Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 13
Little Rock, Ark.
3 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
at
Little Rock
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Baseball Begins 2026 Campaign at Little Rock Friday
2/12/2026 3:02:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern begins its 78th baseball season against the Trojans at 4 p.m. Friday
| Eastern Michigan Baseball at Little Rock | |
| Date | Friday-Sunday | Feb. 13-15 |
| Venue | Gary Hogan Field | Little Rock, Ark. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch Live (ESPN+) | Game One | Game Two | Game Three |
| Live Stats | Game One | Game Two | Game Three |
| Social Media | X: @EMU_Baseball | @EMUAthletics IG: @emu_baseball | @emuathletics |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Under first-year Interim Head Coach Trevor Beerman, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team embarks on a 55-game regular season campaign, beginning with a series against the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Champion, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 13-15, at Gary Hogan Field, in Little Rock.
Fans can follow along using the watch and live stats links that can be accessed on the EMU baseball schedule page at EMUEagles.com. Also, stay tuned to EMU baseball socials including EMU_Baseball on X, and emubaseball on Instagram for live in-game updates and additional EMU baseball content.
INTERIM HEAD COACH TREVOR BEERMAN
Following the departure of Robbie Britt to the Boston Red Sox, former assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Trevor Beerman was promoted to Interim Head Coach for the 2026 season. In his third year at EMU in 2026, Beerman served as EMU's recruiting coordinator, along with coaching the outfielders and assisting with the offense. A native of Canal Winchester, Ohio, has previous coaching experience at Chatham University, the University of Charleston (W. Va.), Hillsdale College, Bluffton University, and Malone University.
2025 RECAP
Coming off a 2024 season where it went 14-38 (9-21 MAC) and missed the conference tournament, Eastern improved by seven wins in the 2025 season, producing a 21-31 (12-18 MAC) clip and earning a MAC Tournament berth for the first time since 2018. After a 6-5 loss to Ball State in the first game of the tournament, Eastern topped Bowling Green, 10-7, in 10 innings for its first post-season victory since 2017.
STRONG TRANSFER CLASS
Eastern's 2026 transfer class was ranked second in the MAC in inside the top 100 nationally by 64 analytics. The transfers include TJ Williams, Greg Kennedy, Kriss Sydlowski, Cole Egan, Nathan Borchardt, Tristan Crane, John Carmichael, Brian Henson, Carter White, Nick Weaver, Jack Angus, Landon Mueller, Aidan Norris, Ethan Rowland, and Leewood Molessa.
ALL-TIME AGAINST LITTLE ROCK
Eastern is facing Little Rock for the third time in program history as it holds a 1-1 record against the Trojans and is facing them for the first time since the 2010 season. Eastern split the series against the UALR that season, dropping the first game, 15-4, March 2, and edging the Trojans, 7-6, March 3, in the second.
78 YEARS OF BASEBALL IN YPSI
The 2026 campaign marks the 78th season of EMU baseball. Overall, the program holds a 36-41 record in season-opening contests dating back to the program's first season, 1949. Last season, the Eagles fell to the Pittsburgh Panthers in 12 innings on opening day, 9-8, in Port Charlotte, Fla.
FRESH START
The Eagles are welcoming 22 new players to the roster in the 2026 season. Eastern brought in seven freshmen and 15 transfers to the team.
The freshmen include: Jake Leonard, Phillip Thigpen, Keegan Knupp, Demir Heidelberg, Malcolm Gillies, Tommy Rose, and Markus Roberson.
Transfers include: TJ Williams, Greg Kennedy, Kriss Sydlowski, Cole Egan, Nathan Borchardt, Tristan Crane, John Carmichael, Brian Henson, Carter White, Nick Weaver, Jack Angus, Landon Mueller, Aidan Norris, Ethan Rowland, and Leewood Molessa.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
Eastern returns roughly half of its offensive production from the 2025 season. It brings back 52.1% (273-of-523) of its total hits and RBI (190-of-364), while returning 47.0% (80-of-170) of its extra-base hits. Devan Zirwas and Ty Stecko pace EMU returns in all three categories. Zirwas recorded 69 hits, 29 extra-base knocks, and 53 RBI, while Stecko knocked 50 hits, 19 for extra bases, and recorded 37 RBI.
