Eastern Michigan Athletics
Fifty Years From Omaha: 1975 EMU Baseball's Unforgettable Journey
5/12/2025 9:54:00 AM | Baseball
EMU to honor the team on Friday, May 16, at Oestrike Stadium
1975 EMU Reunion Information | 1975 Season Recap (PDF)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- In the spring of 1975, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team set out with quiet confidence and an audacious dream: to go where only a handful of Mid-American Conference teams had ever gone before — the College World Series in Omaha. Now, 50 years later, that dream, realized in one of the most memorable seasons in program history, still resonates across campus and in the hearts of all who wore the Green and White.
Back then, few could have predicted what would unfold. After all, the then-Hurons began their season with a humbling spring trip to Edinburg, Texas, returning north with a 4–7 record. The early results were less than inspiring, but those games against southern competition served as trial by fire. Coach Ron Oestrike, a legendary and respected figure in the program, did not flinch. He knew what he had — a young but remarkably mature roster, built around a handful of seasoned veterans and a pitching staff poised for greatness.
Before Eastern Michigan's runs to the College World Series in 1975 and again in 1976, only two other Mid-American Conference schools (Ohio University and Western Michigan University) had ever advanced to the national tournament. Kent State University's trip to the Super Regional and CWS in 2012 marked the first time a MAC team had returned to that phase of the tournament since the NCAA introduced the format in 1999.
From that rocky start bloomed a stunning turnaround. Eastern reeled off 29 wins in its next 39 games and, more importantly, caught fire just as Mid-American Conference play began. Led by senior co-captains Jeff Washington and Ken Bruchanski, the Hurons quickly established themselves as contenders. They opened league play with a pair of wins over Bowling Green State University and, despite a setback against Ball State University, bounced back to topple defending MAC champion Miami University in a dominating doubleheader.
The schedule did not get easier, but Eastern thrived under pressure. They swept in-state rival Central Michigan University and then traveled to Ohio for a critical weekend against Kent State University and Ohio University. After splitting with Kent, the Hurons unleashed their offense in Athens, taking both games from the Bobcats behind thunderous home runs from Washington and catcher Jerry Keller. With that sweep, EMU seized the MAC lead and never looked back.
The final weekend of conference play brought a high-stakes doubleheader against Western Michigan University. Needing to win both games to clinch the title outright, the Hurons played with the poise of champions. Bruchanski delivered a gutsy performance in the opener, securing a 5–2 win. In the nightcap, the Hurons trailed 3–1 in the sixth until freshman Glenn Ambrose laced an RBI single and sophomore centerfielder Mike Lauerman followed with a clutch two-run double that flipped the script. Bob Welch shut the door in the seventh, and Eastern Michigan, just three years into its MAC tenure, had captured its first conference crown.
Their reward was the opportunity to host the NCAA Mid-East Regional at Oestrike Stadium—a defining moment for the program. EMU welcomed regional powerhouses the University of Michigan, Penn State University, and Clemson University to Ypsilanti with little national fanfare, but that changed quickly.
In the tournament opener, Bob Owchinko, EMU's fearless junior lefty, pitched a masterpiece against Clemson, limiting the Tigers to just three hits in a 5–3 victory. The next day, the Hurons edged Michigan, 3–2, thanks to another strong effort from Bruchanski and a crucial save by Welch. But the path to Omaha was not cleared yet. After Michigan eliminated Penn State, they handed Eastern a narrow 4–2 loss in the regional final, forcing one final game between the two rivals.
In front of a boisterous home crowd, the Hurons drew first blood. Left fielder Ted Dasen ripped a triple in the opening inning and scored on an error. Michigan tied it in the third, but Eastern responded in the fifth. Glenn Gulliver, the steadiest of shortstops, singled to center and advanced on a perfect bunt by Keller. Then Thom Boutin, a powerful outfielder who had overcome a separated shoulder the previous season, drove him in with a single to right. That 2–1 lead held through the eighth behind Welch's dominant 12-strikeout performance.
