Baseball Set For Three-Game Home-Opening Series Versus Ball State

Baseball at Butler
Date	Friday-Sunday, March 24-26
Venue	Oestrike Stadium \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	Eagle All-Access

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will return home to Oestrike Stadium for a three-game set versus the Cardinals of Ball State University, March 24-26, after spending their previous 17 games on the road.
Eastern Michigan (10-7, 4-2 MAC) enters the weekend series coming off of a 9-7 loss to the Butler Bulldogs, March 21. Meanwhile, Ball State (13-6, 5-1 MAC) enters the series looking to make it two-straight series wins over the Eagles, as they won 3-of-4 versus the Eagles, March 13-14, 2022, in Muncie, Ind. The series can be followed via Live Stats or on social media. For live updates, follow @EMU_Baseball on Twitter. The game can be live streamed of EMUEagles.com/ watch.

HOME OPENERS: In its last 12 debuts at home, Eastern has been successful in its home-openers, compiled a 7-5 record during the span. In their best stretch, the Eagles took four-consecutive home openers, winning their first game at Oestrike in each season from 2011-14. Most recently, EMU fell to Oakland during its home opener in 2022, dropping the contest to the Golden Grizzlies, 4-5, March 22.

HISTORY AT OESTRIKE: Opening in 1971, Oestrike Stadium will hold its 52nd season of baseball inside the park in 2023. EMU holds a 554-419-2 all-time record at the venue, and has compiled just 13 losing seasons at Oestrike since its opening. The home of EMU baseball is named after legendary EMU baseball Head Coach Ron Oestrike, who led the Green and White from 1965-87, winning an NAIA national championship and four Mid-American Conference titles during his tenure leading the Green and White.

EIGHT FOR ERIC: Eastern Michigan has eight wins so far this March, the most in the month for Head Coach Eric Roof, in his fifth season at the helm of the program (2018-Pres.). Prior to 2023, Roof's best month-of-March total was seven, which came in 2022. EMU has not had eight wins in March since the 2013 season, when the team recorded 11 wins en route to a 26-28 season.

BACK TO BACK IN THE MAC: Eastern Michigan has picked up two straight conference series victories. The accomplishment is the first of the sort for the program since it took respective series against Bowling Green, March 30-April 1, 2018, and Ball State University, April 6-8, 2018.

ANOTHER ONE: Eastern Michigan took 2-of-3 games from Western Michigan in its series with the Broncos, March 18-19. With its result, EMU has now claimed back to back series wins (2-of-3 at Akron, March 10-12; 2-of-3 at WMU, March 18-19). It is the first time EMU has won consecutive series since the 2021 campaign, when it swept St. Bonaventure University in a doubleheader, May 1, before sweeping Bowling Green in a four-game set, May 7-8.

TAKE (THE FIRST) TWO: EMU has opened its 2023 MAC slate with consecutive series wins. Prior to 2023, Eastern Michigan has not accomplished that feat since the 2017 campaign, when it took 2-of-3 games from both BGSU, March 24-25, and Miami University, April 7-9, respectively.

FUN RUN: Eastern Michigan is one of the most aggressive base running teams in the nation, ranking 35th nationally and second in the Mid-American Conference with 36 stolen bases this season. Last season, EMU was 157th in the country with just 52 stolen bags for the season, a 0.96 steals per game average. This year, the Green and White average 2.12 swipes per game, nearly double its 2022 number. Last season, it took EMU 44 games to record its 36th stolen base, compared to just 17 this season.

SURE HANDED: Eastern Michigan ranks second in the MAC and 65th nationally in fielding percentage (0.975). Eastern went three consecutive games without an error at Evansville, Feb. 24-26, its first such stretch since April 17-20, 2022, in games against Ohio, Siena Heights, and Michigan State.

OBSCURE, YET PAINFUL: Eastern Michigan has earned 35 free bags via hit by pitch this season, the second highest total of any Mid-American Conference team. EMU has been hit an average of 2.1 times per game this season, up from 1.44 HBP per contest a season ago. The current number is the 41st highest in of NCAA Division I baseball.

PICK YOUR POISON: The Green and White have displayed the ability to score in bunches in a single inning this season. EMU has scored four runs or more in a single inning 12 times this season. Eastern's best single inning of the season came in its series against Western Michigan, where it pushed across seven runs in the third inning of the series finale, March 19.

SEVEN UP: Eastern Michigan scored a single-inning season-high seven runs in the third inning of its series-closing game with Western Michigan, March 19. The seven runs were the most by EMU in a single frame since May 1, 2022, when the Green and White tallied eight in the fifth inning against Bowling Green en route to a 19-4 rout of the Falcons.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Eastern Michigan has had no problem finding second base this year. The Green and White average 2.29 doubles per contest in 2023, which ranks 37th in the nation. Eastern averaged just 1.8 doubles per game a season ago.

STRONG START TO CONFERENCE PLAY: Eastern Michigan is off to a 4-2 start in conference play. It marks the first time EMU has recorded four wins in their first six games of MAC play since the 2017 campaign, when the team also recorded four wins during that same stretch.

COMEBACK KIDS: EMU has come back to win four games when trailing by four or more runs this season. The most recent came against WMU, March 18, when the Eagles erased a five-run deficit to secure a 12-11 victory. Last season, EMU did not come back from any such deficits, and only came back from a deficit (one run or more) to win in six total games.

