Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
17-21, 9-12
Bowling Green
28-14, 16-8
Kapa Strikesout Seven, Baseball Drops Series Finale at BGSU
4/27/2025 4:27:00 PM | Baseball
Kapa furthered his MAC-best strikeout total to 66 on the season
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Despite a seven-strikeout performance from Senior right-hander Tyler Kapa, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team was defeated in the series finale against Bowling Green State University, 8-4, as BGSU completed the three game Mid-American Conference sweep at Steller Field Sunday, April 27.
The EMU offense was led by junior utility man Ty Stecko (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin/Mount St. Mary's) who posted a 2-for-5 day from the plate with two RBI. Kapa (Waterford, Mich./Kettering/Alma/Mott C.C./Davenport) got the start and went 4.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned), off 11 hits while striking out seven and issuing just two walks. His seven strikeouts elevated his conference-high watermark to 66 on the season.
Bowling Green's Ty Roder (3-1) earned the win while Kapa (3-5) was tagged with the loss. After the result, EMU's record shifted to 17-21 (9-12 MAC) and BGSU's improved to 28-14 (16-8 MAC).
How it Happened
Eastern threatened in the top of the first as Giano Zuccaro (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea Midpark/Charleston) led the game off with a double to right center and advanced to third on a Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich./Essexville Garber) fly out. Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) drew a two-out walk, but the Eagles failed to push any runs across in the opening frame.
Bowling Green responded with three runs in the home half of the inning off five singles to strike first and take the 3-0 advantage. The Falcons added one in the top of the third off an infield RBI-knock, scoring a runner from third who went from first to third off a wild pitch after reaching via a single.
BGSU added one in the bottom of the fourth off a bases-loaded walk to grow its lead to five at 5-0.
Junior infielder Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio/Mohawk) led off the top of the fifth with a stand-up double, the Eagles third of the day. He advanced to third off a Zuccaro ground out and ran home off an RBI-single from Hugo for the Eagles' first run of the day, trimming the BGSU lead to four at 5-1.
Kapa was relieved by sophomore righty Emmett Gillies (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) after getting one out in the fourth. Kapa left after striking out seven while walking two and allowing five runs (four earned) off 11 hits.
Bowling Green plated two in the sixth off two hits, two walks, one stolen base, an Eastern Michigan error, and one passed ball. The score went to 7-1 by the end of the inning as junior right-hander Nick Keane (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin/Frederick C.C.) came in to get the final out of the inning with a strikeout.
Eastern scored two in the seventh to cut the Falcons' edge to four, 7-3. Stecko stepped to the plate for his second bases-loaded at-bat of the game and sent a base knock up the middle to score Zuccaro and Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn./Soddy Daisy/Carson-Newman).
The Falcons scored one in the eighth, plating a runner from third that reached via a walk, advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt, got to third on a wild pitch, and scored off the RBI single. Henry Slaby (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward) relieved Keane to get the final out of the inning with a strikeout.
Eastern battled in the ninth as Zirwas singled to shortstop, sending Hugo to third as he would score off an errant throw from the BGSU shortstop. Stecko singled up the middle to send Zirwas to second, but the EMU rally fell short as Bowling Green forced a ground ball for the final out. The game resulted in an 8-4 win for BGSU as it completed the three-game sweep.
Game Notes
» Eastern pitching struck out 11, marking the 10th time this season and second time in the series it has eclipsed the double-digit mark as it also struck out 11 in the 11-4 loss in game one of the doubleheader Friday, April 26. Through 38 games, the 2025 EMU pitching staff has doubled the amount of double-digit strikeout games it had all of last season (five).
» Kapa struck out seven to bring his season strikeout total to 66, marking the most in the MAC and an NCAA Division I career high for the senior. He struck out at least seven batters for the fourth time in his 11 appearances this season.
» Stecko knocked multiple hits for the 12th time with a 2-for-5 showing from the dish and drove in multiple runs for the seventh time as he sent two plateward. He furthered his season-long career-highs to 34 hits and 26 RBI in the process
» Zirwas notched his team-high 15th multi-hit game as he went 2-for-2 with two walks. One of his hits went for two bases, marking his career-best 14th double of the campaign, the most on the team and fourth in the MAC in terms of value. He also worked his fourth multi-walk game of the season, elevating his career-high watermark to 24, a figure that stands second on the squad.
» Vance grabbed his 42nd hit and 10th double of the season. Through 38 games, he has hit two more doubles than he did in 46 games in 2024, and is one hit shy of tying his career-best from last season. He scored his 34th run of the season, the second-most on the team and the most in his three-year collegiate tenure.
» Hugo drove in his 45th run of the year and knocked his 47th hit. His 45 RBI are a career best and rank seventh in the MAC. He also stole his 14th base of the season.
» Zuccaro hit his eighth double of the season and tied an NCAA Division I career best with his fourth stolen base of the year.
» Slaby tossed his fourth scoreless frame of the season. He has held opponents to zero runs in four of his five total appearances.
» Eastern Michigan's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed two runs across.
» Eastern left 11 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» EMU pitchers faced 46 Bowling Green hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out 11.
» The Eagles drew five walks from Bowling Green pitching.
Historical Notes
» The series finale marked the 194th all-time meeting between the Eagles and Falcons.
Up Next
Eastern returns home for a three-game MAC series against Northern Illinois Friday-Saturday, May 2-4. Admission to Oestrike Stadium is free and all three games can be streamed live on ESPN+.
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) and emu_baseball on Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: RODER, Ty (3-1)
L: Kapa, Tyler (3-5)
Batting:
2B: Zuccaro, Giano 1 ; Zirwas, Devan 1 ; Vance, Cooper 1
RBI: Hugo, Logan 1 ; Stecko, Ty 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Zuccaro, Giano 1 ; Hugo, Logan 1 ; Travis, Harrison 1 ; Vance, Cooper 1
SB: Zuccaro, Giano 1 ; Hugo, Logan 1
HBP: Zuccaro, Giano 1 ; Zirwas, Devan 1
Batting:
RBI: GANUN, Gavin 2 ; HORKY, Zack 1 ; PARKER, Caden 2 ; CURLIS, Brayden 2
Base Running:
RUNS: ANTILLON, Gunner 1 ; WRIGHT, Garrett 3 ; GANUN, Gavin 1 ; TAKATS, TJ 1 ; PARKER, Caden 2
SB: TAKATS, TJ 1 ; PARKER, Caden 1
CS: GANUN, Gavin 1
HBP: WRIGHT, Garrett 1 ; LAIRD, Alex 1
