Ties with MSU Renewed; EMU Hits the Road for Final Time in 2023

Baseball at Michigan State
Date	Wednesday, May 10
Venue	East Lansing, Mich. \| McLane Stadium at Kobs Field
Preview Info	Game Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Listen	MSU Spartan All-Access

EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team hits the road for the final time during the 2023 campaign Wednesday, May 10, with a non-conference trip to East Lansing, Mich., to tangle with Michigan State University. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. inside McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.
   EMU (22-23, 8-16 MAC) looks to get back on track after having its six-game winning streak stopped over the weekend at Central Michigan University, May 5-7. The Chippewas took two-of-three from the Eagles in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Meanwhile, the Spartans (28-16, 10-8 B1G) were swept in a high-scoring series at the University of Illinois, May 5-7.
   MSUSpartans.com will stream audio and have live stats available as well.

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!: Just eight games remain in the regular season and EMU will play all but one of those contests at home over the next two weeks. Following the MSU game, the Eagles will host Mid-American Conference front-runner Kent State University, May 12-14, before welcoming Oakland University, May 16, and Northern Illinois University, May 18-20. Since Oestrike Stadium opened in 1971, EMU has tallied just 12 losing seasons, while compiling over 500 home victories. The Eagles, 3-8 this season at home, are trying for their first winning home campaign since 2015.

ONE MORE TO HIT THE CENTURY MARK: Head Coach Eric Roof sits just one victory shy of 100 for his EMU career. Roof, who currently has 99, is looking to become the fifth EMU leader to hit the century mark in victories. He would join 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 wins will be 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.

HOUSE PARTY: Senior pitcher Thomas House had everything working for him on the bump at Central Michigan, May 5. The 6-foot-2 right-hander pitched a season-long 6.1 innings and attacked the strike zone consistently. Moreover, the Ross, Ohio, native allowed six hits, walked one, and gave up just one earned run to go with his seven strikeouts, equaling out to a 1.42 ERA. Lastly, House limited the extra-base-hits in his start versus the Chippewas as they managed just two doubles while House held them at bay with .231 batting average against.

ON A STREAK: Glenn Miller's third inning single at Central Michigan, May 7, gives him a hit in seven straight games, the longest current streak on the team. Furthermore, the Pentwater, Mich. native has reached base safely in 19 consecutive appearances, the longest streak of the year by an EMU student-athlete.
   Miller will attempt to become the first Eagle to reach base in 20 consecutive games since Daniel Warkentin posted a 21-game streak during the 2022 season.

HUGO FEASTS IN MID-MICHIGAN: Sophomore Logan Hugo spearheaded the Eastern Michigan offense this past week at Central Michigan, May 5-7. The sophomore outfielder batted .400, scoring four runs on four hits, tallied three doubles and one home run, drove in two runs, posted a slugging percentage of 1.000, recorded 10 total bases, walked once to his just two strikeouts, and notched on-base percentage of .455. Additionally, three of the four of the Essexville, Mich., native's hits went for extra bases, setting a career-high for extra base hits in a single game for the sophomore, as all three came in the Eagles' loss to the Chippewas, May 6.

HOPKINS MAKING HISTORY: Senior Taylor Hopkins made history with his at-bat in the fourth inning at Central Michigan, May 7. Not only did the shortstop hit his eighth home run of the season, tying his career-high from the 2021 season, but he also passed Brent Ohrman (2009-14) for third in all-time Eastern Michigan baseball history with 773 at-bats. The Mason, Ohio, native finished the day 2-for-3 at the dish, scoring two runs and driving in one. Hopkins now has 17 multi-hit games and 11 outings with multiple runs scored in the 2023 campaign.

MR. CONSISTENT: Freshman Sam Reed had another quality start, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out against Central Michigan, May 7. The freshman left-hander's 6.2 innings Sunday afternoon marked the third time this season he has gone at least six innings in a start. This ranks the second most on the team as Luke Russo and Thomas House have each accomplished the feat four times.

CONTINUING TO CRUSH IT: Sophomore Josh Kross crushed a solo shot to left center field in the top of the seventh at CMU, May 7, extending the Eagles' lead at the time to two, and marking his 13th home run of the 2023 season. Kross finished the day with two hits for his 24th contest with multiple knocks. The slugging first baseman is now just four home runs away from tying his teammate, Matt Kirk, and many other former Eagles for fourth in EMU baseball history with 17 long balls in a single season.

