Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
8-13, 0
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Western Michigan
9-11, 0
Baseball Tops Western Michigan, 11-4, in Conference Home Opener
3/23/2024 5:41:00 PM | Baseball
All EMU starters reached base safely via a hit
Photo Gallery | Re-Watch the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University baseball received contributions from every part of their lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Eagles put 11 runs on the board and defeat the Western Michigan University Broncos, 11-4, Saturday, March 23.
Senior Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier/Xavier) (4-2) started on the mound and picked up the win for Eastern Michigan (8-13). The right-hander went eight innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, on six hits, allowing one walk and striking out three.
Senior Isiah Lindsey (Nunica, Mich./Spring Lake/Lake Michigan/Lansing C.C.) also made an impact on the mound for the Eagles, throwing one scoreless inning while allowing no hits, with one walk and one strikeout.
In the batter's box, the Eagles were paced by senior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville), who went 3-for-4 on the day with two doubles, a walk and three RBI. Junior Lucas Johnson (Hamilton, Ontario/Westdale Secondary/Wright State) compiled a standout day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Junior Brendan Kleiman (Olney, Md./Sherwood/Frederick C.C.) also helped out for Eastern Michigan, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a walk and two RBI.
How it Happened
The Eagles were trailing 3-0 in the first inning when they first put runs on the board. Eastern Michigan's offense started clicking and put up six runs, including a two-run single off the bat of Johnson.
The Broncos failed to push any runs across before the Eagles offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. Eastern Michigan picked up two runs in the frame, the big hit being an RBI double from Taylor, which brought the Eagles lead to 8-3.
Western Michigan narrowed Eastern Michigan's lead to 8-4 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 9-4 in the fifth inning. The Eagles scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Kleiman.
Eastern Michigan kept the Broncos scoreless before expanding their lead in the eighth inning. Sophomore Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio/Mohawk) and senior Blake McRae (Armada, Mich./Romeo/Lansing C.C.) each scored a run for the Eagles in the inning, bringing the Eastern Michigan advantage to 11-4. The score remained 11-4 for the rest of the game, as the Eagles coasted to the win.
Game Notes
» Johnson hit a single that drove in two runs for Eastern Michigan. Johnson has driven in 14 runners this season. In addition, he also drove in a third run of the day for the Eagles in the third inning. It is the second consecutive game in which he has recorded at least three runs batted in.
» Taylor continued the offense in the first inning for the Green and White, producing an RBI single to right field. Taylor now has 16 RBI on the season. In addition, Taylor has six multi-hit games on the season. He would go on to finish the game with three hits. It is the third time this season in which he has had three hits in a game.
» Kyle Schroedle (Redding, Calif./University Prep/Crown College) helped Eastern Michigan cap off a six-run first inning by having a single of his own, driving in two runs in the triumph over the Broncos. Schroedle has now reached base safely in all but three games he has played in this season and has 16 RBI for the season.
» Kleiman also had an RBI sacrifice of his own. Kleiman went on to add an RBI single in the bottom half of the fifth inning to increase the Eagles' lead to five runs at the time. The backstop has seven runs batted in so far this year, and the game was also the second occurrence in which he had multiple RBI.
» Eastern Michigan scored six runs in the first inning to get a 6-3 lead. It is the 10th time the Eagles have scored at least four runs an inning this season. Additionally, the Eagles are 5-2 this season when they score in the first inning.
» Vance recorded three hits in the win against Western Michigan. The multi-hit effort was his fifth in the 2024 season.
» Eastern had a total of 15 hits in the win against Western Michigan. It is the 10th time this season in which Eastern has recorded 10 or more hits. The Eagles have a record of 7-3 in such games.
» The Eagles' 15 hits are also tied for the most the team has had in a game in the 2024 season, they also did it against Ball State University, March 8, and at Morehead State University, March 16.
» The Eagles scored six runs in the first inning, marking its seventh time scoring runs in the first. Eastern holds a 5-2 record when scoring in the first inning this season.
» Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Mich./Pentwater/Spring Arbor) had a solid game as well, recording two hits in the win against Western Michigan. Miller has now had three multi-hit games this season.
» Jones pitched eight innings for the Eagles. The outing ties Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile) for the longest of the season, as he went eight innings in a game at the University of Southern Indiana, Feb. 25.
» All nine starters for Eastern Michigan recorded at least one hit in the win over the Broncos.
» Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich./Essexville Garber) recorded a career-high three stolen bases in the win over Western Michigan to add his total to 14 stolen bases on the season.
» Eastern Michigan scored 11 runs in the victory over the Broncos. The game is the sixth time in which the Eagles scored 10 or more runs in a game. They have a record of 5-1 in these games.
Historical Notes
» The game was the 193rd all-time meeting between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. Western leads the all-time series by just one game, 97-96.
» With the win over the Broncos, Eastern Michigan won their conference home opener. The last time the Eagles won their MAC home opener was March 25, 2022, where they defeated the University of Akron, 10-9.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan will face Western tomorrow, March 24, in a doubleheader to conclude a three-game series. First pitch is set for noon, and the second game will begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Bobby (4-2)
L: MILLER, Brady (1-3)
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Batting:
HR: RICHMOND, CJ 1
RBI: MALONEY, Michael 1 ; RICHMOND, CJ 3
Base Running:
RUNS: SULLIVAN, Cade 1 ; NEVAR, Dylan 1 ; RICHMOND, CJ 1 ; MEE, Grady 1
SB: KITCHEN, Jackson 1
CS: NEVAR, Dylan 1
HBP: KITCHEN, Jackson 1 ; RICHMOND, CJ 1 ; OSTRANDER, Connor 1 ; MEE, Grady 1
Batting:
2B: Taylor, Cory 1
RBI: Johnson, Lucas 3 ; Taylor, Cory 3 ; Schroedle, Kyle 2 ; Kleiman, Brendan 2
SH: Kleiman, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vance, Cooper 3 ; McRae, Blake 3 ; Johnson, Lucas 1 ; Zuccaro, Giano 1 ; Taylor, Cory 2 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1
SB: Vance, Cooper 2 ; Hugo, Logan 3 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1 ; Miller, Glenn 1
CS: Kleiman, Brendan 2
HBP: Hugo, Logan 1 ; Johnson, Lucas 1 ; Zuccaro, Giano 1
