Sacha Powers Eagles to Doubleheader Sweep

Box Score Game 1

Box Score Game 2

YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team upped its winning streak to four games with a pair of wins over the visiting Miami University RedHawks, today, March 29, in the home opener at Oestrike Stadium. EMU rallied from two-down in game one, winning 8-6. In game two, senior Mike Sacha (Farmington Hills, Mich.-St. Clair C.C.) stepped to the plate for his first at-bat of the 2008 season, sending a two-out pitch over the left field wall to give the Eagles their fourth consecutive win.

After a scoreless first inning, Miami jumped on the board with two runs in the top of the second. Evan Armitage’s double to right center drove in Blake Chaffee and J.D. Mynhier, giving the RedHawks the early 2-0 lead. EMU bounced back in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead at 3-2. Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) started the rally with a single to right field. Mike Boyd (Huntington Woods, Mich.-Berkley) singled to left, allowing Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) to advance to second and Davis to notch the first Eagle run of the inning. Kyle Rhoad’s (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) triple to center field scored Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) and Boyd, rounding out the scoring for EMU in the second.

The Green and White kept the bats swinging, adding two more runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead to 5-2. Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West) singled up the middle and was driven in by Josh Ivan’s (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) single to right. A Marshall sacrifice fly to left field allowed Davis to cross the plate for the second and last run of the inning.

EMU added one more in the bottom of the fourth before Miami battled back into the game with a four-run fifth. The RedHawks sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring four on three hits to even the score at 6-6. The Eagles answered just an inning later, plating the final two runs of the game to take the lead 8-6 and not look back. Zack Leonard’s (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) homerun to left field proved to be the difference as Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) picked up his first save of the year, going an inning and two-thirds. Junior Kevin Wammes (Fremont, Ohio-St. Joseph) picked up the win, throwing three and a third innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run in the winning effort.

Game two showcased a pitchers dual, with each starter throwing at least seven innings. Junior Sean Hoffman threw eight and two thirds innings, striking out four and allowing eight hits and just one earned run while his counterpart, Chris Niro, tossed seven and a third innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six.

Miami took the lead in the top of the fifth off a Jordan Petraitis single through the left side, scoring Adam Eaton who had singled earlier in the inning.

EMU rallied in the eighth, tying the game at one without a single hit in the inning, utilizing three Miami walks and a costly error by Armitage at second base.

With two out in the bottom of the 11th, Sacha ended the game with a deep shot over the left field wall, securing EMU’s fourth straight win and doubleheader sweep.

The Eagles and RedHawks conclude their three-game series tomorrow, March 30, at Oestrike Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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