Baseball Welcomes Ohio to Oestrike Stadium for Weekend MAC Series

Baseball vs Ohio
Date	Saturday-Sunday \| April 13-14
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Oestrike Stadium
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Live Video	Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Social Media	@EMU _Baseball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will play a three-game series over the course of two days, as the Eagles are set to welcome the Ohio University Bobcats to Oestrike Stadium Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14.
Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 12 p.m., with the second game projected to start at roughly 3:30 p.m. Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Fans can follow along on Eagles All-Access using a live stats and watch link which can be accessed on the EMU baseball schedule page at EMUEagles.com/baseball/schedule. Also stay tuned to EMU baseball socials including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), and emu.baseball on Instagram for live in-game updates.

After the series against the Bobcats, Eastern will continue its home stand, as it will play host to the Butler University Bulldogs Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m.

FIRST PITCHES
» Cory Taylor had five hits in Eastern's game against Oakland University, April 9. He became the first Eagle to have five hits in a game since former Eagle Jeff Timko did so in the 2018 season.
» EMU currently stands third in the MAC with a 7-5 conference record after winning its first three MAC series, marking the first time the Eagles have done so since the 2008 campaign.
» The Eagles most recently set season-high's in runs (17), hits (24), and RBI (15) against Oakland, April 9. EMU's 24 hits that day were the most from the Eagles since the 2009 campaign.
» With series wins over rivals Western Michigan (March 23-24) and Central Michigan (March 28-30), Eastern has beaten both its Michigan MAC foes in a series in the same season for the first time since 2012.
» After losing its first three one-run affairs to start the season, EMU has prevailed to win in each of its last five one-run games.
» The Eagles and Bobcats will meet for the 139th time this Saturday, with Eastern holding a 70-68 overall record when facing Ohio.
» After the series against the Bobcats, Eastern will continue its home stand, as it will play host to the Butler University Bulldogs Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m.
» For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), emu.baseball on Instagram, and emu.baseball on TikTok.

CORY TAYLOR: FIRST FIVE-HIT DAY SINCE 2018
Senior Cory Taylor swung a blazing-hot bat against Oakland, April 9. The second baseman went 5-for-7 from the dish, marking the first five-hit day from the Eagles since former Eagle Jeff Timko did so in an 11-5 win over Nicholls State, March 3, 2018. The Shelbyville, Ind., native, homered twice in the game, for the first multi-homer game of his career, tying for the team-lead (seven). Additionally, both Taylor's hit (five) and RBI count (four) went down as career-highs.

HOT BATS
The Eastern offense erupted for a 17-run, 24-hit, 15-RBI performance from the dish in its mid-week game against Oakland, April 9. The runs, hits, and RBI totals each mark season-highs for the Eagles, while the hits are the most from the program since they knocked 28 in a 27-7 win over Bowling Green State University, April 8, 2009. The 17 runs went down as the second time this season the Eagles have eclipsed the 15-run mark, previously doing so in their 16-6 thumping of the Belmont University Bruins, Feb. 18.

KLEIMAN THE LADDER
After tallying three hits in his first seven games played, first year transfer student-athlete Brendan Kleiman has fully adjusted to the Division I level. Kleiman went on a team-high 10 game hit-streak, the longest from the Eagles so far this season, recording at least one knock in every game he played from March 16-April 6. Additionally, the junior tallied multi-hit games in five contests during his 10-game streak. Kleiman most recently tallied the first long ball of his Eastern career, sending one over the left field wall of Oestrike Stadium in the seventh inning against Oakland, April 9. Altogether, the catcher has quickly risen to the top of the EMU leaderboards in batting average, as he is batting at a .382 clip this season, the third best figure in the MAC.

TOUGH TO SHAKE
Eastern showed its resilience in its series against Central Michigan, March 28-30. In both of EMU's wins in the three-game set, the Eagles walked-off the Chippewas in the ninth inning, coming back from down four runs in the first game (March 28), and three runs in the series finale (March 30). In total, EMU scored 10 runs in the final two innings in both of its walk-off triumphs over the Chippewas. Furthermore, the wins marked the Eagles first time coming back from down three runs or more to win a game this season.

THE MORE THE MERRIER
Eastern won its first extra-innings contest of the season with a 13-12 win over the Golden Flashes in 11 innings, April 6. The win marked the first extra-innings win of the Head Coach Robbie Britt era. The Eagles are now 1-0 in extra-inning contests under Britt.

COMPLETE GAMES NATIONWIDE
Senior Nick Chittum is one of 14 players in the nation to record multiple complete games this season, doing so against the University of Southern Indiana, Feb. 25, and most recently against Western Michigan University, March 24. One of 113 Division I pitchers to go the distance this season, Chittum held the Broncos scoreless in his most recent CG, the senior became the first EMU pitcher to toss a nine-inning shutout since former Eagle Brad Allen notched a 3-0 complete-game triumph over Bowling Green, March 25, 2017.

KYLE SCHROEDLE: MID-SEASON FORM
Kyle Schroedle has turned a corner in his second Division I season. The Redding, Calif., native has already matched his home run total from last season (seven), which stands as the fifth-most in the MAC. The graduate student is just three RBI away from tying his total from 2023 (23). Additionally, Schroedle is eight hits away from tying his total from last season (41), and has made improvements to his slugging percentage (up .81 points from last season), OPS (up .104 points from last season), and batting average (up .28 points from last season).

