Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, March 7
Louisville, Ky.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4-2
10
at
11
Bellarmine
3-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Eastern Michigan
0
4
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
2
10
11
4
Bellarmine
1
1
0
0
0
5
0
0
1
3
11
13
3
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Baseball Stunned by Bellarmine in Extra Innings
3/7/2021 5:04:00 PM | Baseball
Senior Jeff Timko led the way with three RBIs in the contest
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) – Although it took a two-run lead into the bottom half of the 10th inning, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team was unable to finish off Bellarmine University today, March 7, at Knights Field, as it dropped the final game of the four-game series, 11-10, in extra innings.
Eastern (4-2, 0-0 MAC), despite the setback, is still two games above the .500 mark on the season, a much improved metric from a season ago, in which the team was 1-5 after its first six games.
Offensively, it was a pair of newcomers that led the way in the hit column as junior transfers Will Oberg (Wayzata, Minn.-Wayzata) and Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)) each tallied two knocks for the visiting Eagles to lead the way. Seven other Eagles registered base knocks in the game as EMU totaled 11 on the afternoon. In the runs-batted-in category, it was senior Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) that led the way, as he recorded three RBIs for the second-straight game.
Six hurlers found time on the mound for Eastern in the contest as senior lefty Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) made his first start of the season for Eastern. He went 3.0 innings and allowed just two runs before fellow senior John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) took the bump and tossed an impressive two innings, in which he kept Bellarmine off the board. Sophomore Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) had the most impressive outing of any Eagle as he tossed two innings of perfect baseball and registered two strikeouts along the way. The outing was the longest and most successful for House in his short career thus far with EMU.
Although Bellarmine held a 1-0 advantage after the first inning, it didn't take EMU long to get its bats rolling. With the bases clear and two outs in the top of the second, Eastern got three consecutive singles from Denton, freshman Evan Sines (Lancaster, Ohio-Lancaster), and senior Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ontario-Leamington District (Parkland)), respectively. Warkentin's knock was good enough to score Denton from second and tie the game at one. With two runners on, Timko took advantage of his early opportunity. The senior captain blasted a three-run shot, his second home run of the weekend, to give EMU a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
After surrendering another run in the second inning, Granzotto found his rhythm in the third frame. With a 4-2 lead in hand, the senior southpaw quickly dusted the first Knights batter he faced in the half inning before forcing a line out and groundout to finish off the host in its half of the third inning and preserve Eastern's lead. Granzotto ended his outing on a high note, as the third frame was his final.
The fifth and sixth innings featured improved pitching from both staffs, and neither team was able to score in those respective frames. For EMU, it Holt that came on for Granzotto. His first appearance of the season, Holt quickly settled in after giving up a leadoff walk and subsequent steal. Despite a runner on second and no outs, the 6-foot-5 senior was able to remain poised and sit down the next three batters he faced, ending Bellarmine's scoring threat in the fourth.
Holt was even better in the fifth as he recorded a 1-2-3 inning that included two groundouts and a strikeout. Done after the fifth, Holt finished his outing having tossed 2.0 innings of no-run baseball. He allowed just one hit while striking out four, a new career-high.
Up, 4-2, the Eastern bats went back to work in the top-half of the sixth as it was able to add another pair of runs and extend its lead to four, 6-2. With one on and one out, it was Denton that came through for Eastern as he belted his first-career home run, a two-run shot that gave him his second and third RBIs of the young season.
Denton's homer proved pivotal for keeping EMU in the game late. Although the Eagles took a comfortable lead, 6-2, into the bottom half of the sixth, it was not enough to hold off the Knights, who put together their best at-bats of the series in what finished as a five-run, five hit frame that ultimately gave Bellarmine the lead, 7-6, after six.
Undeterred by its first deficit since the game's opening inning, the Eastern offense went back to work and found success in the seventh inning. Senior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown) got the inning going with a single, before freshman Mark Kattula (Sterling Heights, Mich.-Stevenson) notched his own hit of the same variety, which pushed Peggs to third. With Kattula now on second via a passed ball, it was Oberg who knocked EMU's next big hit, a two-RBI single that plated both baserunners, and gave EMU the lead once again, 8-7.
After House took care of Bellarmine with ease in the seventh and eighth frames, respectively, Bellarmine came to bat with one last chance to extend the game, and did just that, as it scored a run to send the contest into extras.
The first extra baseball of the season for Eastern saw it score two quick runs in the top of the 10th. After Oberg walked and stole second, senior Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) delivered an RBI-knock, and later scored on a throwing error. The pair of runs gave EMU a 10-8 lead heading to the bottom of the 10th.
The lead was not enough for EMU. After Bellarmine had already plated a run to get within one, 10-9, the Knights' Jacob Mulcahy came through with the biggest hit of the game, a two-run, walk-off home run that handed the home team the win, 11-10, and split the series at two games apiece.
EMU will enjoy time off before it travels to Starkville, Miss. for a three-game set at Mississippi State, Friday-Sunday, March 12-14. Game times are set for 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, with each being in the Central Time Zone.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU baseball, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, @EMU_Baseball.
Eastern (4-2, 0-0 MAC), despite the setback, is still two games above the .500 mark on the season, a much improved metric from a season ago, in which the team was 1-5 after its first six games.
Offensively, it was a pair of newcomers that led the way in the hit column as junior transfers Will Oberg (Wayzata, Minn.-Wayzata) and Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)) each tallied two knocks for the visiting Eagles to lead the way. Seven other Eagles registered base knocks in the game as EMU totaled 11 on the afternoon. In the runs-batted-in category, it was senior Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) that led the way, as he recorded three RBIs for the second-straight game.
