Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
10-21
Michigan
17-14
Crane Homers in Home Loss to Michigan
4/6/2026 7:14:00 PM | Baseball
Crane tallied six total bases in first career start at catcher
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Tristan Crane homered as the Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell to the University of Michigan, 15-4, Monday, April 6, at Oestrike Stadium.
Crane (Berkley, Mich./Texas A&M C.C.) led the EMU with one home run and one double while scoring twice in his first career start behind the plate.
Greg Kennedy (Ravenna, Ohio/Lake Erie College) (1-1) got the start for the Eagles and was tagged with the loss while Michigan's Wyatt Novara was credited with the win (1-0).
How it Happened
Michigan seized control early, erupting for six runs in the top of the second inning. The Wolverines extended the lead to 8-2 in the fourth with a two-run single by Ladehoff. Eastern Michigan responded in the bottom of the fourth when Crane delivered a two-run home run to right field, scoring Drew Jones (Cleveland, Ohio/Ohio State) and providing a spark for the Eagles' offense.
EMU got on the board earlier in the third inning, as Phillip Thigpen (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) singled to center to plate Jones, followed by an RBI infield single from Bruce Jellison (Hartland, Mich./Hartland/Wabash Valley) that scored Crane. However, Michigan's offense continued to surge, with a three-run home run from Colby Turner in the fifth and additional runs in the sixth and seventh. The Wolverines finished with 14 hits and capitalized on five wild pitches thrown by EMU pitching.
Seven different pitchers took the mound for the Eagles, with Kennedy making his first start and being charged with six runs over 1.1 innings. Carter White (Shelby County, Ky./Lincoln Memorial) and Ethan Rowland (Lafayette, Ca./De Anza College/Saint Peter's) each turned in a scoreless frame in relief, but Michigan's early lead proved too much to overcome.
Game Notes
» Eastern's record shifted to 10-21 (5-10 MAC), and Michigan's improved to 17-14 (5-7 B1G).
» Eastern has nine-straight games with at least one stolen base, its second-longest streak of the season (11).
» Tristan Crane went 2-for-3 with a double, a two-run home run, two runs scored and two RBI, recording his second multi-hit game and second homer of the year.
» Drew Jones reached base twice, scored two runs and stole his seventh base of the season.
» Bruce Jellison notched his 17th RBI and was hit by a pitch.
» Phillip Thigpen registered his first career collegiate RBI in just his fourth start.
» Leewood Molessa (Pullman, W. Va./UMBC) added one hit, one stolen base and seven putouts at first base.
» The Eagles left four runners on base, matching their season low.
Historical Notes
» Michigan leads the all-time series 124-65-2 after 193 meetings. EMU is 9-12 at Oestrike Stadium against Michigan since 1999.
» Monday's matchup marked EMU's 408th all-time game against a Big Ten opponent. The Eagles hold a 151-251-5 all-time record against Big Ten programs.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan opens a three-game home series against UMass Friday, April 10, at 3 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium.
Follow the Eagles on social media for all things Eastern Baseball! Be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including @EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter) and @EMUBaseball on Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wyatt Novara (1-0)
L: Kennedy, Greg (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Colby Turner 1
HR: Colby Turner 1 ; Greg Pace Jr 1
RBI: Cooper Mullens 1 ; Colby Turner 4 ; Evan Haeger 1 ; Cade Ladehoff 2 ; Brayden Jefferis 1 ; Greg Pace Jr 4
SH: Evan Haeger 1
SF: Brayden Jefferis 1 ; Greg Pace Jr 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooper Mullens 2 ; Colby Turner 3 ; Evan Haeger 1 ; Brayden Jefferis 2 ; Matthew Ossenfort 1 ; Greg Pace Jr 1 ; Eli Kligman 2 ; Drew Culbertson 3
SB: Eli Kligman 1
CS: Evan Haeger 1
HBP: Greg Pace Jr 1 ; Drew Culbertson 2
Batting:
2B: Crane, Tristan 1
HR: Crane, Tristan 1
RBI: Jellison, Bruce 1 ; Crane, Tristan 2 ; Thigpen, Phillip 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Drew 2 ; Crane, Tristan 2
SB: Molessa, Leewood 1 ; Jones, Drew 1
HBP: Hale, John 1 ; Jellison, Bruce 1
