Eagles Back on Track With 11-7 Win Over Huskies

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team put itself back in the win column here Saturday afternoon at Oestrike Stadium, with an 11-7 win over Northern Illinois University. The EMU victory evens the weekend Mid-American Conference showdown at a game apiece.

The Eagles improve to 13-28 and 6-11 in the MAC, while NIU falls to 15-24 and 6-10 in the MAC. Sophomore reliever Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) picked up his first win of the year for the Eagles. NIU starter Chris Wakefield fell to 0-4 with the loss.

The Green and White managed four long balls on the day. Junior Todd Graves (St. Mary's, Ohio-St. Mary's) hit a pair of homers, giving him five on the season. Graves hit a perfect 3-for-3 in the contest with a walk.

Freshman Johnny Crooks (Toledo, Ohio-Ottawa Hills) tallied his second home run of the year as part of a 2-for-2, three RBI showing. Finally, junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) added to the hitting display with his sixth blast of the season.

Graves put the Eagles on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a two run homer to left center.

EMU held a 2-1 lead until the fourth inning, when Justin Behm hit a two-run homer to straightaway center to give the Huskies their first lead of the afternoon, 3-2.

NIU chased Eagles' freshman starter Jordan Glover (Toronto, Ont.-Toronto Schools) from the mound with one out in the fifth, after a single by Jordin Hood loaded the bases with Huskies. Combs then got the call out of the bullpen and was able to fan the final two batters of the frame.

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Crooks stepped to the plate to pinch hit for the designated hitter, junior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason). Crooks blasted the first pitch of the at-bat over the right field wall for a two-run homer to put the Eagles back in front, 5-3.

In the top of the sixth, senior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) spoiled a potential Husky comeback, when he made a leaping grab over the centerfield wall to take a sure home run away from Troy White.

The Eagles broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth with four runs to make the score 9-3 for the home team. The inning was capped off by a two out triple from Crooks, giving him his third RBI of the contest.

The rubber match of this three-game set is slated for Sunday, April 26, at 1:05 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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