With daylight fading, the game was called due to darkness, and the two teams returned the next day to finish the final inning. Over 1,500 fans poured back into the stands to witness history. Owchinko, now called on in relief, retired the first two batters before surrendering a single. With tension thick in the air, he induced a routine grounder to second base, and just like that, the dream was real. The Hurons were headed to Omaha.
Seton Hall, South Carolina, EMU, Florida St., Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona State, and Cal St. Fullerton won their regionals and moved on to the 1975 College World Series. The Hurons drew Florida State in the opener, dispatching the Seminoles, 2-1, in extra innings. The next day, Eastern fell to the Gamecocks, 5-1 in six innings, and were eliminated by Oklahoma, 7-0.
That 1975 team had all the hallmarks of greatness: timely hitting, elite defense, and a pitching staff that could go toe-to-toe with any in the country.
The roster was deep and balanced — players like Bruchanski, Ambrose, Lauerman, and relievers like Dale Corbin and Jay Traver all played pivotal roles in critical games. Many would go on to professional baseball, and others would become coaches, educators, and community leaders. What they built together in 1975, though, remains singular.
Their appearance in Omaha marked a turning point for baseball in the Midwest. The Hurons proved that a northern school, playing through unpredictable spring weather and without the prestige of a major conference, could not only compete with the best but beat them as well. That legacy has endured for half a century.
EMU would follow it up with a return trip to Omaha the following season. The 1976 Eagles steamrolled their opponents to the tune of a 46-16 record and a 12-3 ledger for first place in the MAC. That season, the Green and White featured a lineup full of major-league talent, including the pitching duo of Owchinko and Bob Welch. Owchinko and Welch alone combined for 23 wins against just six losses. Both hurlers ended up becoming first-round draft selections, as Owchinko was the No. 5 pick by the San Diego Padres in 1976 and Welch the 20th by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977.
Seven additional members of the College World Series squads were taken in Major League drafts from 1976-78 including Gulliver (eighth round, 1976), Keller (10th round, 1976), Boutin (39th round, 1976), Dasen (20th round, 1977), Danny Schmitz (20th round, 1977), Bud Yanus (24th round, 1978; 25th round, 1979) and Martin (27th round, 1978).
Gulliver achieved NCAA Division I All-American status to become the fourth player in EMU history at that time to receive the accolade. In 1976, the Eagles' shortstop paced the team with a .392 batting average and added 10 homers, seven triples, three doubles, 55 RBI and 26 stolen bases. Gulliver still holds the school record for career walks with 140.
Owchinko, a 1976 NCAA Division I Academic All-American selection, led the Eastern Michigan pitching staff with a sparkling 14-3 record and a 1.99 ERA. In 16 starts, Owchinko amassed 13 complete games for a total of 135.2 innings. His 309-career strikeouts are tops at EMU and his 29-career wins are second in EMU annals.
Welch, the 1990 National League Cy Young award winner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitched his way to a team-best 1.82 ERA in 1976 along with a 10-3 record. He posted eight complete games in 12 starts and recorded five shutouts to lead an Eagles team which boasted a 3.38 ERA and 10 shutouts. Welch pitched a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Central Michigan University, April 23, and a perfect game against the University of Detroit Mercy, May 23.
As a team, the Eagles put four members on the All-MAC first team and a pair on the Academic All-MAC squad. EMU players broke or tied 30 school career or single-season records.
The 1976 College World Series opened June 11 in Omaha, Neb., where the Eagles edged out a 3-2 triumph over the University of Maine. Owchinko and Welch combined to limit Maine to two runs on seven hits, while a 3-for-4, two-run day from Schmitz led EMU to the win. The Eagles then won a second 3-2 game, this time in 10 innings, over Clemson University and another against Arizona State University by a score of 2-1 to put Eastern Michigan in the finals against the University of Arizona.
In game one against the Wildcats, EMU scored a run in the seventh inning to tie the game, 6-6. That score held until the eighth inning, when Arizona broke out for five runs and held on for an 11-6 victory. Needing a win in the second game to extend the best-of-three series, Eastern Michigan could not muster enough offense to stay competitive with an Arizona team which carried a 7-0 lead into the ninth inning. EMU scored one run in its last at-bat, but fell, 7-1, to claim second place.
Now, 50 years later, the 1975 Eastern Michigan baseball team returns to campus not just as former student-athletes but as legends. Their story has become part of the program's very identity—a tale passed down through generations, whispered from dugouts, and echoed in pregame speeches.
They were a team of heart and hustle, of confidence and character. They showed what's possible when a group of individuals becomes a true team. And in doing so, they did not just make it to Omaha — they made history.
Two for the Ages: Remembering Eastern baseball legends Oestrike and Welch
(this article first appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Eastern Magazine)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The first fastball came in hard over the heart of the plate. The batter swung ferociously and missed, nearly falling over on the backswing. Reggie Jackson, New York's "Mr. October," adjusted his Yankees helmet and dug back in the box. His opponent: Dodgers rookie right-hander Bob Welch, just 21 and one year removed from collegiate play at Eastern Michigan University.
The stakes were high. Los Angeles inserted Welch to close Game Two of the 1978 World Series. Jackson, at the height of his Hall of Fame career, batted with two runners on base. The Dodgers held on to a 4-3 lead. Jackson was the last man to get.
The Dodger Stadium crowd roared when Welch's next pitch, a high inside fastball, knocked Jackson off his feet. He fouled off the next pitch, then two more. Jackson took another tight fastball before fouling yet another.
The nine-pitch battle, which extended to a 3-2 count, ended when Jackson struck out swinging. Ecstatic teammates and fans rushed the mound to congratulate Welch, while Jackson cursed and threw his bat in the Yankees dugout.
The nation had just witnessed one of the great pitcher/ batter confrontations in World Series history. Ron Oestrike had to be smiling.
Oestrike developed many young men into professional ballplayers during his 23 years as Eastern's head baseball coach. Welch, who went on to a 17-year major-league career, was one of the most successful. Just as his World Series strikeout remains imprinted on the minds of Dodgers fans, so does Oestrike's legacy on EMU athletics. He made Eastern a baseball powerhouse with 657 wins, a national title and consecutive College World Series appearances.
Sadly, Eastern lost both of these men in 2014. Welch died of a heart attack on June 10 at age 57; Oestrike died on July 11 at age 82 after a lengthy illness. But their respective baseball legacies, which flourished on the diamonds of Ypsilanti, will long endure.
Always Ready to Play
"Oestrike was always consumed by what he was doing and always thinking of ways to get better," says Jim Streeter, retired EMU associate athletics director for media relations. "He wanted nine guys on the diamond with his attitude. Maybe they weren't the most talented players, but they'd outwork and outsmart the opposition."
Oestrike, a Flat Rock native, played baseball and football for Eastern from 1951-54 and earned a bachelor's degree in education. After a stint in the Army, he coached several sports at Trenton High School and earned a master's degree at the University of Michigan. In 1964, Oestrike returned to Eastern as assistant football and baseball coach and associate professor. The following year, he took over as head baseball coach, a position he held until retiring in 1987.
"Oak," as his players affectionately called him, soon became legendary for his passion for the game and dedication to playing "anyone, anytime, anywhere."
"When the team went on the road, it was like a barnstorming tour," Streeter says. "I remember one trip through Tennessee when we played any little college we could find. If it looked like rain, Oestrike would go to the opponent's field and work on it himself to make it playable. He had no right to do that, but other schools enjoyed his passion for the game."
Eastern's baseball program reached new heights in 1970, when Oestrike led the team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship. Sharp recruiting over the next few seasons brought Welch and left-handed starter Bob Owchinko (another future major-leaguer) to the team. Oestrike and his dynamite pitching tandem led the Eagles (then called the Hurons) to a fifth-place finish in the 1975 NCAA College World Series and runner-up spot in the 1976 College World Series.
"Those years were instrumental in putting Eastern baseball on the map," Streeter says. "Recruits saw what we achieved with a limited season and bad weather. By the mid 1970s, we had sent a number of kids to the majors and minors. Incoming players knew they didn't need to go to Arizona or California to find success."
Pat Sheridan, who played nine seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees, was Eastern's center fielder from 1977-1979. His father, Arthur, played baseball at Eastern with Oestrike in the early 1950s. When Pat graduated from high school in 1976, Eastern was well-known for its baseball success. So when Oestrike recruited him, the commitment was easy.
"Oak's record spoke volumes and the effort he put into playing games was great," says Sheridan, who retired from baseball in 1991 and works as an independent insurance agent in Canton. "It isn't so easy to play spring baseball in the Midwest. I recall a game when it was snowing pretty hard. I wore glasses at the time and couldn't see from the outfield. When I walked back into the dugout, Oak got mad and told me to get back on the field. He didn't want any acts of God to ruin any opportunity to play baseball."
Oestrike also drilled baseball fundamentals into his players. He wanted them to understand his theory of hitting with runners on first and third and no outs, or how to best position infielders in a sacrifice bunt situation.
"I didn't learn anything in the lower minor leagues that I hadn't already learned in college," Sheridan says. "Oak's practice drills stuck with us. We didn't think about the fundamentals during games—we just reacted. All of us had great respect for Oak's massive intelligence for the game."
Winners in Baseball—and in Life
"Playing baseball at Eastern for Oak was one of the best decisions I ever made," says Danny Schmitz (BS79), Hurons second baseman from 1974-1977. "My education, coupled with my baseball experience, mapped out my life."
The Yankees drafted Schmitz in 1977 and he played minor league ball in the organization's farm system. Later, he managed a Class A team in the Minnesota Twins system. In 1987, he returned to Eastern to serve as an assistant baseball coach following Oestrike's retirement.
From 1991-2020, he served as the head baseball coach at Bowling Green.
"Many of the drills and defenses we ran at Bowling Green are ones I learned from Oak," Schmitz says. "He also got to know his players personally and was a great motivator.
He was the first to give encouragement, but he also let you know when he expected more." Schmitz and Welch both grew up in Hazel Park and attended the same middle and high school. From an early age, it was apparent that Welch was an exceptional athlete and person, Schmitz says.
"Bobby never bragged about his athletic abilities—he just had a drive to be the best," says Schmitz, who was a year older than Welch. "He also had an amazing ability to make friends, not just with his teammates, but with everyone. He was a great teammate and a fun-loving guy."
Welch injured his pitching elbow during his junior year at Eastern and missed most of the 1977 season. But that didn't hurt his reputation as a major league prospect. Schmitz recalls droves of scouts who attended Eastern games that year, mainly to watch Welch throw bullpen sessions.
"Bobby hardly pitched that season, but the Dodgers still made him their top draft pick," Schmitz says.
In his long and highly successful major-league career with the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, Welch won 211 games, made two All-Star teams, and played on five teams that reached the World Series. He won titles with the 1981 Dodgers and the 1989 Athletics. Welch had his best season in 1990. He finished 27-6 with a 2.95 earned-run average and won the American League Cy Young Award. He's the last major-league pitcher to win more than 25 games in a season. After retiring, Welch became a pitching coach with the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Throughout his life, Welch struggled with alcoholism. He chronicled his disease with co-writer George Vecsey in "Five O'Clock Comes Early," published in 1991. By all accounts, Welch overcame his battle with the bottle and stayed sober.
"What I remember most about Bobby's career is his World Series strikeout of Jackson," Schmitz says. "That moment still gives me goose bumps. It made the guys who played with him proud to be Hurons."
Oestrike, who kept in touch with his former players, came to Tiger Stadium in 1988 to visit Sheridan and Welch, who was with the visiting Oakland Athletics. A photo of the three men together and signed by Oestrike has a place of honor in Sheridan's office.
"Oak has a wonderful broad smile in that photo," Sheridan says. "It's hard to feel that just yesterday both of them were young and vibrant. We lost two really good men."
"I was devastated when I heard about Bobby's death," Schmitz says. "I always considered him a dear friend. I have so many memories of all the laughs we shared.
"It was really tough to learn about Oak's death. Oak was respected by everyone—he is EMU baseball. I'll always remember his laugh and the twinkle in his eye. He loved his family and he loved Eastern baseball.
"I'm very blessed to have known both of them, and it was so hard to lose them within a few weeks of each other. I guess they needed a head coach on Bobby's team in heaven."
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- In the spring of 1975, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team set out with quiet confidence and an audacious dream: to go where only a handful of Mid-American Conference teams had ever gone before — the College World Series in Omaha. Now, 50 years later, that dream, realized in one of the most memorable seasons in program history, still resonates across campus and in the hearts of all who wore the Green and White.
Back then, few could have predicted what would unfold. After all, the then-Hurons began their season with a humbling spring trip to Edinburg, Texas, returning north with a 4–7 record. The early results were less than inspiring, but those games against southern competition served as trial by fire. Coach Ron Oestrike, a legendary and respected figure in the program, did not flinch. He knew what he had — a young but remarkably mature roster, built around a handful of seasoned veterans and a pitching staff poised for greatness.
Before Eastern Michigan's runs to the College World Series in 1975 and again in 1976, only two other Mid-American Conference schools (Ohio University and Western Michigan University) had ever advanced to the national tournament. Kent State University's trip to the Super Regional and CWS in 2012 marked the first time a MAC team had returned to that phase of the tournament since the NCAA introduced the format in 1999.
From that rocky start bloomed a stunning turnaround. Eastern reeled off 29 wins in its next 39 games and, more importantly, caught fire just as Mid-American Conference play began. Led by senior co-captains Jeff Washington and Ken Bruchanski, the Hurons quickly established themselves as contenders. They opened league play with a pair of wins over Bowling Green State University and, despite a setback against Ball State University, bounced back to topple defending MAC champion Miami University in a dominating doubleheader.
The schedule did not get easier, but Eastern thrived under pressure. They swept in-state rival Central Michigan University and then traveled to Ohio for a critical weekend against Kent State University and Ohio University. After splitting with Kent, the Hurons unleashed their offense in Athens, taking both games from the Bobcats behind thunderous home runs from Washington and catcher Jerry Keller. With that sweep, EMU seized the MAC lead and never looked back.
The final weekend of conference play brought a high-stakes doubleheader against Western Michigan University. Needing to win both games to clinch the title outright, the Hurons played with the poise of champions. Bruchanski delivered a gutsy performance in the opener, securing a 5–2 win. In the nightcap, the Hurons trailed 3–1 in the sixth until freshman Glenn Ambrose laced an RBI single and sophomore centerfielder Mike Lauerman followed with a clutch two-run double that flipped the script. Bob Welch shut the door in the seventh, and Eastern Michigan, just three years into its MAC tenure, had captured its first conference crown.
Their reward was the opportunity to host the NCAA Mid-East Regional at Oestrike Stadium—a defining moment for the program. EMU welcomed regional powerhouses the University of Michigan, Penn State University, and Clemson University to Ypsilanti with little national fanfare, but that changed quickly.
In the tournament opener, Bob Owchinko, EMU's fearless junior lefty, pitched a masterpiece against Clemson, limiting the Tigers to just three hits in a 5–3 victory. The next day, the Hurons edged Michigan, 3–2, thanks to another strong effort from Bruchanski and a crucial save by Welch. But the path to Omaha was not cleared yet. After Michigan eliminated Penn State, they handed Eastern a narrow 4–2 loss in the regional final, forcing one final game between the two rivals.
In front of a boisterous home crowd, the Hurons drew first blood. Left fielder Ted Dasen ripped a triple in the opening inning and scored on an error. Michigan tied it in the third, but Eastern responded in the fifth. Glenn Gulliver, the steadiest of shortstops, singled to center and advanced on a perfect bunt by Keller. Then Thom Boutin, a powerful outfielder who had overcome a separated shoulder the previous season, drove him in with a single to right. That 2–1 lead held through the eighth behind Welch's dominant 12-strikeout performance.
With daylight fading, the game was called due to darkness, and the two teams returned the next day to finish the final inning. Over 1,500 fans poured back into the stands to witness history. Owchinko, now called on in relief, retired the first two batters before surrendering a single. With tension thick in the air, he induced a routine grounder to second base, and just like that, the dream was real. The Hurons were headed to Omaha.
Seton Hall, South Carolina, EMU, Florida St., Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona State, and Cal St. Fullerton won their regionals and moved on to the 1975 College World Series. The Hurons drew Florida State in the opener, dispatching the Seminoles, 2-1, in extra innings. The next day, Eastern fell to the Gamecocks, 5-1 in six innings, and were eliminated by Oklahoma, 7-0.
That 1975 team had all the hallmarks of greatness: timely hitting, elite defense, and a pitching staff that could go toe-to-toe with any in the country.
The roster was deep and balanced — players like Bruchanski, Ambrose, Lauerman, and relievers like Dale Corbin and Jay Traver all played pivotal roles in critical games. Many would go on to professional baseball, and others would become coaches, educators, and community leaders. What they built together in 1975, though, remains singular.
Their appearance in Omaha marked a turning point for baseball in the Midwest. The Hurons proved that a northern school, playing through unpredictable spring weather and without the prestige of a major conference, could not only compete with the best but beat them as well. That legacy has endured for half a century.
EMU would follow it up with a return trip to Omaha the following season. The 1976 Eagles steamrolled their opponents to the tune of a 46-16 record and a 12-3 ledger for first place in the MAC. That season, the Green and White featured a lineup full of major-league talent, including the pitching duo of Owchinko and Bob Welch. Owchinko and Welch alone combined for 23 wins against just six losses. Both hurlers ended up becoming first-round draft selections, as Owchinko was the No. 5 pick by the San Diego Padres in 1976 and Welch the 20th by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977.
Seven additional members of the College World Series squads were taken in Major League drafts from 1976-78 including Gulliver (eighth round, 1976), Keller (10th round, 1976), Boutin (39th round, 1976), Dasen (20th round, 1977), Danny Schmitz (20th round, 1977), Bud Yanus (24th round, 1978; 25th round, 1979) and Martin (27th round, 1978).
Gulliver achieved NCAA Division I All-American status to become the fourth player in EMU history at that time to receive the accolade. In 1976, the Eagles' shortstop paced the team with a .392 batting average and added 10 homers, seven triples, three doubles, 55 RBI and 26 stolen bases. Gulliver still holds the school record for career walks with 140.
Owchinko, a 1976 NCAA Division I Academic All-American selection, led the Eastern Michigan pitching staff with a sparkling 14-3 record and a 1.99 ERA. In 16 starts, Owchinko amassed 13 complete games for a total of 135.2 innings. His 309-career strikeouts are tops at EMU and his 29-career wins are second in EMU annals.
Welch, the 1990 National League Cy Young award winner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitched his way to a team-best 1.82 ERA in 1976 along with a 10-3 record. He posted eight complete games in 12 starts and recorded five shutouts to lead an Eagles team which boasted a 3.38 ERA and 10 shutouts. Welch pitched a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Central Michigan University, April 23, and a perfect game against the University of Detroit Mercy, May 23.
As a team, the Eagles put four members on the All-MAC first team and a pair on the Academic All-MAC squad. EMU players broke or tied 30 school career or single-season records.
The 1976 College World Series opened June 11 in Omaha, Neb., where the Eagles edged out a 3-2 triumph over the University of Maine. Owchinko and Welch combined to limit Maine to two runs on seven hits, while a 3-for-4, two-run day from Schmitz led EMU to the win. The Eagles then won a second 3-2 game, this time in 10 innings, over Clemson University and another against Arizona State University by a score of 2-1 to put Eastern Michigan in the finals against the University of Arizona.
In game one against the Wildcats, EMU scored a run in the seventh inning to tie the game, 6-6. That score held until the eighth inning, when Arizona broke out for five runs and held on for an 11-6 victory. Needing a win in the second game to extend the best-of-three series, Eastern Michigan could not muster enough offense to stay competitive with an Arizona team which carried a 7-0 lead into the ninth inning. EMU scored one run in its last at-bat, but fell, 7-1, to claim second place.
Now, 50 years later, the 1975 Eastern Michigan baseball team returns to campus not just as former student-athletes but as legends. Their story has become part of the program's very identity—a tale passed down through generations, whispered from dugouts, and echoed in pregame speeches.
They were a team of heart and hustle, of confidence and character. They showed what's possible when a group of individuals becomes a true team. And in doing so, they did not just make it to Omaha — they made history.
