-Brunswick-Toledo). The triple goes down as the third of the season for EMU, and the fifth of Hopkins' career.
» Taylor sent his fourth homer of the 2023 season over the wall in today's victory over Western Michigan. With Sunday afternoon's homer, Taylor has now doubled up his career total in home runs prior to the start of the 2023 campaign (2).
» The Green and White had an offensive explosion in the top-half of the third inning in Sunday's contest when they scored seven runs. This marks a season-high in runs during in a single inning for EMU, and is the most scored in one inning since they plated eight in the bottom of the fifth amid a 19-4 domination of Bowling Green, May 1, 2022.
» With his RBI in the third inning, Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich.-Pentwater-Spring Arbor) has now tabbed at least one RBI in four straight games. This marks the most consecutive games with an RBI in Miller's career.
» With two doubles in today's victory, Kirk joins Logan Milene (Rochester, Minn.-Rochester Century-North Iowa Area C.C.) as the only EMU batter to have a game with two doubles this season, as Milene drilled two two-baggers in the Eagles' 9-0 win over Towson University, March 4. This marks Kirk's first two-doubles performance since the then junior went 4-for-4, with two doubles, a homer, and one RBI in a 10-4 win over Northern Illinois, May 8, 2022.
» The Eagles set a season-high in RBIs in today's win with 13. This marks the most RBIs in a single game for the Eagles since they drove in 19 in a 19-4 win over Bowling Green State University, May 1, 2023.
» The Green and White paired their great hitting with excellent pitching as Russo controlled the game from the mound, throwing a season-high eight strikeouts and allowing just four hits and three runs. Eight strikeouts are the most from Russo since the Howell, Mich. native punched out 11 in a 12-7 win over Miami, April 11, 2022.
» Eastern Michigan had everything working for them at the dish in today's contest as EMU batters tied a season-low in strikeouts with three.
» Kirk and Hopkins each tallied three RBIs for the Eagles in today's win. This marks the first time EMU has had two or more batters with three RBIs each since former Eagles Daniel Warkentin and Will Oberg each drove in three in a 19-4 victory over Bowling Green, May 1, 2022.
» After transferring from Lansing C.C., Blake McRae (Armada, Mich.-Romeo-Lansing C.C.) notched his first multi-hit game and double as an Eagle. The Armada, Mich. native finished the day going 2-for-5.
» After going 3-for-5 with a double in the second game of a doubleheader, March 18, Kyle Schroedle's (Redding, Calif.-University Prep-Crown College) 2-for-4 performance at the plate today marks the first time he has had multiple hits in consecutive games in his EMU career.
Historical Notes
» Today's victory marks the second straight series win of the 2023 campaign for EMU. This is the first time Eastern Michigan has claimed victory in back-to-back series since they swept St. Bonaventure in a doubleheader, May 1, 2021, and followed that series up by sweeping Bowling Green in a four-game set, May 7-8, 2021.
» Today's 14-3 win over the Broncos marks the first time EMU has tabbed consecutive series wins in the Mid-American Conference since they took 2-out-of-3 games versus Bowling Green, March 30-April 1, 2018 and Ball State University, April 6-8, 2018, respectively.
Up Next
The Eagles will travel in Indianapolis, Ind. for a stand-alone game versus the Bulldogs of Butler University, Tuesday, March 21. The game is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. ET.
The win gave Eastern Michgan (10-6, 4-2 MAC) the series victory over its Mitten-state foe, as the Eagles claimed two of the three weekend games against the Broncos (5-12, 2-4 MAC). The series was played in Bowling Green, Ky. on the campus of Western Kentucky University due to inclement weather in Kalamazoo, Mich., where the games were originally scheduled to be played. Today's win is the 10th of the season for EMU. The Green and White hit that total in just 16 games, well below the 23 games it needed to hit the number a season ago.
In addition to his eight strikeouts, Russo (3-0) tossed five innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on four hits and walking two. Senior Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich.-Grosse Ile) also made an impact on the mound for the Eagles, throwing two shutout innings while allowing no hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
Graduate student Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio.-Milford-Cypress-Toledo) led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 3-for-5 in the ballgame with two doubles and three RBIs. Senior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio.-Archbishop Moeller) furnished a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk and three RBIs. Junior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.-Shelbyville) also contributed, going 1-for-4 for Eastern Michigan with a home run, a walk and two RBIs.
How it Happened
The Eagles got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Eastern Michigan managed to push across two runs in the inning.
The Eagles then lost some of their lead, expanding on their advantage in the third inning after the Broncos cut it to 2-1. The Eastern Michigan offense exploded for seven runs, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Kirk and a two-run home run from Taylor, which brought the score to 9-1 in favor of the Eagles.
Western Michigan narrowed Eastern Michigan's lead to 9-3 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 12-3 in the fifth inning. The Eagles added three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run single off the bat of Hopkins.
Eastern Michigan kept the Broncos without a run before their offense got in gear the next inning. Junior Cole Wilcox's (Shiocton, Wisc.-Shiocton-Lake County) run-scoring single brought home one run in a two-run output for the Eagles, bringing the score to 14-3 in favor of Eastern Michigan. The score remained 14-3 for the rest of the game, as the Eagles coasted to the win.
Game Notes
» Hopkins got the Eagles' huge third inning started when he tripled to right-center field, scoring Josh Kross (Brunswick, Ohio.-Brunswick-Toledo). The triple goes down as the third of the season for EMU, and the fifth of Hopkins' career.
» Taylor sent his fourth homer of the 2023 season over the wall in today's victory over Western Michigan. With Sunday afternoon's homer, Taylor has now doubled up his career total in home runs prior to the start of the 2023 campaign (2).
» The Green and White had an offensive explosion in the top-half of the third inning in Sunday's contest when they scored seven runs. This marks a season-high in runs during in a single inning for EMU, and is the most scored in one inning since they plated eight in the bottom of the fifth amid a 19-4 domination of Bowling Green, May 1, 2022.
» With his RBI in the third inning, Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich.-Pentwater-Spring Arbor) has now tabbed at least one RBI in four straight games. This marks the most consecutive games with an RBI in Miller's career.
» With two doubles in today's victory, Kirk joins Logan Milene (Rochester, Minn.-Rochester Century-North Iowa Area C.C.) as the only EMU batter to have a game with two doubles this season, as Milene drilled two two-baggers in the Eagles' 9-0 win over Towson University, March 4. This marks Kirk's first two-doubles performance since the then junior went 4-for-4, with two doubles, a homer, and one RBI in a 10-4 win over Northern Illinois, May 8, 2022.
» The Eagles set a season-high in RBIs in today's win with 13. This marks the most RBIs in a single game for the Eagles since they drove in 19 in a 19-4 win over Bowling Green State University, May 1, 2023.
» The Green and White paired their great hitting with excellent pitching as Russo controlled the game from the mound, throwing a season-high eight strikeouts and allowing just four hits and three runs. Eight strikeouts are the most from Russo since the Howell, Mich. native punched out 11 in a 12-7 win over Miami, April 11, 2022.
» Eastern Michigan had everything working for them at the dish in today's contest as EMU batters tied a season-low in strikeouts with three.
» Kirk and Hopkins each tallied three RBIs for the Eagles in today's win. This marks the first time EMU has had two or more batters with three RBIs each since former Eagles Daniel Warkentin and Will Oberg each drove in three in a 19-4 victory over Bowling Green, May 1, 2022.
» After transferring from Lansing C.C., Blake McRae (Armada, Mich.-Romeo-Lansing C.C.) notched his first multi-hit game and double as an Eagle. The Armada, Mich. native finished the day going 2-for-5.
» After going 3-for-5 with a double in the second game of a doubleheader, March 18, Kyle Schroedle's (Redding, Calif.-University Prep-Crown College) 2-for-4 performance at the plate today marks the first time he has had multiple hits in consecutive games in his EMU career.
Historical Notes
» Today's victory marks the second straight series win of the 2023 campaign for EMU. This is the first time Eastern Michigan has claimed victory in back-to-back series since they swept St. Bonaventure in a doubleheader, May 1, 2021, and followed that series up by sweeping Bowling Green in a four-game set, May 7-8, 2021.
» Today's 14-3 win over the Broncos marks the first time EMU has tabbed consecutive series wins in the Mid-American Conference since they took 2-out-of-3 games versus Bowling Green, March 30-April 1, 2018 and Ball State University, April 6-8, 2018, respectively.
Up Next
The Eagles will travel in Indianapolis, Ind. for a stand-alone game versus the Bulldogs of Butler University, Tuesday, March 21. The game is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Russo, Luke (3-0)
L: HOUGHTALING, Ethan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Kirk, Matt 2 ; McRae, Blake 1
3B: Hopkins, Taylor 1
HR: Taylor, Cory 1
RBI: Miller, Glenn 1 ; Kirk, Matt 3 ; Kross, Josh 1 ; Hopkins, Taylor 3 ; Taylor, Cory 2 ; Lux, Ryan 1 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1
SF: Schroedle, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Miller, Glenn 2 ; Kirk, Matt 2 ; Kross, Josh 2 ; Hopkins, Taylor 2 ; Taylor, Cory 1 ; Lux, Ryan 1 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1 ; McRae, Blake 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 2
SB: Hopkins, Taylor 1 ; Lux, Ryan 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1
CS: Taylor, Cory 1
HBP: Lux, Ryan 2
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Batting:
2B: HARRITY, Brendan 1
HR: SULLIVAN, Cade 1
RBI: SULLIVAN, Cade 1 ; SWINEHART, J. 1 ; HARRITY, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SULLIVAN, Cade 1 ; NEVAR, Dylan 1 ; ALLEN, Jimmy 1
SB: KITCHEN, Jackson 1
HBP: BUDIG, Greg 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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/ BaseballC/IF
/ Baseball
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/ Baseball
UTL
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
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RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
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OF
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