Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 16
Nashville, Tenn.
2 p.m. CT
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Belmont
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Baseball Falls to Belmont in Season Opener, 4-3
2/16/2024 6:57:00 PM | Baseball
The Eagles and Bruins will play a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 1 p.m. CT with the second game starting roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team opened its 2024 season today, Feb. 16, against the Belmont University Bruins, falling, 4-3 in the first of a four-game series. With the result, the Eagles move to 0-1 on the season while the Bruins improve to 1-0.
How it Happened
After Belmont jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Eastern answered in its half of the third inning via Glenn Miller's (Pentwater, Mich./Pentwater/Spring Arbor) sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Lucas Johnson (Hamilton, Ontario/Westdale Secondary/Wright State) for EMU's first run of the season.
The Bruins would score two runs in the fifth inning, which was immediately answered by the Eagles in the top of the sixth as Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio/Mohawk) smoked a double to center field, sending Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) home in the process and cutting the Belmont lead to one.
Following a Bruins solo homer in the eighth, it all came down to the ninth inning where Giano Zuccaro (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea Midpark/Charleston) clutched up, singling to left field to score Cole Wilcox (Shiocton, Wis./Shiocton/Lake County), cutting the Bruins' lead to one with two outs remaining in regulation.
The game soon concluded in a 4-3 win in favor of Belmont.
Game Notes
» Johnson secured the first hit and extra-base hit of his Eastern Michigan career with a double down the right field line in the third. Johnson would finish the day 2-for-4, marking the first multi-hit day of his collegiate baseball career.
» Pitcher Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier/Xavier) excelled on the mound, striking out seven batters while allowing four hits, two earned runs, and walking just one in his 6.0 innings of work. The six innings and seven strikeouts from Jones both mark career-highs for the right-hander.
» Vance doubled to center field in the sixth, scoring Taylor. The double and RBI mark the fourth of Vance's career. Vance finished the game 2-for-3 at the dish, marking his second multi-hit game. Vance's first came last season against Niagara University, a game that resulted in a 9-4 EMU win, April 28, 2023.
» With two hits for Taylor, he secured the14th multi-hit game of his career.
» Zuccaro stepped up in the ninth for the Eagles as the former All-MEC First Team selection roped a single into left field, scoring Wilcox, and trimming the Belmont lead to one run. Moreover, the hit and RBI mark the first for Zuccaro's EMU tenure.
» Four first-year Eagles saw their EMU debut today in Johnson, Zuccaro, Drew Beckner (Westerville, Ohio/Big Walnut/Charleston), and Aaron Pirkle (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany/Akron).
» In the first appearance of his EMU career, Pirkle entered the game out of the bullpen in the seventh inning. The sophomore tossed the remainder of the game, fanning two Belmont batters throughout the final two innings and walking none. The two strikeouts tie a career-high for Pirkle. Moreover, today's outing marks Pirkle's first where he pitched two or more innings and allowed zero walks.
» As a team, Eastern tallied nine hits in the contest, marking the most opening day knocks since they registered 11 against Winthrop University in an 11-9 loss, Feb. 18, 2022.
Historical Notes
» Today's game marked the beginning of the Head Coach Robbie Britt era. Britt was hired as the eighth head coach in program history, June 16, 2023.
» Today's game against the Bruins marked the fourth all-time meeting between the teams, and the first matchup since the 2010 season, a series that saw the Bruins win, taking two-of-three games. With today's results, the Bruins increased their all-time series lead, 3-1.
» After today's game, Eastern's record on opening days shifts to 36-40 in its 76 opening day games.
Up Next
Eastern and Belmont are scheduled for two games tomorrow, Feb. 17, with the first beginning at 1 p.m. CT and the second starting roughly thirty minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team opened its 2024 season today, Feb. 16, against the Belmont University Bruins, falling, 4-3 in the first of a four-game series. With the result, the Eagles move to 0-1 on the season while the Bruins improve to 1-0.
