Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, May 25
Avon, Ohio
5:20 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Kent State
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Baseball Prepped for MAC Baseball Tournament
5/24/2016 10:12:00 AM | Baseball
The Eagles are seeking their first title since 2008
| Baseball at MAC Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday-Sunday, May 25-29 |
| Location | Avon, Ohio | All Pro Freight Stadium |
| Game Notes | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | emueagles.com |
| Live Audio | Eagle All-Access |
| Live Stream | ESPN 3 |
| Champ. Central | mac-sports.com |
| @EMU_Baseball | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team continues its 2016 season when it heads to the MAC Tournament this week, May 25-29. The No. 8 seeded Eagles will begin the double-elimination playoff by facing off with the No. 1 seeded Kent State University, Wednesday afternoon at 4:30, at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio. The action can be followed via live stats and by live stream on ESPN 3. Live audio is also available on EMU All-Access with Greg Steiner and Chad Bush on the call. Play by play can be followed on our Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball.
ALL-TIME AT THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern will be making its 14th all-time appearance in the MAC Tournament and its first since 2012. The Eagles hold a 30-19 all-time record in the playoff, and also own the second-most titles with four, most recently in 2008. This will be the first time EMU enters the tournament as the No. 8 seed.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met 106 times in their respective histories, with KSU holding the all-time advantage, 63-43. KSU swept the weekend series at Oestrike Stadium earlier this season, April 15-17. Versus the Golden Flashes in postseason play, EMU is 5-8 all-time, with the last meeting coming in 2011.
GETTING A LOOK AT THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Kent State took the regular season MAC title, finishing with a 20-4 league record, as well as a 41-12 overall mark. They lead the conference in both hitting (.296 batting average) and in pitching (2.82 ERA). KSU is 5-3 in neutral site games in 2016.
To go along with the best team batting average, Kent also scores the second most runs in the MAC with 357. They are led offensively by Luke Burch who is second in the MAC with a .370 average. The Flashes have nine players hitting above .284.
Defensively, Kent State's team ERA is eighth in the nation. They allow the 11th fewest hits per nine innings, and have the 41st best strikeout per nine innings staff. They are led by Eric Lauer, who has the best ERA in the country with a 0.76 mark.
IMPROVING ON THE BUMP: In his second season as the primary pitching coach, Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde's pitching staff has shown remarkable improvement from year one to year two. The current staff ERA of 5.02 is just under a run better than in 2015, when the team finished with a 5.98 mark. In addition, the Eagles have given up 80 fewer hits and 48 fewer runs than in 2015 and have 58 more strikeouts. EMU is also in the top-10 in program history for single season strikeouts with 349.
TRACKING THE TATERS: Senior Mitchell McGeein entered his final season with 19 career homers, good for 20th on the all-time EMU list. He currently leads the team with 13 home runs this season, putting him in fifth-place all-time with 32.
RUN EAGLES RUN: EMU has been alert and impactful on the base paths this season, as the team currently ranks fourth in the country in steals (119). In addition, redshirt junior Marquise Gill is seventh in the nation with 34 steals on the season. The 119 steals this season are the sixth most in program history. The program record was set in 1981, and tied in 2004, with 147.
EAGLES DIG THE LONG BALL: EMU currently ranks 63rd in the nation, and third in the MAC, in home runs with 42 as a team this season. Individually, senior Mitchell McGeein has hit a team-high 13 so far, which is tied for third in the MAC and 44th in the country. The Eagles hit a season-high four home runs in the win over BGSU, March 27.
MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOK: A trio of Eagles are rewriting the record books in 2016 with their season and career performances. In addition to being on the career home runs list, senior Mitchell McGeein is on the career list for walks with 91 (13th), doubles with 37 (16th), RBI's with 111 (T-15th), runs with 113 (T-23rd) and at-bats with 640 (17th). Junior closer Sam Delaplane is tied for fifth on the career saves list with 10 in his three years, as well as the all-time wins list, ranking T-23rd with 11. Redshirt junior Marquise Gill is second in single-season stolen bases with 34, with his career total of 44 ranking t-14th all-time. Senior Austin Wilson is also on the all-time steals list, currently ranking 16th all-time with 39 swipes.
