Eagles Maintain First Place in West with 16-7 Win

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MUNCIE, Ind, — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team broke out of its three game Mid-American Conference slump with a 16-7 win over Ball State University, May 3, at Ball Diamond. The Eagles jumped out to a 10-1 lead after two innings and pounded out 17 hits on the day, including four home runs. Junior Matt Shoemaker (Trenton, Mich.-Trenton) picked up his second win of the year, throwing seven innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and striking out five.

With the win, EMU moves to 17-28 overall and 12-5 in the conference while Ball State drops to 25-17, 10-7 MAC.

Six EMU players recorded multi-hit days at the plate. Freshman Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley), juniors Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) and Jimmy Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) each had two hits while seniors Josh Ivan (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) and Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) and junior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) each had three hits and three RBI.

The Eagles offense exploded in the first inning, pounding out four runs on four hits to grab the early lead. Junior Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) was hit by a pitch to put the first Eagle runner on base. A Steve Bradshaw (Lapeer, Mich.-West) single to the left side put two on with just one out. Senior Jeff Davis (Avondale, Ariz.-Westview) loaded the bases with his bunt single before Josh Ivan (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) put EMU up 2-0, when his long fly ball to center field bounced off the wall, scoring Powell and Bradshaw. True freshman Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run single to left field, putting the Green and White up 4-0 after just an inning of play.

Eastern Michigan continued its assault on the Cardinals’ Brad Piatt in the third inning. Powell was again hit by a Piatt pitch while Bradshaw singled to right field. Bradshaw’s single marks the 23rd multi-hit game for him this season and extends his current hitting streak to eight games. With no outs and two on, Davis stepped up and smoked a Piatt offering over the center-field wall, bringing the score to 7-0, in favor of the Eagles. Davis’ three-run homer was his fourth of the year.

EMU quickly put runners back on the bases with Leonard collecting his second hit of the day, a bloop single to right field, and junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) singling to right field. Ball State turned to their pen, calling in Brenden Stines with two on and one out. Catcher Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) recorded his first home run since April 12, at Ohio University, sending a Stines pitch sailing over the right-field wall for a three-run home run.

After cruising through the first two and two-thirds innings, Shoemaker (2-3) gave up his first hit of the game, a solo home run to right field by T.J. Baumet in the bottom of the Ball State third. Shoemaker bounced back, getting Dean Anna to fly out to center to end the inning.

Shoemaker ran into a jam in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ball State loaded the bases. Baumet doubled to left field before Wayne Bond singled and Justin Rogers walked. Shoemaker walked Zach Dygert, allowing Baumet to score, bringing the score to 10-2, in favor of EMU. With the bases still juiced, Shoemaker froze Kolbrin Vitek for his fourth strikeout of the game, ending the inning.

Ball State cut the deficit to six at 10-4, in the bottom half of the sixth with a bases loaded two RBI single by Bond.

The Eagles and Cardinals both posted a run in the seventh inning. After doubling through the right side, Davis scored on an Ivan ground out to short. In the bottom half, Dygert connected on his second home run in as many days, a solo shot to center, bringing the score to 11-5.

The Green and White added three more in the top of the eighth to push its lead to 14-5. Back-to-back singles by Marshall and Rhoad put the Eagles in scoring position with two outs. An errant throw by Dygert allowed Rhoad to steal second and advance to third and Marshall to score. With Rhoad on third, Powell crushed his team-leading seventh home run of the year, a deep shot over the right-center wall, rounding out the scoring for EMU in the eighth.

After senior Dan Puls (Alpena, Mich.-Alpena) took over for Shoemaker, the Cardinals added one in the bottom of the eighth on a Rogers single to left field. Puls finished the day throwing one inning, allowing one hit and one run.

The Eagles answered in the ninth, adding two more of their own to bring to tally to 16-6. Leonard’s third hit of the game, a double to center field was followed by Gulliver’s second home run in as many games.

Junior Bobby Henderson (Milford, Mich.-Detroit Catholic) was brought in to close, giving up one run one hit in one inning of work, striking out one while sealing the win for the first place Eagles.

The Eagles and Cardinals conclude their series tomorrow, May 4, here at Ball Diamond. First pitch in the rubber match is slated for 1 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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