RETURNING PITCHING PRODUCTION
On the mound, Eastern retained roughly 41.3% (183.0/442.1) of its innings pitched and 37.5% (154-of-410) of its strikeouts. Ethan Davis paces EMU returners in innings pitched (43.1) while Michael Pfeiffer leads returners in strikeouts (33).
RETURNING STARTERS
Eastern brings back five position starters in Bruce Jellison (third base), Connor Walsh (second base), Devan Zirwas (first base), John Hale (center field), and Ty Stecko (DH/third base).
() Denotes Position Played Last Season
KEY RETURNER: DEVAN ZIRWAS
Named MAC Player of the Week, March 3, after batting .529 with nine hits, four of which went for extra bases, recording three RBI and 15 total bases...Led the Eagles in hits (69), doubles (20), and batting average (.337)...His 20 doubles tied for third in the MAC by value and for the fifth most in EMU single-season history...Appeared in 51 games, starting 50...In 205 at-bats, posted a .997 OPS, scoring 42 runs with one triple and eight homers...Drove in 53 runs, the second most on the team...Recorded 115 total bases while walking 32 times and striking out 36...Had a team-high 21 multi-hit games and 17 contests with multiple RBI...Also had a team-long 14-game hitting streak and once reached base in 17-consecutive games.
ZIRWAS D1 BASEBALL RANKING
Devan Zirwas was named one of the top 150 outfielders in the sport by D1 Baseball, coming in at No. 106. Zirwas is one of two MAC players on the list, joining Miami's Ryan Novak (No. 97).
KEY RETURNER: TY STECKO
Appeared in 45 games, starting 39...Batted .325 with a 1.015 OPS...Collected 50 hits in 154 at-bats...Scored 36 runs and drove in 37, including eight doubles, no triples and 11 home runs...Totaled 91 bases with a team-high .591 slugging percentage...Drew 21 walks and was hit by a pitch seven times...Struck out 46 times...Grounded into two double plays...Posted a .424 on-base percentage...Recorded two sacrifice flies, no sacrifice hits...Stole three bases in six attempts.
KEY RETURNER: ETHAN DAVIS
Posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.55 WHIP over 26 relief appearances...Went 3-4 with a team-high four saves, ranking top-10 in the MAC by value...Logged 43.1 innings, allowing 48 hits and 26 earned runs with 19 walks and 22 strikeouts...Opponents hit .281 in 171 at-bats...Gave up nine doubles, two triples and two home runs...Tossed a season-long 4.1 innings against Ball State, April 4...Struck out a season-high four batters versus Toledo, April 13...Recorded a save in consecutive appearances against Akron, March 7 and March 9...Didn't allow a run in 12 appearances.
IMPACT TRANSFER: LEEWOOD MOLESSA
Eastern brings in UMBC product Leewood Molessa as a redshirt junior. With the Retrievers, Molessa was named to the 2025 America East Preseason All-Conference First Team, received 2025 America East All-Tournament Team honors, and named to the 2025 CSC Academic All-District team. As a freshman in 2023, he was named America East Rookie of the Year and received America East All-Conference Second Team honors. He was also named to the 2023 Collegiate Freshman All-American Team and set the UMBC single-season record with 65 RBI.
2025: Started 42 games...Hit .280 with 44 hits, 25 runs, eight doubles, and 17 walks...Led the team RBI (44), home runs (11), and slugging percentage (.554)...Went 6-for-7 in stolen base attempts...Recorded three home runs, tying the American East single-game record, and six RBI in a game against Binghamton, April 4...Had two hits and two RBI against Binghamton in the America East Tournament, May 21.
2024: Played in six games before a season-ending injury.
2023: Led the team in home runs with 16...Started in all 57 of the Retrievers games at first base...Went 4-for-5 on stolen base attempts...Had a near perfect .995 fielding average with 16 assists...Batted .294 with 228 at-bats, 47 runs, 15 doubles, one triple, and 21 walks.
