Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, May 18
Ypsilanti, Mich.
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Northern Illinois
Baseball Host Northern Illinois in Final Series of the 2023 Campaign
5/17/2023 10:50:00 AM | Baseball
The series will last Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20
| Baseball vs. Oakland | |
| Date | Thursday- Saturday, May 18-20 |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | Oestrike Stadium |
| Preview Info | Game Notes | Media Guide (PDF) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Watch | EMUEagles.com/watch |
| Listen | Varsity Network App |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will play its final series of the 2023 season as the Eagles are set to host the Huskies of Northern Illinois University Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20.
Eastern (24-26, 9-18) comes into the game after claiming victory in its last non-conference contest of the season against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 17-8, May 16. Tuesday night's game featured four EMU home runs, one from Cory Taylor and Matt Kirk and two from Kyle Schroedle
Much like Eastern, NIU is also coming off a big win versus a Horizon League opponent in its last non-conference matchup of the regular season. The Huskies tamed the University of Milwaukee Panthers by a score of 12-1on their senior day inside Ralph Mckinzie Field, May 16.
The series will be aired on Eagle All-Access and via the Varsity Network app. Greg Steiner and Alex Jewell will have the call, with the free coverage beginning at 2:45 p.m. from Ypsilanti. Fans can also follow @EMU_Baseball on Twitter for periodic in-game updates.
BEST SEASON UNDER ROOFIE: Eastern Michigan's 24 wins thus far are the most under Head Coach Eric Roof in his five year tenure as the EMU skipper (2018-Pres.). With three games remaining, the Eagles could reach 27 wins on the season. Getting to 27 wins would also mark Eastern's first winning season since 2011, when the Green and White posted a 37-22 record, going 16-11 in conference play.
SUCCESSFUL AGAINST THE BEST: The Eagles have gone toe-to-toe with the MAC's best this season as it has taken games from three of the four teams participating in this year's conference tournament. The Eagles have matched up with the Western Michigan Broncos five times this season, winning four times by a combined score of 64-34. EMU has also taken games versus the MAC leader, Kent State University, May 12, and Central Michigan University, May 5, respectively.
CLOSING TIME: EMU has just three games remaining in its 2023 campaign. The Green and White will close its season with Northern Illinois University for a three-game set, Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20. While Mid-American Conference weekend series are traditionally played Friday-Sunday, it is a normal league practice to play the final series Thursday-Sunday. This accommodates the four teams who qualify for the league's annual post season tournament with one extra day of preparation and rest.
ROOFIE GETS HIS 100TH: Head Coach Eric Roof earned his 100th career victory Friday, May 12, with a 9-6 win over Kent State. Roof is the fifth EMU leader to hit the century mark in victories. He joins Ron Oestrike (658), Roger Coryell (544), Jay Alexander (159), and Bill Crouch (153) in the club. Coincidentally, the only two head coaches in EMU history to not reach 100 career were in the opposing dugout Wednesday, May 10. Mark Van Ameyde collected 70 wins between 2015-17, while Jake Boss Jr. won 25 games during his lone season in 2008. Boss is the head coach at Michigan State University, where Van Ameyde is the pitching coach.
KROSS CRACKS TOP FIVE: Sophomore Josh Kross drove in two runs versus Oakland, May 16, notching his 20th multi-RBI day and tying for fifth place in the EMU baseball single-season record books with former Eagle, Matt Skirving, who also drove in 64 runs back in the 2009 campaign. The first baseman's two RBIs today makes him just one away from tying the current MAC leader, Kent State University's Aidan Longwell.
NEARING ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS RECORD: With seven strikeouts, against Oakland, May 16. Eagles pitching has totaled to 413 punch outs in the 2023 season. Just four more EMU strikeouts would vault the 2023 squad into first place all-time in single-season strikeouts as a team in EMU baseball history. Currently, last seasons' team sits atop the rankings, striking out 416 batters in the 2022 season.
THREE IN ONE FRAME: The Eastern bats popped off in a big way in Tuesday evening's third inning, versus Oakland, May 16. The Green and White smashed three homers in the inning, one from Cory Taylor, Kyle Schroedle, and Matt Kirk, respectivley. This marks the first time EMU has sent three out of the park in a single inning since they did so last season, in a 19-4 thrashing of Bowling Green State University, May 1, 2022. Eastern Michigan crushed four home runs Tuesday night, bringing the EMU season-total up to 72 in the 2023 season. This moves the 2023 team up to fourth place in single-season home runs as a team in EMU baseball history. The Eagles would need eight more home runs in their remaining three contest to reach 80 long balls on the year. If they reach 80, it will mark the first time in program history EMU has recorded 80 homers in consecutive seasons as they knocked 81 last season.
SEASON-HIGH IN HITS: The Eastern Michigan offense was cooking versus Oakland in their final non-conference contest of the 2023 campaign, May 16. Along with four home runs, the Eagles sprayed 20 total hits at the Golden Grizzlies' defense, marking a season-high in hits for the Green and White. This passes EMU's previous season-high of 17, captured April 29, versus Niagara University.
SCHROEDLE SHOWS OUT: Finishing the day 3-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs versus the Golden Grizzlies, May 16, graduate student Kyle Schroedle recorded Division I career-highs in both home runs (2) and RBIs (4). The former junior college All-American is now up to five long balls and 18 runs driven in this season.
DOUBLE TIME DOLNEY: Aaron Dolney recorded multiple doubles Tuesday night when matching up against Oakland, May 16. This marks the first time this season and second overall in his Eastern Michigan career notching multiple two-baggers in a single game. The senior catcher smashed three two-baggers last season versus Ohio University, April 15, 2022.
DOUBLES GALORE: With five doubles as a team against the Golden Grizzlies, May 16, the 2023 squad now passes the 2002 team for fourth place in team doubles in a single season as the Eagles have slapped 117 two-baggers in the 2023 campaign. EMU would need to knock 14 more doubles in its remaining three games to break the single-season record, set by the 1996 team, who hit 131.
JOSH JAMS: Josh Kross delivered his team-leading 14th home run of the season in a 9-6 win over Kent State, May 12. That number ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference. Additionally, Kross is now three home runs away from tying his teammate Matt Kirk for fourth in Eastern Michigan baseball history with 17 homers in a single season. Kirk accomplished this last season, en route to capturing MAC Player of the Year honors.
RUSSO SHINES AGAIN: Senior right-hander Luke Russo was outstanding on the mound for Eastern Michigan against Kent State Saturday, May 13. The Howell, Mich. native went 7.0 innings, which ties his season-best effort. Additionally, he struck out eight while allowing just two runs on four hits. Russo's two seven inning outings are the most for an individual EMU pitcher since Adam Falinski tossed five in the 2022 season. Russo has tallied eight or more strikeouts in seven outings this season. That number is a career-best, topping his previous high mark of just one in 2022.
REED ROCKS IN SUNDAY START: Freshman pitcher Sam Reed was outstanding against the MAC's leading offense, Kent State, Sunday, May 14. The freshman hurler tossed a career-high 8.0 innings, surrendering just five hits and one run. The outing was also the season-long by any Eastern Michigan pitcher this year. Reed is the first Eastern Michigan pitcher to go eight innings into a start since former Eagles Justin Meis and Luke McGuire each accomplished the feat one time in the 2021 season, respectively. Meis tossed eight in a 4-1 loss to Mississippi State University, March 13, 2021, while McGuire did so versus Ohio University, April 10, 2021.
After allowing one run in the first inning, Reed went on to blank Kent State for seven consecutive frames. It was the first time the Golden Flashes have failed to score in seven straight innings since March 26 at Central Michigan. Overall, Kent State did not score in the final eight innings for just the second time this season.
Reed issued just two walks in the contest and struck out five KSU hitters.
ON A STREAK: Glenn Miller's career-best streak of 20 games reaching base, the longest streak of the year by an EMU student-athlete, came to an end Friday, May 12. All told, Miller put together just the sixth such streak for any member of the program since the 2018 season.
