Baseball Suffers 8-5 Setback to Central Michigan

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University baseball team got three hits from senior Blake McRae in an 8-5 loss to Central Michigan University Friday, March 29, inside Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti.

Junior Drew Beckner (Westerville, Ohio/Big Walnut/Charleston) (2-4) started and took the loss on the mound for Eastern Michigan (10-15, 5-3 Mid-American Conference). The southpaw went five innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on five hits, allowing one walk and striking out six. Junior Andrew Dukesherer (Byron Center, Mich./Grandville/Muskegon C.C.) was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going one shutout inning without allowing a hit, walking one and striking out one.

In addition to his three hits, McRae (Armada, Mich./Romeo/Lansing CC) had two doubles and a walk to lead the Eagles. Senior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) compiled a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Junior Brendan Kleiman (Olney, Md./Sherwood/Frederick C.C.) also contributed for Eastern Michigan, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double.

How it Happened
The Eagles put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Kleiman came across to steal home, scoring the lone run of the inning for Eastern Michigan.

The Eagles lost the lead they built in the second, but got back on the board in the fifth trailing, 3-1. Sophomore Drew Jones (Cleveland, Ohio/Brush/Ohio State) came across to score the lone run of the inning for Eastern, which tightened the Chippewas lead to 3-2.

Central Michigan built their lead to 7-2 before the EMU offense got going, reducing that lead to 7-4 in the seventh. The Eagles scored twice, with one run coming across on junior Giano Zuccaro's (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea Midpark) single.

The Chippewas expanded their lead to 8-4 before the Eagles' offense got back in gear, digging into that lead in the ninth. The Eagles scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Taylor, tightening the Central lead to 8-5. The Eagles were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.

Game Notes
» Jones stole the first base of his Eastern Michigan career, as he swiped second in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jones also collected another two-hit day, his fifth as an Eagle. The Ohio State transfer has been productive as a batter, as he has tallied multiple hits in each of his previous four games played.
» Beckner had a strong start on the mound. He pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits, while striking out six and walking just one. Beckner has limited teams to five hits or less in five of his eight appearances on the mound this season.
» With a 2-for-4 day from the dish, Kleiman has knocked a hit in seven consecutive games, marking the longest streak of his Division I career, and ties teammate Kyle Schroedle (Redding, Calif./University Prep/Crown College) for the longest streak of the season thus far. Furthermore, the two-hit outing goes down as Kleiman's fifth of the season, and marks the second time in his EMU career with consecutive multi-hit outings. Kleiman previously knocked multiple hits in consecutive games against Morehead State University, March 16-17.
» The Eastern Michigan offense also saw a three-hit game from McRae. The three hits were the 11th time this season in which McRae has had a multi-hit game, and his second three-hit outing.
» Eastern Michigan as a team had a total of 10 hits in the loss to the Chippewas. The game is the 13th time in which the Eagles have had 10 or more hits in a game this season.
» Dukesherer pitched in the top of the eighth inning, pitching a scoreless frame for Eastern Michigan. The outing is just the second time in which Dukesherer pitched a scoreless frame, also doing so at Ball State University, March 8.
» Taylor drew a walk that drove in a run in the seventh inning for the Eagles. Taylor additionally recorded another RBI for the EMU in the ninth inning to keep the game in reach. Taylor now has 20 RBI on the season, becoming the first player on the Eagles to reach that total.
» Zuccaro had a walk to drive in a run for Eastern Michigan. Zuccaro is one of five players who have at least 15 RBI on the season for EMU.

Historical Notes
» Friday's matchup marked the 181st all-time meeting between the Eagles and Chippewas and, after the result, Eastern holds a 97-84 record when facing CMU.

Up Next
Eastern Michigan will conclude a seven-game homestand Saturday, March 30, against Central Michigan. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

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Team Stats

Blake McRae

Brendan Kleiman

Drew Jones

Cory Taylor

Players Mentioned

Drew Beckner

Andrew Dukesherer

Drew Jones

Brendan Kleiman

Blake McRae

Kyle Schroedle

Cory Taylor

Giano Zuccaro

Players Mentioned

Drew Beckner

Andrew Dukesherer

Drew Jones

Brendan Kleiman

Blake McRae

Kyle Schroedle

Cory Taylor

Giano Zuccaro

Eastern Michigan Athletics