Baseball Welcomes Chippewas for Weekend Series

Baseball vs. Central Michigan (11-30, 5-7 MAC)
Date	Friday-Sunday, April 29-May 1
Location	Oestrike Stadium
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	emueagles.com
Live Audio	EMU All-Access
Twitter	@EMU_Baseball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University baseball team, fresh off an 8-0 midweek win over Notre Dame, steps back into conference play with a three-game weekend series against in-state Mid-American Conference rival Central Michigan University, April 29-May 1 at Oestrike Stadium. The set begins with a 6 p.m. start time Friday, followed by a 3 p.m. first pitch for Saturday, and a 1 p.m. matinee versus the Chippewas on Sunday.

   The action can be followed via live stats as well as by following our Twitter account, @EMU_Baseball. All three games will also be audio streamed live on EMU All-Access with Chad Bush and Greg Steiner on the call.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Eagles and Chippewas have met a combined 157 times since 1949, with EMU holding an 89-68 advantage all-time. Last season, CMU swept a three-game set in Mount Pleasant. EMU's last win over CMU came April 26, 2013, while the last win at Oestrike Stadium was back on April 14, 2012.

CHECKING IN ON THE CHIPPEWAS: Despite being the preseason pick to win the MAC West Division, CMU finds themselves with an 11-30 overall record and 5-7 mark in conference play entering the weekend. They are also just 3-17 in true road games. CMU has one weekend series conference win on the year, taking 2-of-3 from Toledo last weekend. They have lost 2-of-3 in series against Kent State, Northern Illinois and Ball State. Most recently, they are coming off a 7-4 midweek win over Oakland, April 27.

    As a team, CMU hits at a .247 clip, and are being outscored 269-186, and out-hit 383-336. They are led by the duo of Zach McKinstry and Daniel Jipping, who hit .341 and .326, respectively. Jipping leads CMU in doubles with 11, home runs with six, and RBI's with 30, and is the reigning MAC West Player of the Week.

    Defensively, CMU has a staff ERA of 5.57, while they are allowing opponents to hit .280. Their pitchers have a 253-207 strikeout to walk ratio as well. The projected weekend rotation of Patrick Leatherman, Nick Deeg and Sean Renzi hold ERA's of 4.21, 4.79 and 5.05 respectively. Deeg is the reigning MAC West Pitcher of the Week.

BLANKING THE FIGHTING IRISH: EMU used a stellar balance of hitting and pitching to blank the University of Notre Dame, 8-0, in non-conference play Wednesday evening, April 27 at Frank Eck Stadium. It was the third shutout of the season for the Eagles.

Combining for the shutout were sophomore Brent Mattson and freshman Davis Feldman, who collectively only allowed six hits over nine innings. Mattson got his first win of the season going 5.2 strong innings, striking out two. In relief, Feldman earned his first career EMU save, tossing 3.1 innings and striking out three.

TRIPLE DOUBLES: In the 8-0 win over Notre Dame, April 27, sophomore Brennan Williams clubbed a career-best three doubles in a 3-for-5 game, which included two RBI's and three runs scored. It was the team-leading 12th multi hit game of the season for Williams, and he became the first EMU player to hit three-doubles in a game since 2011.

DAZZLING ROOKIE: Freshman Tyler Butzin has been the brightest star of a talented class of newcomers for the Eagles this season. The 'true' freshman ranks sixth in the conference in ERA with a 2.88 mark, which is also the top ERA for any freshman in the MAC. He leads the team with 50.0 innings pitched, including six starts, and also has a save to his credit this season. He also holds opponents to a .242 batting average, which ranks ninth in the MAC.

RUN EAGLES RUN: EMU has been alert and impactful on the base paths this season, as the team currently ranks third in the country in steals (94). In addition, redshirt junior Marquise Gill is fourth in the nation in steals with 30 on the season. With 94 steals this season, the team aims to break the program record of 147 stolen bags, set in 1981, and tied in 2004.

TRACKING THE TATERS: Senior Mitchell McGeein entered his final season with 19 career homers, good for 20th on the all-time EMU list. He currently leads the team with seven home runs this season, putting him in a tie for ninth-place all-time with 26.

EAGLES DIG THE LONG BALL: EMU currently ranks 88th in the nation, and fourth in the MAC, in home runs with 28 as a team this season. Individually, senior Mitchell McGeein has hit a team-high seven so far, which is tied for seventh in the MAC. The Eagles hit a season-high four home runs in the win over BGSU, March 27.

MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOK: A trio of Eagles are rewriting the record books in 2016 with their season and career performances. In addition to being on the career home runs list, senior Mitchell McGeein is on the career list for walks with 79 (15th), doubles with 36 (16th) RBI's with 100 (T-23) and at-bats with 581 (24th). Junior closer Sam Delaplane is eighth on the career saves list with nine in his three years, while redshirt junior Marquise Gill is already fifth in single-season stolen bases with 30, with his career total of 40 ranking 15th all-time.

REACHING THE CENTURY MARK: A trio of Eagles reached career milestones this season. Senior Mitchell McGeein reached 100 RBI's vs Western Michigan, April 24, becoming just the 24th EMU player to reach that mark. He also scored his 100th run vs Notre Dame, April 27. Meanwhile, junior Sam Delaplane struck out three batters against Purdue, April 12, to get to 100 for his career. The duo joined redshirt junior Michael Mioduszewski at the century mark after he notched his 100th career hit earlier in the season, March 5, versus Arizona State.

THREE-BAG BACKSTOP: Junior Jeremy Stidham leads EMU and is T-39th in the nation with four triples on the season. The catcher is one of just eight backstops in the country to have 4 triples on the year.

DO IT ALL WORKHORSE: Senior lefty Michael Marsinek has been the go-to guy in on the mound this season for the Eagles. The veteran leads EMU with a 2.22 ERA in 15 appearances, including one start. In his first start since 2014, against WMU, April 22, Marsinek went a career-high 5.1 innings, striking out five batters, which tied his career high set earlier this season against Dayton.

WOLVERINES ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will play a pair of midweek games next week, with a home and home series with Washtenaw County rival the University of Michigan. The Eagles head to Ann Arbor Tuesday, May 3, for a 6 p.m. first pitch, followed by a home game vs UM at Oestrike Stadium, Wednesday, May 4, with another 6 p.m. first pitch.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Butzin

Sam Delaplane

Davis Feldman

Marquise Gill

Michael Marsinek

Brent Mattson

Mitchell McGeein

Mike Mioduszewski

Jeremy Stidham

Brennan Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics