Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 22
Pullman, Wash.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Washington State
Eagles Take Flight to Washington State, Feb. 22-24
2/19/2013 3:57:00 PM | Baseball
EMU and WSU will meet for the first time
Complete Release (.pdf)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team continues its lengthy season-opening road trip with a four-game set against Washington State University Friday-Sunday, Feb. 22-24. Friday's contest is slated for a 2 p.m. (all times Pacific) start, Saturday's doubleheader will begin at noon and Sunday's finale will also be played at noon.
After opening the season at Campbell last weekend, the Eagles (1-1) will also serve as the opponent for the Cougars' (1-2) home opener at Bailey-Brayton Field.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS: The Cougars and Eagles will be meeting for the first time this weekend. WSU resides in the Pacific 12 Conference, where the squad went 12-18 in league affairs and an even 28-28 overall in 2012. The Cougars opened up the 2013 campaign in North Carolina, going 1-2 with a 4-1 win in the finale against Western Carolina.
Washington State features a remarkably young roster with just two seniors and eight juniors. However, the Cougars return a good amount of experienced players from a year ago including six pitchers that made at least one start. They also bring back 19 letterwinners who helped the team set a school record for fielding percentage (.978) last season.
GO WEST: This weekend's series will mark just the second time in the 64-year history of EMU baseball that the Eagles have traveled to the State of Washington. The Green and White's only other trek to the Evergreen State was in 1980, when the Eagles dropped a single 6-5 decision to the University of Washington, March 25, in Seattle.
EAGLES SPLIT WEATHER-SHORTENED SERIES WITH CAMELS: EMU came away with a series split in its opening series against Campbell, Feb. 15, dropping the first game of a doubleheader, 8-2, before rebounding for a 10-6 win in the nightcap. A winter storm postponed what was supposed to be the series finale Saturday to Sunday. That date would also be canceled due to prevailing cold weather and unsuitable field conditions.
BATTISTELLI GETS 12TH CAREER SAVE: Senior hurler Joe Battistelli moved into third place all-time in EMU history with his 12th-career save in a 10-6 win over Campbell Friday, Feb. 15. Battistelli tossed the final 1.1 innings and recorded all four of his outs via the strikeout. He surpassed Ross Winiemko's mark of 11 saves from 2001-03 for sole possession of third place. Steve Herbst (1992-95) had the most saves (23) of any Eagles' pitcher from 1992-95.
THE RISING “SON”: One could forgive a transfer student thrust into the action in his first weekend to look a bit rusty at the plate and in the field. But for junior catcher Adam Sonabend, his first two games in an EMU uniform have shown the import from Mesa C.C. might already be in mid-season form. Sonabend went 5-for-7 over the weekend including 4-for-4 with four RBI in Eastern Michigan's 10-6 win over the Fighting Camels.
For his efforts, Sonabend was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office, Feb. 19.
DIDN'T MISS A BEAT: One of three pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery this season, starting pitcher Kendall Lewis (1-0) did not look like a pitcher who had been sidelined for nearly two complete seasons in his six-inning, two-run victory over Campbell, Feb. 15. The senior right-hander surrendered just three hits and struck out a trio of batters in a 10-6 victory.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: EMU was among the top teams in the nation with 21 triples in 2012. The Eagles' knack for hitting the three-bagger continued in the season opener at Campbell, as senior Jamie Simpson and redshirt junior Dae Bowden each hit triples in the fifth inning of game one.
SEASON OPENERS: Since 1949, EMU has an all-time mark of 32-34 in season lidlifters. The Eagles fell to Campbell, 8-2, in the season opener this year, Feb. 15. The Green and White last won on opening day in 2010, when they toppled No. 25 Kansas, 3-1.
EAGLES TABBED THIRD IN MAC WEST DIVISION: The Eagles were picked by the Mid-American Conference coaches to finish third in the West Division in 2013, the conference office announced Tuesday, Feb. 12. Central Michigan earned 65 points to be tabbed as preseason favorites followed by 2012 division champ Toledo (60), Eastern Michigan (54), Western Michigan (36), Ball State (23), and Northern Illinois (15).
In the East, defending conference champion and 2012 College World Series participant Kent State was chosen to repeat as East Division champions, garnering 72 points. The Golden Flashes were followed by Miami (58), Bowling Green (44), Ohio (34), Akron (25) and Buffalo (19).
Kent State was also picked to repeat as tournament champions for a fifth-straight year, earning nine of the 12 first place votes. Three additional teams, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Toledo, each received one vote.
THE SKINNY: Fifth-year Head Coach Jay Alexander believes the 2013 version of his team is one primed to make a run at the Mid-American Conference title.
“I'm excited about our athleticism,” Alexander remarked”. “We brought in lots of talented young players who can play multiple position. With youth comes growing pains so if we can get them to play 'old' I like our chances a lot. In addition we have more depth on the mound than we've had since I've been here.”
GET USED TO IT: The opening series with Campbell touched off a 17-game road swing which will span nearly a month until March 15. During the road trip, the Green and White also face off against Washington State, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Cincinnati and Morehead State in that order.
