Eastern Michigan Athletics
Baseball 2016 Season in Review
6/21/2016 11:46:00 AM | Baseball
EMU ended their season in the MAC semifinals for the first time since 2011
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team wrapped up its most successful season under second-year Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde in 2016. The team picked up 23 wins on their way to a Mid-American Conference tournament semifinal appearance, the programs first since 2011.
On top of improving the team's overall win total by three and conference win total by one, the team also saw major improvements in its offensive and defensive statistics, primarily on the pitching mound. EMU improved its team ERA from 5.98 to 4.80 from 2015 to 2016, which was the best team ERA since 2011. The Eagles' hurlers baffled opponents all season long, totaling 381 strikeouts, tying the 1975 College World Series team for the third-most in program history.
Offensively, EMU collected 19 more hits and scored 43 more runs in 2016 than in 2015. The team saw a power surge, slugging 35 points better this season, including clubbing 47 home runs, 28 better than 2015 and the most since 2010. The home run total ranked third in the MAC and 51st in the country. EMU was once again near the top in the nation in stolen bases, finishing third in swipes with 127 total. That figure surpassed 2015's total of 105, and ranked tied for fifth in program history with the 1976 College World Series runners-up.
Individually, senior Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) led the team with 13 home runs, putting him third in the MAC and 56th in the nation. He finished his Eastern career with 32 home runs, putting him in fifth-place all-time. He also finished in the top-25 all-time in five other offensive categories. Redshirt junior Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw) finished with the second best steals total in EMU history with 35, placing him atop the MAC and sixth in the country.
Freshman Tyler Butzin (Dearborn, Mich.-John F. Kennedy) put together the best season on the mound for EMU, as well as finishing as one of the best in the MAC. He had a team-best 3.33 ERA in a team-high 78.1 innings pitched, including the second most starts (11), and second most strikeouts (57). His ERA was the best from a freshman starter in the MAC, and also ranked 10th overall in the conference.
Eagle players were recognized for their athletic accomplishments throughout the season, garnering three MAC Player of the Week honors and two All-MAC selections. Sophomore Brennan Williams (Commerce Township, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern), freshman Davis Feldman (Warren, Mich.-Brother Rice), and senior Augie Gallardo (Hemet, Calif.-Hemet (Mt. San Jacinto College)) all earned Player of the Week accolades.
McGeein and Williams were named All-MAC First Team and Second Team, respectively, at the end of the season. McGeein finished third in the conference in home runs, seventh in walks, and seventh in slugging percentage, while holding a .325 batting average in conference games. Meanwhile, Williams led EMU with a .308 batting average, including a team-high 64 hits and 11 doubles.
Eastern was also recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom, garnering eight Academic All-MAC selections, the third most in the conference. Those eight honored include McGeein, Williams, junior Matthew Beaton (Guelph, Ontario-Bishop Macdonnell Catholic), sophomore Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic), junior Sam Delaplane (San Jose, Calif.-Leigh), sophomore David Lett (Farmington Hills, Mich.-North Farmington), senior Jackson Martin (Listowel, Ontario-Listowel), and junior John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra).
The season started out historically for the Green and White down in Emerson, Ga. The Eagles won three of their first four games over the University of Nebraska-Omaha and NJIT, giving them their best start since the 1994 campaign. EMU outscored its opponents 33-6 over the four-game stretch.
Then, the Eagles had the tall task of playing a pair of midweek games against the No. 1 team in the country, the University of Florida. In the second game of two games, played at Joker Marchant Stadium, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers, EMU gave the top ranked Gators all it could handle, but ultimately lost on a walk-off in the ninth inning.
Eastern finished out non-conference weekend play with a 3-10 mark, before exploding into the MAC season. They began at home with a three-game sweep of Bowling Green, before hitting the road versus Buffalo, and taking two of three from the Bulls. It was the first conference sweep for EMU since 2013, and the 5-1 record was the best start to conference play since 2011.
Remaining hot in non-conference play, Eastern went to East Lansing and upended in-state foe Michigan State University with a 4-2 win, April 5. MSU had entered the game with a top-10 pitching staff, as well as a top-20 offense, and were also receiving votes in the top-25 coaches poll.
EMU hit another tough stretch in mid-April against some top competition. A 2-7 record with games against West Virginia University, nationally ranked University of Michigan, as well as MAC leader Kent State University, had Eastern sitting at 14-22 going into the final month of the year.
April ended on a high note for Eastern with wins against ACC opponent University of Notre Dame, as well as a series win over rival Central Michigan University. As the calender turned into May, EMU looked to be trending upward.
Despite the upward trend, Eastern ended up finishing the regular season with a 3-12 mark down the stretch. However their stellar play throughout the season still clinched the No. 8 seed in the MAC tournament, the team's first appearance since 2012.
In the tournament, Eastern was able to do some damage. EMU dropped the first game to the top seeded Golden Flashes by a 1-0 margin, with a solo home run being the difference in the game. Faced with elimination, Eastern rattled off three straight wins over No. 4 seeded Northern Illinois University, No. 5 seeded University of Toledo, and an upset win over Kent State in the first semifinal game to set up a decisive second semi game against KSU.
In that contest, Eastern dropped a heartbreaker to the Flashes, 4-2, to finish their season with a 23-36 mark, and their first semifinal appearance since 2011.
The end of the season marked the end of the exemplary careers of six EMU seniors, McGeein, Martin, Gallardo, Michael Marsinek (Streetsboro, Ohio-Walsh Jesuit), Tony DiLeo (Rockford, Mich.-Rockford), and Austin Wilson (Valrico, Fla.-Bloomingdale Sr.).
