Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
5-9, 2-0
Ball State
9-6, 0-2
Eagles Secure First Series Win of 2024, Besting Ball State, 6-2
3/9/2024 4:34:00 PM | Baseball
With the win, the Eagles have won a series against the defending MAC Tournament Champion for the first time since 2018
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Junior Drew Beckner cruised, punching out eight Ball State University hitters over six innings of work to help lead the Eastern Michigan University Eagles over the Cardinals, 6-2, for the Eagles second straight win and first series win of the season, Saturday, March 9, at BSU's Ball Diamond. The Eagles improved to 5-9 (2-0 MAC), while Ball State dropped to 9-6 (0-2 MAC).
In addition to his eight strikeouts, Beckner (Westerville, Ohio/Big Walnut/Charleston) (2-1) threw six innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on three hits, while walking five for Eastern Michigan (5-9, 2-0). Freshman Niko Kreuzer (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis Desales) also made an impact on the mound for the Eagles, throwing three scoreless innings while allowing no hits, with no walks and one strikeout to earn the save.
Senior Cory Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) led the way offensively, going 2-for-5 in the ballgame with one double, one home run, and two RBI. Darren Kraft (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Oceanside Collegiate Academy) furnished a noteworthy performance as well, going 2-for-4 with one home run, and one walk, while driving in two EMU baserunners. Kyle Schroedle (Redding, Calif./University Prep/Crown College) also chipped in, going 2-for-4 for Eastern Michigan with one walk and an RBI.
How it Happened
The Eagles put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the third inning. Schroedle's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run inning for Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles then held the Cardinals scoreless before expanding their lead in the fifth inning. Eastern picked up a run on Taylor's leadoff long ball, which brought the Eagles' lead to 3-0.
Ball State narrowed EMU's lead to 3-2 before the Eagles stretched the advantage to 6-2 in the seventh inning. The Eagles notched three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run homer from Kraft.
The score remained 6-2 for the rest of the game, as the Eagles coasted to their second consecutive win.
Game Notes
» The Eagles had their eyes peeled at the plate, tying a season-high with eight walks in the contest. Eastern is 3-1 this season when drawing seven or more walks.
» Schroedle went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, marking his fourth multi-hit performance of the season and second consecutive game doing so.
» Blake McRae (Armada, Mich./Romeo/Lansing C.C.) tied a career-high in the contest, drawing three walks.
» Taylor homered to right center in the top of the fifth, marking consecutive games with a dinger for the senior. The Shelbyville, Ind., native joins Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich./Essexville Garber) as the only two Eagles to notch a home run in consecutive games this season. Additionally, Taylor's back-to-back games with a long ball goes down as the second occurrence of his career doing so. The last time Taylor had consecutive games with a home run coincidentally came in last season's conference opening series against the University of Akron, March 10-11.
» Kraft homered to center in the top of the seventh, marking his second home run of the 2024 season. Kraft finished the game with two RBI for his second multi-RBI game of the year and eighth of his career. After singling to right in the top of the ninth, Kraft secured his third multi-hit game of the season.
» The Eagles out-hit their opponent for the 11th time this season, they now hold a 5-6 record in such contests.
» EMU pushed across the first two runs of the game in its half of the third inning, marking the seventh time the Eagles have scored first this season. When scoring first, Eastern is 5-2 this season.
» Beckner had another solid start on the mound as the junior tied a season-high with eight strikeouts, while allowing just three hits and two earned runs, and walking five Cardinal Batters. Beckner has registered at least five strikeouts in every start this season.
» Kreuzer had a career day on the bump. Coming in to relieve Beckner after six innings, Kreuzer got the remaining nine outs for the Green and White, allowing no hits or earned runs, while fanning one Cardinal batter in the process, marking the first save of the Westerville, Ohio, native's career. Furthermore, the right-hander had a career-long appearance as he pitched three innings, while tying a career-high in strikeouts (one), as well as matching career-lows in hits (zero), earned runs (zero), and walks (zero).
Historical Notes
» Saturday's game marked the 171st all-time between the Eagles and Cardinals, after the win, the series is knotted at 85-85-1.
» With Saturday's win, the Eagles have recorded consecutive wins and a series win for the first time in the Head Coach Robbie Britt era.
» Grabbing a series win against the Cardinals Saturday, EMU has won a series against the defending MAC Tournament Champion for the first time since they took two-of-three games from the Ohio University Bobcats in Athens in the 2018 season, April 13-14.
» After winning last season's conference opening series, 2-1, against the University of Akron, March 10, the Eagles have tabbed consecutive conference opening series wins for the first since they did so in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, besting Bowling Green State University in both series. Eastern swept the Falcons in the 2016 campaign, March 25-27, before taking two-of-three from BGSU in the 2017 season, March 24-25.
Up Next
The Eagles and Cardinals will meet for the series finale tomorrow, March 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern will be seeking its first road sweep of a conference opponent since the 2021 season when it swept BGSU in a four-game series, May 7-8.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Beckner, Drew (2-1)
L: Logan Schulfer (1-2)
S: Kreuzer, Niko (1)
Batting:
2B: Taylor, Cory 1
HR: Taylor, Cory 1 ; Kraft, Darren 1
RBI: Taylor, Cory 2 ; Schroedle, Kyle 1 ; Kraft, Darren 2 ; Kleiman, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hugo, Logan 1 ; McRae, Blake 2 ; Taylor, Cory 2 ; Kraft, Darren 1
SB: Hugo, Logan 1
CS: Zuccaro, Giano 1
HBP: Hugo, Logan 1
Batting:
3B: Matthew Gonzalez 1
RBI: Matthew Gonzalez 1 ; Dylan Grego 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Michael Hallquist 1 ; Matthew Gonzalez 1
SB: Decker Scheffler 1 ; Dylan Grego 1
CS: Decker Scheffler 1
