Baseball Completes Nine-Game Road Trip Against West Virginia

Baseball at West Virginia (25-17, 10-8 Big 12)
Date	Tuesday, May 2 \| 6:30 p.m.
Venue	Morgantown, W. Va. \| Monongalia County Ballpark
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	WVUSports.com
Audio	WVUSports.com
Video	WVUSports.com
Twitter	@EMUBaseball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team wraps up its nine-game road swing with a midweek contest against West Virginia University, Tuesday, May 2. First pitch from Monongalia County Ballpark is set for 6:30 p.m.
   The action can be tracked live on Twitter by following @EMU_Baseball. Live stats, radio, and video feeds will be available through WVUSports.com as well.

ALL-TIME VS THE MOUNTAINEERS: Eastern has faced WVU 17 times in its history, with EMU trailing in the series, 13-4. The two schools played last season, with the Mountaineers taking the lone meeting, 5-1, April 6 in Morgantown. EMU's last win came in 2010, a 23-0 drubbing, March 20.

MEETING THE MOUNTAINEERS: West Virginia enters the week as one of the top teams in the country, hovering just outside the top-25 in the major polls. WVU holds a 25-17 overall record, and a 10-8 mark in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers are 9-5 at home this season as well. They have not played any common opponents of EMU's, and have played one MAC school, a 4-1 win over Ball State.
   WVU's offense hits .283 as a team, out-scoring opponents, 249-205, and out-hitting them, 411-338. They have five players who hit above .280, led by Brandon White, who hits .336 overall. The Mountaineers are also aggressive on the bases, ranking in the top-50 in steals.
   Defensively, WVU has a 4.35 team ERA and are holding opponents to a .243 batting average. West Virginia has struck out 360 batters to just 160 walks, while allowing just 8.16 hits per nine innings, which ranks 37th in the nation.

MIODUSZEWSKI REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK: Redshirt senior Mike Mioduszewski has been one of EMU's top offensive threats in his four years at EMU, and he is beginning to see it payoff by seeing his name etched in the EMU record book in multiple offensive categories. Currently he ranks in the top-25 for hits (23rd, 181), RBIs (25th, 102), doubles (t-24th, 31), and home runs (25th, 16). He has done this in the 14th most at bats in EMU history with 684.

RETURN OF THE MAC: Through 15 games of the MAC season, EMU currently sits in second in the West and third overall with a 9-6 mark. EMU has matched its MAC win total from 2015, Head Coach Mark Van Ameyde's first season at the helm, and is one away from its total in 2016. This is EMU's best 15-game start since starting 9-6 in 2011.

DELAPLANE DELIVERING THE GOODS: Senior Sam Delaplane is putting together a fine final season in the Green and White. The closer turned Friday night starter leads EMU with a 2.70 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 15 appearances (seven starts) and 56.2 innings. His ERA ranks third in the conference, while his strikeout total is second in the MAC. His 184 career strikeouts rank 11th in Eastern Michigan laurels. In his last five outings, Delaplane has recorded 45 K's, including a career-high 12 against Ohio, April 14. Delaplane is also ranked tied for fourth in all-time saves with 10.

MASHING MONTGOMERY: Senior John Montgomery has been the spark plug in the EMU offense in his final season, leading EMU in seven offensive categories. He is also the team leader with 12 multi-RBI games and six three-hit contests and enters the week with a 22-game reached base streak. Additionally, Montgomery is also second in the MAC with nine home runs.

RUN EAGLES RUN: Just a season after finishing in the top-5 in steals in the country, EMU has not equaled that output this season, but are still in the top half of the nation in steals. Currently, EMU ranks second in the MAC and 61st in the nation with 53 stolen bases. Leading the way is redshirt senior Marquise Gill, who is second in the MAC with 13 steals. His 58 career steals ranks 10th in EMU history.

TAKE YOUR BASE: Thus far on the season, EMU has taken what the opposing pitching staffs have offered, drawing 182 walks as a team, which ranks third in the MAC and 76th in the country. The Eagles are on pace to shatter last year's walk total, as 44 games into 2016, EMU had just 133 bases on balls.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING...: Entering the month of April, EMU had just seven home runs in a 24-game span. In the 20 games in the month of April, EMU brought the rain, clubbing 17 home runs. Leading the way was John Montgomery, who had a team-high six in April. As a team, EMU's 24 dingers are fifth in the MAC.

GOTTA EARN THOSE RUNS: Since entering MAC play, Matthew Beaton has been almost unhittable. The senior relief pitcher has not allowed an earned run in 9.1 MAC innings, the second highest inning total without yielding an earned run in conference this season. For his career, Beaton holds a 3.40 ERA in 100.2 innings pitched.

IMPACT FRESHMEN IN THE INFIELD: So far this season, EMU has relied early and often on 'true' freshmen in starting roles. In 44 games, freshmen have combined to make 118 starts in the infield, led by Nick Jones, who has 33 starts at third base and catcher.

GOLDEN FLASHES ON THE HORIZON: EMU returns home this weekend when it resumes MAC play with a series against MAC leader Kent State University. The series against the Golden Flashes from Oestrike Stadium will begin with a 6 p.m. first pitch, Friday, May 5.

Baseball Completes Nine-Game Road Trip Against West Virginia

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Players Mentioned

Matthew Beaton

Sam Delaplane

Marquise Gill

Nick Jones

Mike Mioduszewski

John Montgomery

Eastern Michigan Athletics