Eastern will return 24 players who saw time in games last season, including eight position players who had regular starting time, as well as three pitchers who had more than two starts.
On top of improving the team's overall win total by three and conference win total by one, the team also saw major improvements in its offensive and defensive statistics, primarily on the pitching mound. EMU improved its team ERA from 5.98 to 4.80 from 2015 to 2016, which was the best team ERA since 2011. The Eagles' hurlers baffled opponents all season long, totaling 381 strikeouts, tying the 1975 College World Series team for the third-most in program history.
Offensively, EMU collected 19 more hits and scored 43 more runs in 2016 than in 2015. The team saw a power surge, slugging 35 points better this season, including clubbing 47 home runs, 28 better than 2015 and the most since 2010. The home run total ranked third in the MAC and 51st in the country. EMU was once again near the top in the nation in stolen bases, finishing third in swipes with 127 total. That figure surpassed 2015's total of 105, and ranked tied for fifth in program history with the 1976 College World Series runners-up.
Individually, senior Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) led the team with 13 home runs, putting him third in the MAC and 56th in the nation. He finished his Eastern career with 32 home runs, putting him in fifth-place all-time. He also finished in the top-25 all-time in five other offensive categories. Redshirt junior Marquise Gill (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw) finished with the second best steals total in EMU history with 35, placing him atop the MAC and sixth in the country.
Freshman Tyler Butzin (Dearborn, Mich.-John F. Kennedy) put together the best season on the mound for EMU, as well as finishing as one of the best in the MAC. He had a team-best 3.33 ERA in a team-high 78.1 innings pitched, including the second most starts (11), and second most strikeouts (57). His ERA was the best from a freshman starter in the MAC, and also ranked 10th overall in the conference.
Eagle players were recognized for their athletic accomplishments throughout the season, garnering three MAC Player of the Week honors and two All-MAC selections. Sophomore Brennan Williams (Commerce Township, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern), freshman Davis Feldman (Warren, Mich.-Brother Rice), and senior Augie Gallardo (Hemet, Calif.-Hemet (Mt. San Jacinto College)) all earned Player of the Week accolades.
McGeein and Williams were named All-MAC First Team and Second Team, respectively, at the end of the season. McGeein finished third in the conference in home runs, seventh in walks, and seventh in slugging percentage, while holding a .325 batting average in conference games. Meanwhile, Williams led EMU with a .308 batting average, including a team-high 64 hits and 11 doubles.
Eastern was also recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom, garnering eight Academic All-MAC selections, the third most in the conference. Those eight honored include McGeein, Williams, junior Matthew Beaton (Guelph, Ontario-Bishop Macdonnell Catholic), sophomore Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic), junior Sam Delaplane (San Jose, Calif.-Leigh), sophomore David Lett (Farmington Hills, Mich.-North Farmington), senior Jackson Martin (Listowel, Ontario-Listowel), and junior John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra).
The season started out historically for the Green and White down in Emerson, Ga. The Eagles won three of their first four games over the University of Nebraska-Omaha and NJIT, giving them their best start since the 1994 campaign. EMU outscored its opponents 33-6 over the four-game stretch.
Then, the Eagles had the tall task of playing a pair of midweek games against the No. 1 team in the country, the University of Florida. In the second game of two games, played at Joker Marchant Stadium, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers, EMU gave the top ranked Gators all it could handle, but ultimately lost on a walk-off in the ninth inning.
Eastern finished out non-conference weekend play with a 3-10 mark, before exploding into the MAC season. They began at home with a three-game sweep of Bowling Green, before hitting the road versus Buffalo, and taking two of three from the Bulls. It was the first conference sweep for EMU since 2013, and the 5-1 record was the best start to conference play since 2011.
Remaining hot in non-conference play, Eastern went to East Lansing and upended in-state foe Michigan State University with a 4-2 win, April 5. MSU had entered the game with a top-10 pitching staff, as well as a top-20 offense, and were also receiving votes in the top-25 coaches poll.
EMU hit another tough stretch in mid-April against some top competition. A 2-7 record with games against West Virginia University, nationally ranked University of Michigan, as well as MAC leader Kent State University, had Eastern sitting at 14-22 going into the final month of the year.
April ended on a high note for Eastern with wins against ACC opponent University of Notre Dame, as well as a series win over rival Central Michigan University. As the calender turned into May, EMU looked to be trending upward.
Despite the upward trend, Eastern ended up finishing the regular season with a 3-12 mark down the stretch. However their stellar play throughout the season still clinched the No. 8 seed in the MAC tournament, the team's first appearance since 2012.
In the tournament, Eastern was able to do some damage. EMU dropped the first game to the top seeded Golden Flashes by a 1-0 margin, with a solo home run being the difference in the game. Faced with elimination, Eastern rattled off three straight wins over No. 4 seeded Northern Illinois University, No. 5 seeded University of Toledo, and an upset win over Kent State in the first semifinal game to set up a decisive second semi game against KSU.
In that contest, Eastern dropped a heartbreaker to the Flashes, 4-2, to finish their season with a 23-36 mark, and their first semifinal appearance since 2011.
The end of the season marked the end of the exemplary careers of six EMU seniors, McGeein, Martin, Gallardo, Michael Marsinek (Streetsboro, Ohio-Walsh Jesuit), Tony DiLeo (Rockford, Mich.-Rockford), and Austin Wilson (Valrico, Fla.-Bloomingdale Sr.).
Eastern will return 24 players who saw time in games last season, including eight position players who had regular starting time, as well as three pitchers who had more than two starts.
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