ALL-TIME AGAINST NIU: EMU and NIU will meet for the 135th time this Thursday. Eastern leads the all-time series by a record of 80-54. The Eagles will aim to make it three wins consecutivley against the Huskies this Thursday. The Green and White took each of the previous two contest from Northern Illinois by a combined score of 16-7, in double header action, May 8, 2022.
Eastern (24-26, 9-18) comes into the game after claiming victory in its last non-conference contest of the season against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 17-8, May 16. Tuesday night's game featured four EMU home runs, one from Cory Taylor and Matt Kirk and two from Kyle Schroedle
Much like Eastern, NIU is also coming off a big win versus a Horizon League opponent in its last non-conference matchup of the regular season. The Huskies tamed the University of Milwaukee Panthers by a score of 12-1on their senior day inside Ralph Mckinzie Field, May 16.
The series will be aired on Eagle All-Access and via the Varsity Network app. Greg Steiner and Alex Jewell will have the call, with the free coverage beginning at 2:45 p.m. from Ypsilanti. Fans can also follow @EMU_Baseball on Twitter for periodic in-game updates.
BEST SEASON UNDER ROOFIE: Eastern Michigan's 24 wins thus far are the most under Head Coach Eric Roof in his five year tenure as the EMU skipper (2018-Pres.). With three games remaining, the Eagles could reach 27 wins on the season. Getting to 27 wins would also mark Eastern's first winning season since 2011, when the Green and White posted a 37-22 record, going 16-11 in conference play.
SUCCESSFUL AGAINST THE BEST: The Eagles have gone toe-to-toe with the MAC's best this season as it has taken games from three of the four teams participating in this year's conference tournament. The Eagles have matched up with the Western Michigan Broncos five times this season, winning four times by a combined score of 64-34. EMU has also taken games versus the MAC leader, Kent State University, May 12, and Central Michigan University, May 5, respectively.
CLOSING TIME: EMU has just three games remaining in its 2023 campaign. The Green and White will close its season with Northern Illinois University for a three-game set, Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20. While Mid-American Conference weekend series are traditionally played Friday-Sunday, it is a normal league practice to play the final series Thursday-Sunday. This accommodates the four teams who qualify for the league's annual post season tournament with one extra day of preparation and rest.
ROOFIE GETS HIS 100TH: Head Coach Eric Roof earned his 100th career victory Friday, May 12, with a 9-6 win over Kent State. Roof is the fifth EMU leader to hit the century mark in victories. He joins Ron Oestrike (658), Roger Coryell (544), Jay Alexander (159), and Bill Crouch (153) in the club. Coincidentally, the only two head coaches in EMU history to not reach 100 career were in the opposing dugout Wednesday, May 10. Mark Van Ameyde collected 70 wins between 2015-17, while Jake Boss Jr. won 25 games during his lone season in 2008. Boss is the head coach at Michigan State University, where Van Ameyde is the pitching coach.
KROSS CRACKS TOP FIVE: Sophomore Josh Kross drove in two runs versus Oakland, May 16, notching his 20th multi-RBI day and tying for fifth place in the EMU baseball single-season record books with former Eagle, Matt Skirving, who also drove in 64 runs back in the 2009 campaign. The first baseman's two RBIs today makes him just one away from tying the current MAC leader, Kent State University's Aidan Longwell.
NEARING ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS RECORD: With seven strikeouts, against Oakland, May 16. Eagles pitching has totaled to 413 punch outs in the 2023 season. Just four more EMU strikeouts would vault the 2023 squad into first place all-time in single-season strikeouts as a team in EMU baseball history. Currently, last seasons' team sits atop the rankings, striking out 416 batters in the 2022 season.
THREE IN ONE FRAME: The Eastern bats popped off in a big way in Tuesday evening's third inning, versus Oakland, May 16. The Green and White smashed three homers in the inning, one from Cory Taylor, Kyle Schroedle, and Matt Kirk, respectivley. This marks the first time EMU has sent three out of the park in a single inning since they did so last season, in a 19-4 thrashing of Bowling Green State University, May 1, 2022. Eastern Michigan crushed four home runs Tuesday night, bringing the EMU season-total up to 72 in the 2023 season. This moves the 2023 team up to fourth place in single-season home runs as a team in EMU baseball history. The Eagles would need eight more home runs in their remaining three contest to reach 80 long balls on the year. If they reach 80, it will mark the first time in program history EMU has recorded 80 homers in consecutive seasons as they knocked 81 last season.
