Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 29
Oestrike Stadium
6:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
13
vs
1
Ball State
Rob Wendzicki
Photo by: Jeremy Allen
EMU Takes Series Opener from Ball State, 13-1
4/29/2011 10:59:16 PM | Baseball
Senior Robert Wendzicki goes eight innings to lead the Eagles to a game one victory over the Cardinals.
Box score
Re-Listen to the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team came out swinging the bats as it posted its seventh straight victory in defeating visiting Ball State University, 13-1, in game one of a three-game Mid-American Conference West Division series at Oestrike Stadium today, April 29.
Senior left-hander Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) hurled eight sparkling innings for the Eagles as he surrendered just a run on five hits and evened his overall record to 4-4 on the season. Meanwhile, Ball State starter Derek Grabner (1-4) took the loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits over three and two-thirds innings.
The top five hitters in the Eagle lineup tallied 11 of the team's 13 hits in the game led by three-hit efforts from both senior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) and junior Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian). Leonard added three RBI and three runs scored while Ohrman scored three runs and drove in another.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 26-15 overall, 10-6 in the MAC, while the Cardinals fall to 12-26 (8-7 MAC).
The Eagles struck first in the bottom of the opening frame as they first four hitters reached base before the first out was made. Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) singled to lead off the inning before Ohrman doubled him to third to put two on and none out for Leonard. The Canton, Ohio native then sent an 0-1 pitch to the gap in right center field to drive in both runs and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The two-bagger gave Leonard 58 doubles for his career and moved him within one of tying the all-time career mark at Eastern Michigan.
Still leading 2-0, EMU then put up a seven-spot in the fourth inning. The Eagles strung together five hits and took advantage of three Cardinal miscues toward building a 9-0 lead. Run-scoring singles by Battiston, Ohrman and Leonard resulted in Grabner's day being done. Before BSU reliever Jacob Brewer could get out of it, sophomore Daniel Russell (Grandville, Mich.-Grandville) recorded an RBI single to give EMU a nine-run lead.
Eastern Michigan tacked on three more in the fifth. Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) recorded a sacrifice fly to right to score Kyle Peterson (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton-Chandler-Gilbert C.C.) from third base before Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Arizona-Horizon-Glendale) provided a two-run single through the left side to give the Eagles a commanding 12-0 advantage.
In the seventh, the Cardinals would spoil the shutout bid as Kevin Franchetti singled home Sean Godfrey to their only run of the game. The Eagles had a response as they added another run over their own in their half of the seventh when Magsig doubled off of BSU's T.J. Weir to bring Leonard around to score to make it 13-1.
The reigning MAC West Pitcher of the Week, Wendzicki, gave way to Taylor Dimmerling (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) who pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
EMU is now 11 games above .500 for the first time since May 7, 1988 when it was 28-17-1. With a win tomorrow, this year's squad will match the best start since 1982 when the then-Hurons went 26-14-2 through its first 42 games of the season on the way to an NCAA Central Region runner-up finish.
The Eagles and Cardinals will play game two of their series tomorrow afternoon, April 30, in a 3 p.m. first pitch at Oestrike Stadium.
Re-Listen to the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team came out swinging the bats as it posted its seventh straight victory in defeating visiting Ball State University, 13-1, in game one of a three-game Mid-American Conference West Division series at Oestrike Stadium today, April 29.
Senior left-hander Robert Wendzicki (Brook Park, Ohio-Midpark) hurled eight sparkling innings for the Eagles as he surrendered just a run on five hits and evened his overall record to 4-4 on the season. Meanwhile, Ball State starter Derek Grabner (1-4) took the loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits over three and two-thirds innings.
The top five hitters in the Eagle lineup tallied 11 of the team's 13 hits in the game led by three-hit efforts from both senior Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) and junior Brent Ohrman (Adrian, Mich.-Adrian). Leonard added three RBI and three runs scored while Ohrman scored three runs and drove in another.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 26-15 overall, 10-6 in the MAC, while the Cardinals fall to 12-26 (8-7 MAC).
The Eagles struck first in the bottom of the opening frame as they first four hitters reached base before the first out was made. Ken Battiston (West Milton, Ohio-Milton Union) singled to lead off the inning before Ohrman doubled him to third to put two on and none out for Leonard. The Canton, Ohio native then sent an 0-1 pitch to the gap in right center field to drive in both runs and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The two-bagger gave Leonard 58 doubles for his career and moved him within one of tying the all-time career mark at Eastern Michigan.
Still leading 2-0, EMU then put up a seven-spot in the fourth inning. The Eagles strung together five hits and took advantage of three Cardinal miscues toward building a 9-0 lead. Run-scoring singles by Battiston, Ohrman and Leonard resulted in Grabner's day being done. Before BSU reliever Jacob Brewer could get out of it, sophomore Daniel Russell (Grandville, Mich.-Grandville) recorded an RBI single to give EMU a nine-run lead.
Eastern Michigan tacked on three more in the fifth. Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.-Okemos-Lansing C.C.) recorded a sacrifice fly to right to score Kyle Peterson (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton-Chandler-Gilbert C.C.) from third base before Tucker Rubino (Scottsdale, Arizona-Horizon-Glendale) provided a two-run single through the left side to give the Eagles a commanding 12-0 advantage.
In the seventh, the Cardinals would spoil the shutout bid as Kevin Franchetti singled home Sean Godfrey to their only run of the game. The Eagles had a response as they added another run over their own in their half of the seventh when Magsig doubled off of BSU's T.J. Weir to bring Leonard around to score to make it 13-1.
The reigning MAC West Pitcher of the Week, Wendzicki, gave way to Taylor Dimmerling (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) who pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
EMU is now 11 games above .500 for the first time since May 7, 1988 when it was 28-17-1. With a win tomorrow, this year's squad will match the best start since 1982 when the then-Hurons went 26-14-2 through its first 42 games of the season on the way to an NCAA Central Region runner-up finish.
The Eagles and Cardinals will play game two of their series tomorrow afternoon, April 30, in a 3 p.m. first pitch at Oestrike Stadium.
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