How it Happened
After Belmont jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Eastern answered in its half of the third inning via Glenn Miller's (Pentwater, Mich./Pentwater/Spring Arbor) sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Lucas Johnson (Hamilton, Ontario/Westdale Secondary/Wright State) for EMU's first run of the season.
The Bruins would score two runs in the fifth inning, which was immediately answered by the Eagles in the top of the sixth as Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio/Mohawk) smoked a double to center field, sending Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) home in the process and cutting the Belmont lead to one.
Following a Bruins solo homer in the eighth, it all came down to the ninth inning where Giano Zuccaro (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea Midpark/Charleston) clutched up, singling to left field to score Cole Wilcox (Shiocton, Wis./Shiocton/Lake County), cutting the Bruins' lead to one with two outs remaining in regulation.
The game soon concluded in a 4-3 win in favor of Belmont.
Game Notes
» Johnson secured the first hit and extra-base hit of his Eastern Michigan career with a double down the right field line in the third. Johnson would finish the day 2-for-4, marking the first multi-hit day of his collegiate baseball career.
» Pitcher Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier/Xavier) excelled on the mound, striking out seven batters while allowing four hits, two earned runs, and walking just one in his 6.0 innings of work. The six innings and seven strikeouts from Jones both mark career-highs for the right-hander.
» Vance doubled to center field in the sixth, scoring Taylor. The double and RBI mark the fourth of Vance's career. Vance finished the game 2-for-3 at the dish, marking his second multi-hit game. Vance's first came last season against Niagara University, a game that resulted in a 9-4 EMU win, April 28, 2023.
» With two hits for Taylor, he secured the14th multi-hit game of his career.
» Zuccaro stepped up in the ninth for the Eagles as the former All-MEC First Team selection roped a single into left field, scoring Wilcox, and trimming the Belmont lead to one run. Moreover, the hit and RBI mark the first for Zuccaro's EMU tenure.
» Four first-year Eagles saw their EMU debut today in Johnson, Zuccaro, Drew Beckner (Westerville, Ohio/Big Walnut/Charleston), and Aaron Pirkle (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany/Akron).
» In the first appearance of his EMU career, Pirkle entered the game out of the bullpen in the seventh inning. The sophomore tossed the remainder of the game, fanning two Belmont batters throughout the final two innings and walking none. The two strikeouts tie a career-high for Pirkle. Moreover, today's outing marks Pirkle's first where he pitched two or more innings and allowed zero walks.
» As a team, Eastern tallied nine hits in the contest, marking the most opening day knocks since they registered 11 against Winthrop University in an 11-9 loss, Feb. 18, 2022.
Historical Notes
» Today's game marked the beginning of the Head Coach Robbie Britt era. Britt was hired as the eighth head coach in program history, June 16, 2023.
» Today's game against the Bruins marked the fourth all-time meeting between the teams, and the first matchup since the 2010 season, a series that saw the Bruins win, taking two-of-three games. With today's results, the Bruins increased their all-time series lead, 3-1.
» After today's game, Eastern's record on opening days shifts to 36-40 in its 76 opening day games.
Up Next
Eastern and Belmont are scheduled for two games tomorrow, Feb. 17, with the first beginning at 1 p.m. CT and the second starting roughly thirty minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pryor (1-0)
L: Jones, Bobby (0-1)
S: Liss (1)
Batting:
2B: Taylor, Cory 1 ; Vance, Cooper 1 ; Johnson, Lucas 1
RBI: Miller, Glenn 1 ; Vance, Cooper 1 ; Zuccaro, Giano 1
SF: Miller, Glenn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Taylor, Cory 1 ; Wilcox, Cole 1 ; Johnson, Lucas 1
CS: Schroedle, Kyle 1
HBP: Vance, Cooper 1 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1
PO: Vance, Cooper 1
Batting:
HR: Godsey 2
RBI: Kirkpatrick 1 ; Godsey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Godsey 2 ; Daniel 1 ; Barton 1
SB: Blessinger 1
Game Leaders
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RBI
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RBI
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RBI
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RBI
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Players Mentioned
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LHP
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