Baseball Heads to Oxford for First Road MAC Series

Baseball at Miami (7-21, 1-5 MAC)
Date	Friday-Sunday, April 7-9
Venue	Oxford, Ohio \| McKie Field
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	miamiredhawks.com (Fri) (Sat) (Sun)
Audio/Video	miamiredhawks.com ($$$)
Twitter	@EMUBaseball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team returns to Mid-American Conference play this weekend for its first conference road series of the season, April 7-9, against Miami University. Action from Oxford begins Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch. Play will resume Saturday with another 6 p.m. start time. The series, from McKie Field, will conclude with a Sunday matinée and a 1 p.m. first pitch.
   The action can be tracked live on Twitter by following @EMU_Baseball. Live stats will be available through miamiredhawks.com.

ALL-TIME VS THE REDHAWKS: EMU and MU have met 111 times in the series that dates back to 1969. EMU holds the slight advantage in the all-time tally, 57-54. The two teams had a break in the series last season, having last met in 2015. In that three-game set, MU took two of three from the Eagles at McKie Field, with EMU's lone win coming in a 3-1 victory in the series opener, May 1.

RECON ON THE REDHAWKS: Miami enters the weekend with a 7-21 record, including 1-5 in the MAC. In two conference series, the Redhawks have been swept by Central Michigan and dropped two-of-three against Western Michigan, with the lone win coming in extra innings. MU is 6-6 when playing on it's home turf at McKie Field.
   The offense currently ranks last in the conference with a .219 team batting average. The Redhawks are being out-hit, 262-197, and out-scored, 187-93. They are led by the one-two punch of Ross Haffey and Adam Yacek, who bat .315 and .302, respectively. After them, the next best hitter has a .231 batting average.
   On the mound, MU is in the bottom half of the MAC with a 6.11 staff ERA. They allow opponents to hit at a .281 clip, and struggle with accuracy, striking out 196 while walking 148. The projected starting rotation has ERA's of 4.32, 6.54, and 5.70, respectively.

SLAYING THE SPARTANS: EMU upended the Michigan State Spartans, 4-3, Tuesday, April 4 at Oestrike Stadium. It was the third win in as many seasons for EMU over the Big Ten foe. Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde and his team are now 3-2 over his former squad.

EAGLES ARE HEATING UP: Folllwing the win over Michigan State, EMU has won seven of its last 10 games after starting 3-15. In that stretch, the pitching staff has led the way, throwing to a 2.90 ERA, while holding opponents to a .230 batting average. The staff has been pounding the strike zone, striking out 72 compared to 44 walks.

COMPLETE GAMES ARE CONTAGIOUS: Junior Brent Mattson pitched the best game of his career, April 2, against Chicago State. The righty threw a complete-game shutout, only allowing two hits while striking out six. It was the first complete game of his career. It was also the second complete game, two-hit shutout in the last five games for EMU, as fellow junior Brad Allen threw one March 25 against Bowling Green.

MATTSON NAMED MAC WEST PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Mattson was named the MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week, April 4. It was the first weekly award in Mattson's career and second straight weekly honor for an Eagle as fellow junior Brad Allen won the previous week. It was the first time EMU won back-to-back weekly awards since 2015 when Jake Andrews and Sam Delaplane won Pitcher of the Week, Feb. 23 and March 2.

BIG WEEKEND IN THE WINDY CITY: EMU had a successful non-conference road trip to Chicago, March 31-April 2, winning three of four from Butler and host Chicago State. The Eagles took both from the Cougars, as well as one of two from the Bulldogs. Pitching led the way in the four games, as the staff threw to a 2.50 ERA, striking out 31.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST: EMU saved its best baseball for the final inning of the weekend-opening win over Chicago State, March 31. Trailing by one run, 4-3, EMU put a seven spot on the board to storm ahead 10-4 and ultimately hold on for the 10-6 victory. It was the most runs scored in an inning by the Eagles this season. The seven runs is also more runs than the Eagles have scored in 21 entire games this season.

RACKING UP THE K's: Now in his fourth season in the EMU pitching staff, senior Sam Delaplane's high strikeout numbers have placed him among EMU's elite in the category. His 149 career strikeouts rank 19th in Eastern Michigan laurels. In his start against Chicago State, March 31, he set his career mark for strikeouts in a game with 10 punch outs. Delaplane is also ranked tied for fourth in all-time saves with 10.

GEARING UP ON THE BASEPATHS: Just a year removed from finishing in the top-10 in the nation in steals, EMU has not been able to match that pace this season, but are beginning to ramp up the action. In its last six games, EMU has stolen 14 bags, including a season-best five vs Butler, April 2. EMU now has 35 steals as a team, which is second in the MAC and 54th in the country.

ALL-TIME IN THE MAC: 2017 marks the 45th season EMU has participated in the Mid-American Conference as a program. Eastern holds a 567-524-3 all-time record in conference play. The program owns five regular season championships, as well as four tournament championships, most recently in 2008.

IMPACT FRESHMEN: So far this season, EMU has relied early and often on 'true' freshmen in starting roles. In 28 games, freshmen have combined to make 80 starts in the field and 11 appearances on the mound. Infielder Devin Hager leads the frosh with a .262 batting average in 21 starts. Drake Peggs leads EMU in walks (16) and OBP (.378) and is also second in RBI's (11). Meanwhile, pitcher James Harness has made three starts in eight appearances, and is tied for second on EMU with two wins.

WOLVERINES ON THE HORIZON: EMU will battle the University of Michigan next week, Tuesday April 11, in the battle for Washtenaw County. First pitch from Ray Fisher Stadium is set for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on Eagle All-Access.

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Players Mentioned

Brad Allen

Sam Delaplane

Devin Hager

James Harness

Brent Mattson

Drake Peggs

Eastern Michigan Athletics