SEASON-HIGH IN HITS: The Eastern Michigan offense was cooking versus Oakland in their final non-conference contest of the 2023 campaign, May 16. Along with four home runs, the Eagles sprayed 20 total hits at the Golden Grizzlies' defense, marking a season-high in hits for the Green and White. This passes EMU's previous season-high of 17, captured April 29, versus Niagara University.
SCHROEDLE SHOWS OUT: Finishing the day 3-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs versus the Golden Grizzlies, May 16, graduate student Kyle Schroedle recorded Division I career-highs in both home runs (2) and RBIs (4). The former junior college All-American is now up to five long balls and 18 runs driven in this season.
DOUBLE TIME DOLNEY: Aaron Dolney recorded multiple doubles Tuesday night when matching up against Oakland, May 16. This marks the first time this season and second overall in his Eastern Michigan career notching multiple two-baggers in a single game. The senior catcher smashed three two-baggers last season versus Ohio University, April 15, 2022.
DOUBLES GALORE: With five doubles as a team against the Golden Grizzlies, May 16, the 2023 squad now passes the 2002 team for fourth place in team doubles in a single season as the Eagles have slapped 117 two-baggers in the 2023 campaign. EMU would need to knock 14 more doubles in its remaining three games to break the single-season record, set by the 1996 team, who hit 131.
JOSH JAMS: Josh Kross delivered his team-leading 14th home run of the season in a 9-6 win over Kent State, May 12. That number ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference. Additionally, Kross is now three home runs away from tying his teammate Matt Kirk for fourth in Eastern Michigan baseball history with 17 homers in a single season. Kirk accomplished this last season, en route to capturing MAC Player of the Year honors.
RUSSO SHINES AGAIN: Senior right-hander Luke Russo was outstanding on the mound for Eastern Michigan against Kent State Saturday, May 13. The Howell, Mich. native went 7.0 innings, which ties his season-best effort. Additionally, he struck out eight while allowing just two runs on four hits. Russo's two seven inning outings are the most for an individual EMU pitcher since Adam Falinski tossed five in the 2022 season. Russo has tallied eight or more strikeouts in seven outings this season. That number is a career-best, topping his previous high mark of just one in 2022.
REED ROCKS IN SUNDAY START: Freshman pitcher Sam Reed was outstanding against the MAC's leading offense, Kent State, Sunday, May 14. The freshman hurler tossed a career-high 8.0 innings, surrendering just five hits and one run. The outing was also the season-long by any Eastern Michigan pitcher this year. Reed is the first Eastern Michigan pitcher to go eight innings into a start since former Eagles Justin Meis and Luke McGuire each accomplished the feat one time in the 2021 season, respectively. Meis tossed eight in a 4-1 loss to Mississippi State University, March 13, 2021, while McGuire did so versus Ohio University, April 10, 2021.
After allowing one run in the first inning, Reed went on to blank Kent State for seven consecutive frames. It was the first time the Golden Flashes have failed to score in seven straight innings since March 26 at Central Michigan. Overall, Kent State did not score in the final eight innings for just the second time this season.
Reed issued just two walks in the contest and struck out five KSU hitters.
ON A STREAK: Glenn Miller's career-best streak of 20 games reaching base, the longest streak of the year by an EMU student-athlete, came to an end Friday, May 12. All told, Miller put together just the sixth such streak for any member of the program since the 2018 season.
ALL-TIME AGAINST NIU: EMU and NIU will meet for the 135th time this Thursday. Eastern leads the all-time series by a record of 80-54. The Eagles will aim to make it three wins consecutivley against the Huskies this Thursday. The Green and White took each of the previous two contest from Northern Illinois by a combined score of 16-7, in double header action, May 8, 2022.
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