McRAE'S BREAKOUT SEASON
Also in his second Division I campaign, Blake McRae has grown leaps and bounds since last season, as the senior has already surpassed his 2023 season total in nearly every hitting statistic. Last season, the Armada, Mich., native batted .292 with 26 hits, 16 runs, two doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI, and 34 TB. This season, McRae is batting .364 with 40 hits, 30 runs, six doubles, one triple, four homers, 23 RBI, and 60 TB. McRae has also increased his OPS 223 points(up from .772 to .932), batting average (up from .292 to .364), and slugging percentage (up from .382 to .545). In his most recent game versus the Golden Grizzlies, April 9, McRae tied a career-high with four hits and recorded the first triple of his EMU career.

STRONG START
Freshman relief pitcher Liam Baker has had a strong start to his young career. The right-hander has allowed just two earned runs in his collegiate career (12.2 IP). Baker most recently had another strong appearance in relief effort against Oakland, April 9, allowing just one hit and one run, while retiring one Golden Grizzly via the strikeout.

BOB GETS THE NOD
Senior Bobby Jones started in the series opening game against Kent State, April 5, marking his ninth start of the season. Jones' nine starts rank as the most in the conference thus far, and fifth most in the nation. Jones also sits 83rd in the nation and second in the MAC with four wins on the year.

BOBBY JONES: NATIONALLY RANKED
Bobby Jones is nationally ranked in both strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings. Jones stands second in the conference in both categories, while ranking ninth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.50) and 11th in the country in walks allowed per nine innings (1.17). Jones most recently sent five packing via the strikeout while walking one in his most recent appearance against Kent State, April 5.

DANGEROUS ON THE BASE PATHS
Junior Logan Hugo ranks second in the MAC and stands 39th nationally with 16 stolen bases. He also stands 41st in the country and second in the conference in stolen bases per game (0.55). Hugo leads an Eagles team that ranks 49th nationally in stolen bags, and second in the conference with 53. EMU also ranks high in stolen bases per game, averaging 1.71 swipes per contest (50th nationally, fourth in MAC).

SCORING FIRST
When scoring first, Eastern posts an 8-5 record. The trend continues when Eastern Michigan scores in the first inning of the game, as the Eagles hold a 6-2 record in such occurrences. The Eagles scored first, and in the first inning, plating three runs in the first frame in its 13-12 extra-innings win over the Golden Flashes, April 6.

12 HITS = WINS
The Eagles have a 9-3 record when recording 12 or more hits in a single game this season. Most recently, EMU tabbed 24 hits in its game against Oakland, April 9. Additionally, the Eagles have out-hit their opponent 18 times this season, compiling a 10-8 record when doing so.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SIXTH
The Eagles post a 10-1 record when leading after six innings of play. Conversely, when trailing after six, EMU is 2-17. Eastern lost for the first time this season after leading past the sixth inning, falling to Oakland, 20-17, April 9. EMU is still perfect when leading after seven and eight innings, producing a 7-0 record in both scenarios.

ISIAH LINDSEY: TYING & SETTING CAREER-HIGHS
Isiah Lindsey struck out six Golden Grizzlies while issuing one lone walk in his appearance against Oakland, April 9. Lindsey's six punch outs set an EMU career-high for the right-hander. He also tied a career-long outing on the mound as he went 4.2 innings for the second consecutive appearance, as he also pitched 4.2 in EMU's 13-12 extra-innings win over Kent State, April 6.

MOVE EM' UP
Glenn Miller has excelled this season in advancing EMU baserunners via the sacrifice bunt. Miller has notched six sacrifice bunts on the season, ranking him second in the MAC and 28th nationally. The senior most recently executed a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the third inning against Oakland, April 9, advancing an EMU baserunner to second base.

IN THE SERIES: OHIO
The Eagles and Bobcats will meet for the 139th time this Saturday, with Eastern holding a 70-68 overall record when facing Ohio. Ohio has controlled the series as of late, as the Bobcats have won nine of the last 10 meetings. Since 1999, Eastern averages 5.49 runs per game against the Bobcats, posting a 13-14 record when facing them at Oestrike Stadium, while the Eagles longest win streak in the series stretched to six games from April 16, 2006 till April 12, 2008.

SCOUTING OHIO
Picked to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, the Bobcats currently sit 10th in the conference standings with an 8-20 (4-11 MAC) record. Ohio has claimed victory over three MAC opponents in Northern Illinois University (one), Kent State University (two), and Central Michigan University (three). OU has won just one lone MAC series this season, as they took two-of-three from KSU, March 15-17. The Bobcats have struggled as of late, as they will enter the weekend series having lost eight consecutive games.

ON THE HORIZON
After the series against the Bobcats, Eastern will continue its home stand, as it will play host to the Butler University Bulldogs Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m.

FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), emu.baseball on Instagram, and emu.baseball on TikTok.

Baseball Welcomes Ohio to Oestrike Stadium for Weekend MAC Series

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Players Mentioned

Liam Baker

Nick Chittum

Logan Hugo

Bobby Jones

Brendan Kleiman

Isiah Lindsey

Blake McRae

Glenn Miller

Kyle Schroedle

Cory Taylor

Eastern Michigan Athletics