Two for the Ages: Remembering Eastern baseball legends Oestrike and Welch
(this article first appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Eastern Magazine)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The first fastball came in hard over the heart of the plate. The batter swung ferociously and missed, nearly falling over on the backswing. Reggie Jackson, New York's "Mr. October," adjusted his Yankees helmet and dug back in the box. His opponent: Dodgers rookie right-hander Bob Welch, just 21 and one year removed from collegiate play at Eastern Michigan University.
The stakes were high. Los Angeles inserted Welch to close Game Two of the 1978 World Series. Jackson, at the height of his Hall of Fame career, batted with two runners on base. The Dodgers held on to a 4-3 lead. Jackson was the last man to get.
The Dodger Stadium crowd roared when Welch's next pitch, a high inside fastball, knocked Jackson off his feet. He fouled off the next pitch, then two more. Jackson took another tight fastball before fouling yet another.
The nine-pitch battle, which extended to a 3-2 count, ended when Jackson struck out swinging. Ecstatic teammates and fans rushed the mound to congratulate Welch, while Jackson cursed and threw his bat in the Yankees dugout.
The nation had just witnessed one of the great pitcher/ batter confrontations in World Series history. Ron Oestrike had to be smiling.
Oestrike developed many young men into professional ballplayers during his 23 years as Eastern's head baseball coach. Welch, who went on to a 17-year major-league career, was one of the most successful. Just as his World Series strikeout remains imprinted on the minds of Dodgers fans, so does Oestrike's legacy on EMU athletics. He made Eastern a baseball powerhouse with 657 wins, a national title and consecutive College World Series appearances.
Sadly, Eastern lost both of these men in 2014. Welch died of a heart attack on June 10 at age 57; Oestrike died on July 11 at age 82 after a lengthy illness. But their respective baseball legacies, which flourished on the diamonds of Ypsilanti, will long endure.
Always Ready to Play
"Oestrike was always consumed by what he was doing and always thinking of ways to get better," says Jim Streeter, retired EMU associate athletics director for media relations. "He wanted nine guys on the diamond with his attitude. Maybe they weren't the most talented players, but they'd outwork and outsmart the opposition."
Oestrike, a Flat Rock native, played baseball and football for Eastern from 1951-54 and earned a bachelor's degree in education. After a stint in the Army, he coached several sports at Trenton High School and earned a master's degree at the University of Michigan. In 1964, Oestrike returned to Eastern as assistant football and baseball coach and associate professor. The following year, he took over as head baseball coach, a position he held until retiring in 1987.
"Oak," as his players affectionately called him, soon became legendary for his passion for the game and dedication to playing "anyone, anytime, anywhere."
"When the team went on the road, it was like a barnstorming tour," Streeter says. "I remember one trip through Tennessee when we played any little college we could find. If it looked like rain, Oestrike would go to the opponent's field and work on it himself to make it playable. He had no right to do that, but other schools enjoyed his passion for the game."
Eastern's baseball program reached new heights in 1970, when Oestrike led the team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship. Sharp recruiting over the next few seasons brought Welch and left-handed starter Bob Owchinko (another future major-leaguer) to the team. Oestrike and his dynamite pitching tandem led the Eagles (then called the Hurons) to a fifth-place finish in the 1975 NCAA College World Series and runner-up spot in the 1976 College World Series.
"Those years were instrumental in putting Eastern baseball on the map," Streeter says. "Recruits saw what we achieved with a limited season and bad weather. By the mid 1970s, we had sent a number of kids to the majors and minors. Incoming players knew they didn't need to go to Arizona or California to find success."
Pat Sheridan, who played nine seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees, was Eastern's center fielder from 1977-1979. His father, Arthur, played baseball at Eastern with Oestrike in the early 1950s. When Pat graduated from high school in 1976, Eastern was well-known for its baseball success. So when Oestrike recruited him, the commitment was easy.
