Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Baseball Tops NIU, 4-2, in Series Opener
5/7/2010 6:59:52 PM | Baseball
Chaffins goes seven and two-thirds to earn the win
Box score
DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – In game one of a three-game Mid-American Conference West Division series Friday afternoon, May 7, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team registered a 4-2 victory over the Northern Illinois University Huskies at Ralph McKinzie Field.
The Eagles improve to 23-23 (12-7 MAC) with the win, while the Huskies fall to 18-26 (8-11 MAC) with the loss.
Junior right-handed pitcher Corey Chaffins (New London, Ohio-New London) (4-4) went seven and two-thirds innings to earn the win, giving up two runs on 10 hits and two walks, while striking out four batters.
Junior Bo Kinder (Wapella, Ill.-Clinton Community-Kaskaskia C.C.) continued to put up solid numbers in the leadoff spot, as he finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI. In 22 games with Kinder batting in the leadoff spot, the Eagles have a 16-6 record.
Sophomore Wally Gerbus (Fairfield, Ohio-Stephen T. Baden) went 1-for-3 with one run in the victory.
Facing a 2-1 deficit after two innings of play the Eagles manufactured a pair of runs to take a one-run edge over the Huskies, as a sacrifice fly by senior Todd Graves (St. Marys, Ohio-St. Marys Memorial) and a single up the middle from senior Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) gave EMU a 3-2 lead. The Eagles capitalized on a NIU fielding miscue in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-2 game.
Chaffins and the EMU pitching staff held NIU in check down the stretch, as junior right-hander Tim Combs (Dayton, Ohio-Wayne) pitched the final third of an inning in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save, his fourth of the season.
Game two is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. (CST) tomorrow, with sophomore right-hander Kendall Lewis (Huntsville, Ohio-Indian Lake) starting on the mound for the Eagles.
