Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Spring Arbor
Baseball Falls to Spring Arbor
4/24/2007 10:46:52 PM | Baseball
Eagles’ three-game winning streak snapped
YPSILANTI, Mich.
– The Eastern Michigan University baseball team saw its three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Spring Arbor who which its 32nd game in a row with a 4-2 victory here Tuesday night at Oestrike Stadium.With the loss, EMU moves to 16-16 (12-1 MAC) on the season while Spring Arbor improves to 35-1 (20-0 Mid-Central College Conferecne) on the year. Spring Arbor showed why they are the No. 6 ranked team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) rankings as Cougar ace pitcher Brad Hinkle completely shut down the Eagles’ offense to move to a perfect 10-0 record. Hinkle went the distance allowing two earned runs on five scattered hits with five strikeouts.
EMU starting pitcher Kevin Wammes (0-1) took the loss, going just 0.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits. On a night where hits were hard to come by, senior Patrick Dean led the Eagles offensively going 1-for-4 with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Jeff Hehr also went 1-for-4 while senior Derek Lehrman hit 1-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Jeff Davis hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Spring Arbor was led by Jon Schaible who went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Jeffrey Hollister who hit 2-for-4 with a RBI.
Most of the action took place at the beginning of the game as Spring Arbor’s leadoff runner drew a walk and was moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt in the top of the first inning. Eric Vojkofsky notched a two out RBI single and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Hollister followed with another RBI single to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
EMU responded in the bottom of the frame as Davis drew a leadoff walk and moved over to second as Hehr grounded out to the pitcher. Lehrman laced a double to left center field to score Davis to pull the Eagles within one run, 2-1.
The Cougars added another run in the second inning off three hits to take a 3-1 lead.
Spring Arbor increased its lead in the sixth inning scoring another run on two hits to move ahead, 4-1. EMU squandered a golden opportunity to get back into the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Ivan beat out an inning-ending double play throw at first base. Hehr followed with a single to second base with both runners advancing to second and third on a throwing error by the second baseman. Lehrman drew a walk with two outs to load the bases but Steve Bradshaw hit a dribbler that moved about two feet in front of home plate which the catcher scooped up and stepped on home plate for the force out to get the Cougars out of the jam.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Dean kept the Eagles alive with his third home run of the season but it was not enough as Kenneth Battiston was thrown out by a whisker at first to end the game.
The Eagles are scheduled to continue non-conference play with a game against Madonna Wednesday, April 25 at 3 p.m.