"Oak's record spoke volumes and the effort he put into playing games was great," says Sheridan, who retired from baseball in 1991 and works as an independent insurance agent in Canton. "It isn't so easy to play spring baseball in the Midwest. I recall a game when it was snowing pretty hard. I wore glasses at the time and couldn't see from the outfield. When I walked back into the dugout, Oak got mad and told me to get back on the field. He didn't want any acts of God to ruin any opportunity to play baseball."
Oestrike also drilled baseball fundamentals into his players. He wanted them to understand his theory of hitting with runners on first and third and no outs, or how to best position infielders in a sacrifice bunt situation.
"I didn't learn anything in the lower minor leagues that I hadn't already learned in college," Sheridan says. "Oak's practice drills stuck with us. We didn't think about the fundamentals during games—we just reacted. All of us had great respect for Oak's massive intelligence for the game."
Winners in Baseball—and in Life
"Playing baseball at Eastern for Oak was one of the best decisions I ever made," says Danny Schmitz (BS79), Hurons second baseman from 1974-1977. "My education, coupled with my baseball experience, mapped out my life."
The Yankees drafted Schmitz in 1977 and he played minor league ball in the organization's farm system. Later, he managed a Class A team in the Minnesota Twins system. In 1987, he returned to Eastern to serve as an assistant baseball coach following Oestrike's retirement.
From 1991-2020, he served as the head baseball coach at Bowling Green.
"Many of the drills and defenses we ran at Bowling Green are ones I learned from Oak," Schmitz says. "He also got to know his players personally and was a great motivator.
He was the first to give encouragement, but he also let you know when he expected more." Schmitz and Welch both grew up in Hazel Park and attended the same middle and high school. From an early age, it was apparent that Welch was an exceptional athlete and person, Schmitz says.
"Bobby never bragged about his athletic abilities—he just had a drive to be the best," says Schmitz, who was a year older than Welch. "He also had an amazing ability to make friends, not just with his teammates, but with everyone. He was a great teammate and a fun-loving guy."
Welch injured his pitching elbow during his junior year at Eastern and missed most of the 1977 season. But that didn't hurt his reputation as a major league prospect. Schmitz recalls droves of scouts who attended Eastern games that year, mainly to watch Welch throw bullpen sessions.
"Bobby hardly pitched that season, but the Dodgers still made him their top draft pick," Schmitz says.
In his long and highly successful major-league career with the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, Welch won 211 games, made two All-Star teams, and played on five teams that reached the World Series. He won titles with the 1981 Dodgers and the 1989 Athletics. Welch had his best season in 1990. He finished 27-6 with a 2.95 earned-run average and won the American League Cy Young Award. He's the last major-league pitcher to win more than 25 games in a season. After retiring, Welch became a pitching coach with the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Throughout his life, Welch struggled with alcoholism. He chronicled his disease with co-writer George Vecsey in "Five O'Clock Comes Early," published in 1991. By all accounts, Welch overcame his battle with the bottle and stayed sober.
"What I remember most about Bobby's career is his World Series strikeout of Jackson," Schmitz says. "That moment still gives me goose bumps. It made the guys who played with him proud to be Hurons."
Oestrike, who kept in touch with his former players, came to Tiger Stadium in 1988 to visit Sheridan and Welch, who was with the visiting Oakland Athletics. A photo of the three men together and signed by Oestrike has a place of honor in Sheridan's office.
"Oak has a wonderful broad smile in that photo," Sheridan says. "It's hard to feel that just yesterday both of them were young and vibrant. We lost two really good men."
"I was devastated when I heard about Bobby's death," Schmitz says. "I always considered him a dear friend. I have so many memories of all the laughs we shared.
"It was really tough to learn about Oak's death. Oak was respected by everyone—he is EMU baseball. I'll always remember his laugh and the twinkle in his eye. He loved his family and he loved Eastern baseball.
"I'm very blessed to have known both of them, and it was so hard to lose them within a few weeks of each other. I guess they needed a head coach on Bobby's team in heaven."
Scout day✅
Monday, September 22
Inside the Ride Episode 1: Celia Murkowski
Wednesday, September 17
Drew Beckner's Comments After BGSU Win in MAC Tournament
Friday, May 23
Robbie Britt's Comments After MAC Tournament Win over BGSU
Friday, May 23