DILEO DELIVERING: Senior catcher Tony DiLeo is currently on a 10 game hitting streak. The veteran is hitting .375 in that span with a team-best 12 hits, raising his average from .148 to .271.
UP NEXT: Depending on the outcomce of Wednesday's game, Eastern will play either the No. 4 seed Northern Illinois or the No. 5 seed Toledo in the second game of the week, Thursday, May 26.
ALL-TIME AT THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern will be making its 14th all-time appearance in the MAC Tournament and its first since 2012. The Eagles hold a 30-19 all-time record in the playoff, and also own the second-most titles with four, most recently in 2008. This will be the first time EMU enters the tournament as the No. 8 seed.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met 106 times in their respective histories, with KSU holding the all-time advantage, 63-43. KSU swept the weekend series at Oestrike Stadium earlier this season, April 15-17. Versus the Golden Flashes in postseason play, EMU is 5-8 all-time, with the last meeting coming in 2011.
GETTING A LOOK AT THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Kent State took the regular season MAC title, finishing with a 20-4 league record, as well as a 41-12 overall mark. They lead the conference in both hitting (.296 batting average) and in pitching (2.82 ERA). KSU is 5-3 in neutral site games in 2016.
To go along with the best team batting average, Kent also scores the second most runs in the MAC with 357. They are led offensively by Luke Burch who is second in the MAC with a .370 average. The Flashes have nine players hitting above .284.
Defensively, Kent State's team ERA is eighth in the nation. They allow the 11th fewest hits per nine innings, and have the 41st best strikeout per nine innings staff. They are led by Eric Lauer, who has the best ERA in the country with a 0.76 mark.
IMPROVING ON THE BUMP: In his second season as the primary pitching coach, Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde's pitching staff has shown remarkable improvement from year one to year two. The current staff ERA of 5.02 is just under a run better than in 2015, when the team finished with a 5.98 mark. In addition, the Eagles have given up 80 fewer hits and 48 fewer runs than in 2015 and have 58 more strikeouts. EMU is also in the top-10 in program history for single season strikeouts with 349.
TRACKING THE TATERS: Senior Mitchell McGeein entered his final season with 19 career homers, good for 20th on the all-time EMU list. He currently leads the team with 13 home runs this season, putting him in fifth-place all-time with 32.
RUN EAGLES RUN: EMU has been alert and impactful on the base paths this season, as the team currently ranks fourth in the country in steals (119). In addition, redshirt junior Marquise Gill is seventh in the nation with 34 steals on the season. The 119 steals this season are the sixth most in program history. The program record was set in 1981, and tied in 2004, with 147.
EAGLES DIG THE LONG BALL: EMU currently ranks 63rd in the nation, and third in the MAC, in home runs with 42 as a team this season. Individually, senior Mitchell McGeein has hit a team-high 13 so far, which is tied for third in the MAC and 44th in the country. The Eagles hit a season-high four home runs in the win over BGSU, March 27.
MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOK: A trio of Eagles are rewriting the record books in 2016 with their season and career performances. In addition to being on the career home runs list, senior Mitchell McGeein is on the career list for walks with 91 (13th), doubles with 37 (16th), RBI's with 111 (T-15th), runs with 113 (T-23rd) and at-bats with 640 (17th). Junior closer Sam Delaplane is tied for fifth on the career saves list with 10 in his three years, as well as the all-time wins list, ranking T-23rd with 11. Redshirt junior Marquise Gill is second in single-season stolen bases with 34, with his career total of 44 ranking t-14th all-time. Senior Austin Wilson is also on the all-time steals list, currently ranking 16th all-time with 39 swipes.
DILEO DELIVERING: Senior catcher Tony DiLeo is currently on a 10 game hitting streak. The veteran is hitting .375 in that span with a team-best 12 hits, raising his average from .148 to .271.
UP NEXT: Depending on the outcomce of Wednesday's game, Eastern will play either the No. 4 seed Northern Illinois or the No. 5 seed Toledo in the second game of the week, Thursday, May 26.
Players Mentioned
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OF/RHP
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