Eastern Michigan baseball players are used to these long trips away from Ypsilanti to begin the season. In 2012, EMU played 16 road games before they returned home and went 3-13 over that span. It was a much more positive outcome in 2011, when the squad went 9-6 over road 15 contests.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team continues its lengthy season-opening road trip with a four-game set against Washington State University Friday-Sunday, Feb. 22-24. Friday's contest is slated for a 2 p.m. (all times Pacific) start, Saturday's doubleheader will begin at noon and Sunday's finale will also be played at noon.
After opening the season at Campbell last weekend, the Eagles (1-1) will also serve as the opponent for the Cougars' (1-2) home opener at Bailey-Brayton Field.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS: The Cougars and Eagles will be meeting for the first time this weekend. WSU resides in the Pacific 12 Conference, where the squad went 12-18 in league affairs and an even 28-28 overall in 2012. The Cougars opened up the 2013 campaign in North Carolina, going 1-2 with a 4-1 win in the finale against Western Carolina.
Washington State features a remarkably young roster with just two seniors and eight juniors. However, the Cougars return a good amount of experienced players from a year ago including six pitchers that made at least one start. They also bring back 19 letterwinners who helped the team set a school record for fielding percentage (.978) last season.
GO WEST: This weekend's series will mark just the second time in the 64-year history of EMU baseball that the Eagles have traveled to the State of Washington. The Green and White's only other trek to the Evergreen State was in 1980, when the Eagles dropped a single 6-5 decision to the University of Washington, March 25, in Seattle.
EAGLES SPLIT WEATHER-SHORTENED SERIES WITH CAMELS: EMU came away with a series split in its opening series against Campbell, Feb. 15, dropping the first game of a doubleheader, 8-2, before rebounding for a 10-6 win in the nightcap. A winter storm postponed what was supposed to be the series finale Saturday to Sunday. That date would also be canceled due to prevailing cold weather and unsuitable field conditions.
BATTISTELLI GETS 12TH CAREER SAVE: Senior hurler Joe Battistelli moved into third place all-time in EMU history with his 12th-career save in a 10-6 win over Campbell Friday, Feb. 15. Battistelli tossed the final 1.1 innings and recorded all four of his outs via the strikeout. He surpassed Ross Winiemko's mark of 11 saves from 2001-03 for sole possession of third place. Steve Herbst (1992-95) had the most saves (23) of any Eagles' pitcher from 1992-95.
THE RISING “SON”: One could forgive a transfer student thrust into the action in his first weekend to look a bit rusty at the plate and in the field. But for junior catcher Adam Sonabend, his first two games in an EMU uniform have shown the import from Mesa C.C. might already be in mid-season form. Sonabend went 5-for-7 over the weekend including 4-for-4 with four RBI in Eastern Michigan's 10-6 win over the Fighting Camels.
For his efforts, Sonabend was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office, Feb. 19.
DIDN'T MISS A BEAT: One of three pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery this season, starting pitcher Kendall Lewis (1-0) did not look like a pitcher who had been sidelined for nearly two complete seasons in his six-inning, two-run victory over Campbell, Feb. 15. The senior right-hander surrendered just three hits and struck out a trio of batters in a 10-6 victory.
CONTINUING THE TRIPLE TREND: EMU was among the top teams in the nation with 21 triples in 2012. The Eagles' knack for hitting the three-bagger continued in the season opener at Campbell, as senior Jamie Simpson and redshirt junior Dae Bowden each hit triples in the fifth inning of game one.
SEASON OPENERS: Since 1949, EMU has an all-time mark of 32-34 in season lidlifters. The Eagles fell to Campbell, 8-2, in the season opener this year, Feb. 15. The Green and White last won on opening day in 2010, when they toppled No. 25 Kansas, 3-1.
EAGLES TABBED THIRD IN MAC WEST DIVISION: The Eagles were picked by the Mid-American Conference coaches to finish third in the West Division in 2013, the conference office announced Tuesday, Feb. 12. Central Michigan earned 65 points to be tabbed as preseason favorites followed by 2012 division champ Toledo (60), Eastern Michigan (54), Western Michigan (36), Ball State (23), and Northern Illinois (15).
In the East, defending conference champion and 2012 College World Series participant Kent State was chosen to repeat as East Division champions, garnering 72 points. The Golden Flashes were followed by Miami (58), Bowling Green (44), Ohio (34), Akron (25) and Buffalo (19).
Kent State was also picked to repeat as tournament champions for a fifth-straight year, earning nine of the 12 first place votes. Three additional teams, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Toledo, each received one vote.
THE SKINNY: Fifth-year Head Coach Jay Alexander believes the 2013 version of his team is one primed to make a run at the Mid-American Conference title.
“I'm excited about our athleticism,” Alexander remarked”. “We brought in lots of talented young players who can play multiple position. With youth comes growing pains so if we can get them to play 'old' I like our chances a lot. In addition we have more depth on the mound than we've had since I've been here.”
GET USED TO IT: The opening series with Campbell touched off a 17-game road swing which will span nearly a month until March 15. During the road trip, the Green and White also face off against Washington State, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Cincinnati and Morehead State in that order.
Eastern Michigan baseball players are used to these long trips away from Ypsilanti to begin the season. In 2012, EMU played 16 road games before they returned home and went 3-13 over that span. It was a much more positive outcome in 2011, when the squad went 9-6 over road 15 contests.
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