SEASON-HIGH IN HOMERS: The Eastern Michigan offense tabbed four home runs in its 12-11 win over WMU, March 18. This marks the most homers in a single game since the Eagles rocketed eight over the wall in a 19-4 domination of Bowling Green, May 1, 2022. RUNS, RUNS, RUNS: The Eagles set a season high in RBIs with 13 against Western Michigan, March 19. 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, May 1, 2022.

SEASON-HIGHS: Eastern Michigan tallied a season-high-tying 16 hits in its series finale at WMU, March 19. The 16 hits led to a season-best 14 runs, including a season-best 13 RBIs. Prior to Sunday, EMU had not scored 14 runs in a game since May 21, 2022, when it defeated Kent State, 15-8.

GOOD EYE: EMU hitters struck out just three times in its series finale at Western Michigan, March 19. The three strikeouts are the fewest for Eastern Michigan since it recorded the same number in back-to-back games at Towson, March 4-5.

CONSISTENT KROSS: Josh Kross drove in three runs in, March 21, in a 9-7 loss to Butler University putting him back in the lead for RBIs this season with 23. Kross' RBIs that day mark his seventh game of the 2023 campaign where he has tallied multiple RBIs. By knocking two singles and a homer versus Butler, the sophomore slugger now has a team-high eight-game hit-streak. Moreover, the first-year Eagle's three-hit performance against the bulldogs marks the third time the Brunswick, Ohio. native has tallied three hits in a game in his career.

THREE STRAIGHT WITH AN XBH: By going 2-for-4 at the dish March 21 versus Butler, Cole Wilcox joins Josh Kross and Taylor Hopkins as the only Eagles this season to have three-straight multi-hit games.

ONE HIT PERFORMANCE FROM THE FRESHMAN: Freshman pitcher Sam Reed had a career performance on the bump for Eastern Michigan in their 9-7 loss to Butler, March 21. The freshman had his longest stint on the mound of his career as he pitched four innings. The Caramel, Ind. native proved hard to hit as he gave up just one run on one sole hit.

BETTER LUX NEXT TIME: Senior Ryan Lux had the at-bat of a lifetime in the ninth inning against WMU, March 18. With EMU down, 11-9, Lux drilled a go-ahead and game-winning three-run shot. The home run was the first of Lux's career, and gave him a career-high three RBIs. It was Lux's first RBI since April 23, 2022, at Toledo.

TEN RUN FUN: EMU has scored 10 or more runs 30 times under Eric Roof (2018-Pres.). The Eagles have emerged victorious in 25 of those games. Additionally, 12 of those performances (40 percent) have come in the last 60 games for EMU, meaning EMU has averaged a 10-run outing once every five games since the start of 2021. Between 2018- 20, EMU averaged a 10-run game just once every 9.2 games (18 out of 165).

WE SEE YOU, SCHROEDLE: First-year Eagle Kyle Schroedle had his best series of the season against WMU, March 18-19. Schroedle hit a team-best .600 for the series, compiling six knocks in 10 trips to the plate, while racking up seven total bases, two runs, and a .700 slugging percentage. In his eight games prior to the WMU series, Schroedle had just four hits in 26 appearances and a .154 slugging percentage. Going 2-for-5 at the plate in a 9-7 loss to Butler, March 21, Schroedle now has a hit in four-straight games, the longest of the graduate students' EMU career. Schroedle also has kncoked and extra-base-hit in two of his last three games.

TOP DOG TAYLOR: Senior shortstop Taylor Hopkins had a big week for Eastern Michigan at WMU. Hopkins was outstanding at the dish, recording six hits and finishing the weekend with a .462 batting average. The Mason, Ohio native had 11 total bases, a team high, and drove in five RBIs, the second-best total on the team. He notched two extra-base hits, including a triple and a home run, and reached base in 50 percent of his trips to the plate. Perfect in the field, Hopkins totaled five put outs and eight assists, all without an error at the shortstop position.

RUSSO ROLLED: Senior righty Luke Russo controlled the game from the mound, March 19, throwing a season-high eight strikeouts and allowing just four hits and three runs en route to a win. The 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. Additionally, Russo added his second save of the season in EMU's 12-11 win over the Broncos, March 18, going 0.2 innings to finish off the game. Russo is now 3-0 on the season and 7-0 since the start of the 2021 campaign. His last loss came April 17, 2021, more than 700 days ago.

GOOD EYE GLENN: Senior Glenn Miller is one of the hardest players in the nation to strike out in 2023. The second-year Eagle has fanned just once every 17.5 at bats this season, the 11th-best figure in the nation. Last season, Miller struck out once every seven at bats. Moreover, with a double to right-field in a 9-7 loss to Butler, March 21, Miller extended his hit-streak to and EMU career-high five straight games.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will have a single game against Oakland University Tuesday, March 28 before heading to Athens, Ohio for a three-game set with Ohio University, Friday-Sunday, March 31-April 2.

Baseball Set For Three-Game Home-Opening Series Versus Ball State

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Players Mentioned

Taylor Hopkins

Josh Kross

Ryan Lux

Glenn Miller

Sam Reed

Luke Russo

Kyle Schroedle

Cole Wilcox

Eastern Michigan Athletics