Eagles Back at Home; Host BGSU For Three-Game Set

Game Notes (PDF)

Live Stats

Listen Live (Saturday, April 3)

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will host its first Mid-American Conference series of the season this weekend, April 2-4, at Oestrike Stadium, as the Bowling Green State University Falcons come to Ypsilanti for a three-game set. Game one is scheduled for Friday, April 2, at 6 p.m., while games two and three are slated for Saturday and Sunday, April 3-4, at 3 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

Saturday's game will be available for an audio only broadcast on Eagle All-Access via EMUEagles.com, with Chad Bush and Dan Wyar providing all the coverage. Click here to register to listen to Saturday's game and click here for a complete Eagle All-Access spring sports broadcast schedule.

PITCHING PROBABLES: In Friday's series opener, junior right hander Corey Chaffins will get the nod for the Eagles, while BGSU's Brennan Smith will start for the Falcons. Sophomore right hander Kendall Lewis will start Saturday's game opposite the Falcons' Michael Frank, while sophomore left hander Collin Taylor will start Sunday's series finale versus BGSU's Kevin Leady.

EMU VERSUS BGSU: Through 150 career meetings between the two squads, the Eagles hold an all-time 85-65 series advantage over the Falcons. EMU won the last meeting in record-setting fashion, claiming a 27-7 win over BGSU at Steller Field in Bowling Green. April 8, 2009. In the 20-run win, sophomore Wally Gerbus shattered several school records with four home runs and eight RBI, as the Eagles hit nine home runs as a team. Gerbus' four round-trippers were the first four of his career and tie the MAC single-game record set by Andy Tracy (BGSU), Michael Carlin (Miami), and Brad Miller (Ball State), while his 16 total bases against BGSU tie Andy Tracy and Brad Miller for the second most all time in MAC history. Gerbus' eight RBI are tied with several former MAC players for the third most in a single game in conference history.

THE COACHES: EMU's Jay Alexander enters Friday's game with a 196-198 career record, including a 35-50 mark in two seasons with the Eagles. BGSU's Danny Schmitz enters Friday's game with a 518-475-5 record in 19 seasons with the Falcons.

COMMON THREADS: Bowling Green Head Coach Danny Schmitz earned four letters as a second baseman at Eastern Michigan between 1974-77. During his career at EMU, he played a big role in the Hurons winning back-to-back MAC titles in 1975 and 1976, thus earning the right to host the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Schmitz helped the Hurons capture the Mideast Region title in 1975 and '76 en route to a pair of College World Series appearances. In 1976, EMU made it all the way to the CWS National Championship versus Arizona, where Schmitz was named to the All-Tournament team along with teammates Brian Petroff and Bob Owchinko. Schmitz was inducted into the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

LOOKING AHEAD: After facing BGSU this weekend, the Eagles host Wayne State, April 6, at Oestrike Stadium at 6 p.m. Next weekend, the Eagles again host a MAC three-game series when the defending MAC Tournament Champions from Kent State come to Oestrike Stadium, April 9-11.

SIX STRAIGHT: With last weekend's 2-1 performance at Buffalo, the Eagles have won their last six MAC three-game sets dating back to last season. The last time EMU dropped two or more games in a MAC three-game series was at home Easter weekend last season when the Ohio Bobcats took two out of three versus the Eagles.

A COMPLETE PERFORMANCE: Junior right hander Corey Chaffins has thrown a complete game in his last two starts, with both resulting in his first two losses of the season. Chaffins has been named the MAC West Pitcher of the Week twice already this season and leads the team with 42.2 innings pitched and 36 strikeouts.

STREAK ON THE LINE: Sophomore right hander Kendall Lewis has not surrendered a run in his last 15.2 innings pitched this season. In his last start at Buffalo, Lewis went seven and one-thirds, giving up three hits and striking out seven to earn the win. In his previous start at West Virginia, March 20, Lewis went seven innings and gave up just three hits and tallied seven strikeouts. Lewis' streak started in the third inning of EMU's game versus Jacksonville State, March 14. Lewis will start against the Falcons Saturday, April 3, with the chance to extend the streak.

MARSHALL LAW: Senior catcher Andrew Marshall is currently riding a team-best six-game hitting streak. Marshall is batting a team-best .474 (9-for-19) over the past six games, with seven runs scored, three RBI, six walks, and one stolen base.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos