Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 13
Little Rock, Ark.
3 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
1
at
6
Little Rock
Baseball Falls at Little Rock in Opening-Day Contest
2/13/2026 6:36:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern led 1-0 in the first before Little Rock scored six unanswered runs
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 6-1, on opening day of the 2026 NCAA Division I baseball season, at Gary Hogan Field, Friday, Feb. 13.
The Eagles took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning off a Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) RBI double before Little Rock scored six unanswered runs.
How it Happened
The Eagles struck first as Zirwas doubled to the right-center gap to score John Hale (Ashland City, Tenn./Sycamore/Motlow State C.C.), who reached via a walk and stole second base. The Trojans answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple.
Eastern newcomer John Carmichael (Destrehan, La./Destrehan/McLennan C.C.) got the start and went five innings, allowing four earned runs off eight hits, while striking out four Trojan batters and walking one. He was relieved by senior right-hander Ethan Davis (Brownstown, Ind./Brownstown Central/Frontier C.C.) to start the bottom of the sixth.
Little Rock added to its total in the bottom of the seventh inning, recording a solo home run to left field, increasing its lead to four, 5-1, before scoring one more run off an RBI single up the middle. The run stretched the Trojans' lead to 6-1, the game's final score.
Game Notes
» Leewood Molessa (Pullman, W. Va./Williamstown/UMBC), Nathan Borchardt (Stanley, N.C./East Lincoln/King), Tristan Crane (Berkley, Mich./Brother Rice/Texas A&M C.C.), Kriss Sydlowski (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline/USC Sumpter), TJ Williams (Racine, Wis./Racine Horlick/Kansas), Cole Egan (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny/George Mason), and Carmichael made their respective Eastern Michigan debut.
» Devan Zirwas hit one double, his first of the season and 21st as an Eagle.
» Drew Jones (Cleveland, Ohio/Brush/Ohio State) recorded his first hit of the season and 40th of his career, a pitch-hit first-pitch single to the left-center gap in the top of the eighth inning.
Historical Notes
» Eastern and Little Rock met for the third time in program history. Eastern now holds a 1-2 record against the Trojans.
» Eastern played its first game under Interim Head Coach Trevor Beerman.
Up Next
The Eagles and Trojans play the second game of the series tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 14. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Follow Us
Keep up with all things Eastern baseball by following the team on X @EMU_Baseball, and on Instagram @emu_baseball.
The Eagles took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning off a Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) RBI double before Little Rock scored six unanswered runs.
How it Happened
The Eagles struck first as Zirwas doubled to the right-center gap to score John Hale (Ashland City, Tenn./Sycamore/Motlow State C.C.), who reached via a walk and stole second base. The Trojans answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple.
Eastern newcomer John Carmichael (Destrehan, La./Destrehan/McLennan C.C.) got the start and went five innings, allowing four earned runs off eight hits, while striking out four Trojan batters and walking one. He was relieved by senior right-hander Ethan Davis (Brownstown, Ind./Brownstown Central/Frontier C.C.) to start the bottom of the sixth.
Little Rock added to its total in the bottom of the seventh inning, recording a solo home run to left field, increasing its lead to four, 5-1, before scoring one more run off an RBI single up the middle. The run stretched the Trojans' lead to 6-1, the game's final score.
Game Notes
» Leewood Molessa (Pullman, W. Va./Williamstown/UMBC), Nathan Borchardt (Stanley, N.C./East Lincoln/King), Tristan Crane (Berkley, Mich./Brother Rice/Texas A&M C.C.), Kriss Sydlowski (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline/USC Sumpter), TJ Williams (Racine, Wis./Racine Horlick/Kansas), Cole Egan (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny/George Mason), and Carmichael made their respective Eastern Michigan debut.
» Devan Zirwas hit one double, his first of the season and 21st as an Eagle.
» Drew Jones (Cleveland, Ohio/Brush/Ohio State) recorded his first hit of the season and 40th of his career, a pitch-hit first-pitch single to the left-center gap in the top of the eighth inning.
Historical Notes
» Eastern and Little Rock met for the third time in program history. Eastern now holds a 1-2 record against the Trojans.
» Eastern played its first game under Interim Head Coach Trevor Beerman.
Up Next
The Eagles and Trojans play the second game of the series tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 14. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Follow Us
Keep up with all things Eastern baseball by following the team on X @EMU_Baseball, and on Instagram @emu_baseball.
Players Mentioned
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