Six hurlers found time on the mound for Eastern in the contest as senior lefty Scott Granzotto (Northville, Mich.-Gabriel Richard) made his first start of the season for Eastern. He went 3.0 innings and allowed just two runs before fellow senior John Holt (Saline, Mich.-Saline) took the bump and tossed an impressive two innings, in which he kept Bellarmine off the board. Sophomore Trevor House (Okeana, Ohio-Ross) had the most impressive outing of any Eagle as he tossed two innings of perfect baseball and registered two strikeouts along the way. The outing was the longest and most successful for House in his short career thus far with EMU.
Although Bellarmine held a 1-0 advantage after the first inning, it didn't take EMU long to get its bats rolling. With the bases clear and two outs in the top of the second, Eastern got three consecutive singles from Denton, freshman Evan Sines (Lancaster, Ohio-Lancaster), and senior Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ontario-Leamington District (Parkland)), respectively. Warkentin's knock was good enough to score Denton from second and tie the game at one. With two runners on, Timko took advantage of his early opportunity. The senior captain blasted a three-run shot, his second home run of the weekend, to give EMU a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
After surrendering another run in the second inning, Granzotto found his rhythm in the third frame. With a 4-2 lead in hand, the senior southpaw quickly dusted the first Knights batter he faced in the half inning before forcing a line out and groundout to finish off the host in its half of the third inning and preserve Eastern's lead. Granzotto ended his outing on a high note, as the third frame was his final.
The fifth and sixth innings featured improved pitching from both staffs, and neither team was able to score in those respective frames. For EMU, it Holt that came on for Granzotto. His first appearance of the season, Holt quickly settled in after giving up a leadoff walk and subsequent steal. Despite a runner on second and no outs, the 6-foot-5 senior was able to remain poised and sit down the next three batters he faced, ending Bellarmine's scoring threat in the fourth.
Holt was even better in the fifth as he recorded a 1-2-3 inning that included two groundouts and a strikeout. Done after the fifth, Holt finished his outing having tossed 2.0 innings of no-run baseball. He allowed just one hit while striking out four, a new career-high.
Up, 4-2, the Eastern bats went back to work in the top-half of the sixth as it was able to add another pair of runs and extend its lead to four, 6-2. With one on and one out, it was Denton that came through for Eastern as he belted his first-career home run, a two-run shot that gave him his second and third RBIs of the young season.
Denton's homer proved pivotal for keeping EMU in the game late. Although the Eagles took a comfortable lead, 6-2, into the bottom half of the sixth, it was not enough to hold off the Knights, who put together their best at-bats of the series in what finished as a five-run, five hit frame that ultimately gave Bellarmine the lead, 7-6, after six.
Undeterred by its first deficit since the game's opening inning, the Eastern offense went back to work and found success in the seventh inning. Senior Drake Peggs (Knightstown, Ind.-Knightstown) got the inning going with a single, before freshman Mark Kattula (Sterling Heights, Mich.-Stevenson) notched his own hit of the same variety, which pushed Peggs to third. With Kattula now on second via a passed ball, it was Oberg who knocked EMU's next big hit, a two-RBI single that plated both baserunners, and gave EMU the lead once again, 8-7.
After House took care of Bellarmine with ease in the seventh and eighth frames, respectively, Bellarmine came to bat with one last chance to extend the game, and did just that, as it scored a run to send the contest into extras.
The first extra baseball of the season for Eastern saw it score two quick runs in the top of the 10th. After Oberg walked and stole second, senior Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) delivered an RBI-knock, and later scored on a throwing error. The pair of runs gave EMU a 10-8 lead heading to the bottom of the 10th.
The lead was not enough for EMU. After Bellarmine had already plated a run to get within one, 10-9, the Knights' Jacob Mulcahy came through with the biggest hit of the game, a two-run, walk-off home run that handed the home team the win, 11-10, and split the series at two games apiece.
EMU will enjoy time off before it travels to Starkville, Miss. for a three-game set at Mississippi State, Friday-Sunday, March 12-14. Game times are set for 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, with each being in the Central Time Zone.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU baseball, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, @EMU_Baseball.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ethington, Anthony (1-0)
L: Fruit, Zach (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hopkins, Taylor 1
HR: Denton, Gabe 1 ; Timko, Jeff 1
RBI: Oberg, Will 2 ; Denton, Gabe 2 ; Jones, Nate 1 ; Warkentin, Daniel 1 ; Timko, Jeff 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Peggs, Drake 1 ; Kattula, Mark 1 ; Oberg, Will 2 ; Denton, Gabe 2 ; Jones, Nate 1 ; Sines, Evan 1 ; Warkentin, Daniel 1 ; Timko, Jeff 1
SB: Oberg, Will 3
HBP: Oberg, Will 1
Batting:
2B: Higgins, Matt 1 ; Mehlbauer, Clayton 1 ; Byerly, Dylan 1
HR: Mulcahy, Jacob 1
RBI: Gambert, Chris 1 ; Higgins, Matt 1 ; Finerty, Josh 4 ; Mulcahy, Jacob 2 ; Mehlbauer, Clayton 1 ; Pfaadt, Brett 1
SF: Finerty, Josh 1 ; Pfaadt, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gambert, Chris 4 ; Higgins, Matt 2 ; Finerty, Josh 1 ; Mulcahy, Jacob 1 ; Mehlbauer, Clayton 1 ; Pfaadt, Brett 1 ; Byerly, Dylan 1
SB: Byerly, Dylan 1
HBP: Mehlbauer, Clayton 1 ; Pfaadt, Brett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
cf/rf
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
IF
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/ Baseball
IF
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