BEERMAN'S ASSISTANTS: SETH CADDELL
Trevor Beerman announced the hiring of Seth Caddell as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, Feb. 2. Caddell has three years of minor league playing experience and two years of coaching experience in the minors. He most recently served as a development coach, working with catchers for the double-A Akron RubberDucks of the Cleveland Guardians organization. With the RubberDucks, Caddell trained four catchers that earned a major-league spring training invite, highlighted by top-100 prospect Cooper Ingle, along with Kody Huff, Cameron Bastard, and Jacob Cozart. He aided in coaching base running and pitch strategy, while assisting in scouting, player evaluation, and training plans. Caddell also served on the Guardians major-league spring training staff from 2024-25 and was on the taxi squad staff for the 2024 playoffs. Following his junior season at East Carolina, Caddell was signed by the Cleveland Guardians organization, July 24, 2021, forgoing his final year of collegiate baseball to begin a three-year minor-league career that saw him reach as high as the triple-A level with the Columbus Clippers. A standout on the diamond for East Carolina from 2018-21, Caddell played for a Pirates squad that won one American Athletic Conference Championship (2018), made three NCAA Regional appearances (2018-21), and two super regionals (2019, 2021).
BEERMAN'S ASSISTANTS: ANDREW DITULLIO
Andrew DiTullio is entering his second season with the EMU baseball team in the 2026 season. In his first season with the Eagles, DiTullio helped the team maximize its opportunities at the plate. Despite having the fourth-fewest at-bats in the MAC, Eastern finished in the top five in the conference in batting average (.289, fifth), runs (392, fifth), hits (523, fifth), RBIs (364, fifth), and walks (250, fifth). The team's on-base percentage of .395 ranked fourth in the MAC, as the Eagles were disciplined at the plate, striking out just 377 times, the third-fewest in the MAC. DiTullio helped guide Logan Hugo to an All-MAC Second Team selection in which he finished with a .308 batting average, 12 home runs, and 62 RBIs (fifth in the conference). DiTullio led an Eastern offense that placed in the program's single-season top 10 in numerous categories, including RBI (364, eighth), home runs (61, eighth), walks (250, eighth), doubles (105, ninth), and runs (392, 10th).
BEERMAN'S ASSISTANTS: HARRISON TRAVIS
Harrison Travis enters his first season with the EMU baseball program as an assistant coach working with hitters. 2026 will be his first season in coaching. Travis joined the Eagles first as a player, transferring as a grad student in the 2025 season. In his lone season donning the Script E, Travis finished top five on the roster in batting average (.309), hits (51), RBIs (38), and extra-base hits (ten doubles, zero triples, 11 home runs). Prior to his stint at Eastern Michigan, Travis played for Carson-Newman for four seasons, earning two SAC player of the week awards and was named to the Second-Team All-SAC Preseason Team prior to the 2023 season.
MAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Eagles were predicted to finish ninth out of 12 teams in 2026 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The RedHawks of Miami were picked to finish first with six first-place votes and 114 points overall, followed by Kent State, who garnered four first-place votes and 111 points. Following suit with the regular season voting, Miami led the way with four votes to win the MAC Tournament, followed by Kent State with three votes. Ball State and Toledo each received two tournament championship votes, and Bowling Green received one vote.
ALL-NEW OESTRIKE
Eastern invested nearly $2 million in upgrades to Oestrike Stadium over the last 18 months. The project added a whole turf field with a sunburst outfield and gray infield, new wall padding, expanded dugouts, improved batting cages, and an updated concourse. Work included new paint, a new fence and columns along Champions Drive, an expanded press box, new foul poles, upgraded fiber for ESPN broadcasts, and new team technology through AWRE and Trackman.
THE SEASON AHEAD
Eastern will embark on a 55-game campaign where it will play 32 road contests and 23 home games. The Eagles will compete in seven power-conference games (Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Michigan State [2], Michigan [2], Washington, as it is scheduled to face three 2025 NCAA Tournament teams (Little Rock, Vanderbilt, Toledo). Eastern will compete in six different states including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. Outside of its Mid-American Conference opponents, Eastern will face teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big Ten Conference, the Horizon League, the Ohio Valley Conference, and the Southeastern Conference.
ON THE HORIZON
Eastern faces No. 23 Vanderbilt University in a mid-week series Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 17-18, at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.
FOLLOW US
Keep up with all things Eastern baseball by following the team on X @EMU Baseball, and on Instagram @emu baseball.
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