STREAK SNAPPED: Eastern's 3-1 win over Central Michigan, May 5, was the program's first over its in-state foe since they topped CMU, 5-2, exactly five years ago, May 5, 2018. Furthermore, the Green and White won with four total hits. It marked EMU's first victory with four hits or less since they beat Miami University by the same score off three hits, April 10, 2022.
   Central Michigan's lone run of the game came in the first inning, as EMU pitching tossed eight scoreless frames the remainder of the game. It was the third time this season Eagles pitching has done so, also accomplishing the feat in a 9-0 shutout win over Towson University, March 4, and Miami, April 9.

ALL-TIME AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE: EMU and MSU will meet for the 140th time Wednesday, May 10. The Spartans lead the all-time series by a record of 79-58-2. Eastern will look to snap a three-game losing streak against the Spartans. Eastern has not beat MSU since April 4, 2017, when EMU took down Michigan State, 4-3, at Oestrike Stadium.

LAST TIME WE MET: An outstanding offensive output was not enough, as the Eagles fell to the Spartans, 7-6, inside McLane Stadium, April 20, 2022. Zach Gillig was a bright spot for the Eagles, coming out of the bullpen as well and throwing one scoreless inning, allowing no hits. Matt Kirk led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 1-for-3 in the ballgame with a home run and an RBI. Logan Hugo compiled a standout effort as well, going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Aaron Dolney also helped out, going 2-for-4 for Eastern Michigan with a double.

TIES WITH THE SPARTANS: The Spartans-Eagles battle is chock-full of coaching connections, including both teams' head coaches, MSU's pitching coach, and EMU's assistant coach.
   EMU Head Coach Eric Roof is in his eighth season overall at Eastern Michigan and sixth as head coach, after serving as a volunteer assistant under Jake Boss at MSU for two seasons (2013-14), and was a three-year letterwinner at Michigan State (2007-09), playing under Coach Boss. Roof compiled a .314 batting average in 136 career games, including 115 starts, to go along with 10 homers and 83 RBIs.
   Eagles' Assistant Coach Jonathan Roof was a three-year letterwinner at MSU (2008-10), earning All-Big Ten accolades in 2010 before bypassing his senior season and was drafted in the eighth round (No. 256 overall) of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers. Roof later spent six seasons in the minor leagues, playing in the Boston Red Sox system, between their AA team, the Portland Sea Dogs, and their AAA affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox. Roof was student assistant coach at Michigan State for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, before becoming the volunteer assistant coach at Missouri for the 2018 season, then joining his brother's staff at EMU since 2019.
   Spartan Head Coach Jake Boss Jr. was the head coach at EMU for one season in 2008, before becoming head coach at MSU in 2009. In just one season as head coach at Eastern Michigan in 2008, Boss made an immediate impact, guiding the Eagles to their second consecutive MAC West Division crown and first NCAA Regional appearance since 2003. The Eagles swept through the MAC Tournament, winning all four games by a combined 21 runs, to notch the school's fourth tournament title. The conference title capped a remarkable turnaround, as Eastern Michigan - picked to finish fifth in the division - closed the season on a hot streak, claiming 25 of 40 games and earning a berth in the NCAA field. For his efforts, Boss was selected the 2008 MAC Coach of the Year and made history by becoming just the second coach in league history to win the MAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. Overall, the Eagles finished the season 15-8 in conference play and 25-34 overall.
   Michigan State Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Mark Van Ameyde was head coach at EMU from 2014-17 after six seasons with the Spartans, before returning to MSU in 2018. At EMU, Van Ameyde posted a 70-106 record in his three seasons leading the Eagles. In 2017, Van Ameyde led EMU to a 27-35 overall record and a 14-10 Mid-American Conference mark, finishing third in the MAC standings before ending as runner-up at the MAC Tournament, which was the first time the Eagles reached the title game since 2008. Van Ameyde coached five All-MAC honorees, including two in 2017 after two in 2016, marking the first time that EMU had multiple players selected for all-conference honors since 2011-12. Off the field, 28 EMU players earned Academic All-MAC honors in the three seasons under Van Ameyde, with 10 accolades in 2017, the second-most in the MAC, including four MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan opens a seven-game homestand Friday, May 12, as MAC leader Kent State University comes to town.

Ties with MSU Renewed; EMU Hits the Road for Final Time in 2023

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Players Mentioned

Aaron Dolney

Zach Gillig

Taylor Hopkins

Thomas House

Logan Hugo

Matt Kirk

Josh Kross

Glenn Miller

Sam Reed

Luke Russo

Daniel Warkentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics