Baseball Heads to Empire State for Three-Game Series at Albany

Eastern Michigan Baseball at Albany
Date	Thursday-Saturday \| April 17-19
Venue	Varsity Field \| Albany, N.Y.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide
Live Stats	EMUEagles.com/livestats
Watch Live	Game 1 \| Game 2 \| Game 3
Social Media	X: @EMU _Baseball \| @EMUAthletics IG: @emu_baseball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – With a break in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to face the University at Albany Great Danes of the America East Conference (AE) in a three-game, non-conference series, Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19, at Varsity Field, in Albany, N.Y. Game one will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday, while games two and three will start at 1 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Eastern enters the week standing fifth in the MAC with a 9-9 record (14-17 overall) and is looking for its second non-conference series win of the season, and first series victory since it bested Ohio, 2-1, March 28-29. Albany comes in standing seventh in the AE with a 3-9 record (10-21 overall) and has lost four consecutive games, including eight of its last 10.

Fans can follow along using the live stats and watch links that can be accessed on the EMU baseball schedule page here. Also, stay tuned to EMU baseball socials including EMU_Baseball on X, and emu_baseball on Instagram for live in-game updates and additional EMU baseball content.

ALL-TIME AGAINST ALBANY
The Eagles and Great Danes are meeting for the first time.

DREW BECKNER: MAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Senior left-hander Drew Beckner was named MAC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career, April 14. He pitched a gem in his start against the Toledo Rockets Friday, April 11. Beckner tied his career high with eight strikeouts for the third time this season and second consecutive game, as he didn't allow an earned run, pitched 6.2 innings, and held opposing batters to a .174 average. His eight strikeouts rank as the second-most in a game in the MAC and the most strikeouts from a single pitcher over the weekend. Beckner also held strong with runners on base, limiting his opposition to a .200 clip (2-for-10). Furthermore, the zero earned run start marked the first of Beckner's NCAA Division I career.

The honor marks the first of Beckner's career and the Eagles' third player of the week award of the season as Logan Hugo (Feb. 25) and Devan Zirwas (March 4) previously earned the recognition as position players.

Furthermore, Beckner is the first Eastern pitcher to garner the accolade since current pitching development assistant Nick Chittum earned the honor after pitching a complete game shutout against Western Michigan in the second game of a doubleheader, March 24, 2024.

SERIES IN REVIEW: VS. TOLEDO, APRIL 11-13
The Eagles dropped the series against the Rockets, 2-1.

Game one
Eastern fell in the series-opener, 7-2.

Drew Beckner got the start and went 6.2 innings into the game, allowing zero earned runs and striking out eight. Cooper Vance paced the offense with a 3-for-3 day from the plate with one double.

Game Two
The Eagles bounced back to win game two, 13-7, behind three-hit days from Devan Zirwas and Ty Stecko, including Stecko's eighth home run of the season, a grand slam in the eighth.

Dom Anderson (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Eastern Michigan as he entered the game in relief in the sixth inning and fanned a career-best five batters, marking his first victory since 2022 as he missed 2023-24 due to injury.

Game Three
The Eagles fell in the rubber match of the series, 6-2. Drew Jones and Cooper Vance each had multi-hit games and Ethan Davis tossed a scoreless 2.1 innings with an NCAA Division I career-high four strikeouts.

NOTABLES FROM WIN AT MICHIGAN
Eastern's 9-8 win over Michigan, March 25, marked its first true road win over a "Power Four" program since it bested the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 6-5, to secure a series win, March 11, 2018. The result marked the first time that Eastern Michigan defeated a Big Ten Conference team on the road since it beat Ohio State, April 12, 2017. Eastern also picked up its first win in Ann Arbor since April 15, 2015, ending an eight-game losing streak in the city.

MULTIPLE P4 WINS FOR BRITT
With two wins over Michigan in his first two seasons at the helm of the program, Head Coach Robbie Britt became the fourth head coach in program history to earn multiple "power conference" wins in his first two seasons at the helm of the program. Roger Coryell won five from 1989-90, Jay Alexander won six from 2009-10, and Mark Van Ameyde won four from 2015-16.

CARDIAC EAGLES
Eastern has four comeback wins when trailing by at least three runs this season, surpassing the three it had in the 2024 campaign. Two of the four comeback wins have come in the ninth inning with the Eagles putting up eight runs in the frame for the victory. Eastern trailed Western Michigan, 7-2, entering the ninth, March 14, before putting up eight runs to win, 10-8. The Eagles accomplished the feat again in a 9-5 win over Ohio, March 29, as they entered the ninth down, 5-1, and rattled off eight to secure the 9-5 victory.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
The Eagles exploded for a season-best offensive performance in game three against the RedHawks, March 22. Eastern set season highs in runs (19), RBI (18), and walks (11), while also knocking 18 hits, its second-highest total of the season. Eastern Michigan's 19 runs stand as the fifth most in a single game in the MAC, while its 18 hits and five doubles are the third most. Its runs, RBI, and walks (11) all serve as the most in the Robbie Britt era.

Eastern's bats particularly popped off in the second inning, scoring nine runs. Its nine runs that inning are the most under Britt and the most since Eastern plated 10 against Toledo, May 4, 2021.

Eastern nearly matched that performance in its 18-13 win over Ohio, March 29. It tied a season best with 18 RBI while setting a season best with 19 hits.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE (2024 WIN TOTAL)
The Eagles won 14 games in Robbie Britt's first season last year. Thirty-one games into the 2025 campaign, the Eagles have already matched that total. They have also matched their 2024 win total when it comes to conference play, as their win over Toledo, April 11, marked their ninth in the MAC.

EMU posted 13 wins in its first 31 games last season, eight of which came in conference play.

VANCE VS. TOLEDO
Junior infielder Cooper Vance was on a tear in the Eagles' three-game set against the Toledo Rockets, April 11-13. The shortstop batted a blistering .700 with an absurd 1.927 OPS in his 10 at-bats, as he knocked seven hits, three of which went for extra bases (two doubles, one home run), while driving in two base runners, totaling 12 bases, wearing one hit by pitch, and scoring five runs. Vance's three hits in the series opener (April 11) tied a career best while his two runs the next day did as well.

HUGO CAREER DAY
Senior outfielder Logan Hugo had a career day in the 19-12 win over the RedHawks, March 22. Hugo went 5-for-6 from the plate with two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, and three runs. His five hits, two home runs, and six RBI all marked career-highs. The five hits - and 13 total bases stand as the most from an individual in the MAC this season while his two home runs stand as the second most, and six RBI rank as the third most in the conference.

BIG FISCH IN A LITTLE POND
Freshman right-hander Fischer Hendershot is one of two true freshmen in the MAC with multiple saves this season, - as he ranks second on the team with two behind Ethan Davis' three. Hendershot's two saves are the most from an Eastern freshman since Thomas House recorded four in his freshman campaign in 2018.

BEATING THE TOURNEY CHAMPS PT. 2
For the second straight season, Eastern Michigan has beat the reigning MAC Tournament Champion in a series. Eastern recently bested the reigning tournament champs, Western Michigan, March 14-15, after taking 2-of-3 from Ball State in the 2024 season, March 8-10. Eastern's series win over Western marked the first time it has beaten the reigning MAC Tournament Champion in consecutive seasons since 2007-08. Eastern swept the 2006 MAC Tournament Champions, Ball State, in a three-game slate in the 2007 season, April 20-22, before besting the 2007 tournament champion, Kent State, 12-4, May 24, in their lone match up of the season in 2008 to clinch the MAC Tournament Championship.

TEAM TRIPLE DOUBLES
The Eagles have reached double-digit marks in runs, hits, and RBI eight times this season. They hold a 7-1 record in such games. Most recently, Eastern posted 10+ in each category in the 13-7 win versus Toledo, April 12. Eastern scored 13 runs off 14 hits and 11 RBI.

PITCHING RANKINGS
Eastern pitching ranks inside the top five in the conference in value in five categories.

Stat                         Figure          MAC Rnk.
Homers Allowed   33                 3rd
Triples Allowed     8                   T3rd
Doubles Allowed   65                 4th
Saves                      6                   T5th
Hits Allowed          330               5th

LIMITING POWER
Eastern pitching has allowed 106 extra-base hits this season, the third fewest in the conference. Kent State has allowed the fewest with 103 and Toledo has given up the second least at 105.

POTENT OFFENSE
Through 31 games, the Eagles offense ranks inside the MAC top five in six categories, including pacing the MAC with the fewest strikeouts, as they have gone down on strikes just 221 times, 31 fewer than the second-least strikeout total (252).

Stat                         Figure          MAC Rnk.             N'atl Rnk.
Strikeouts (Least) 221               1st                         n/a
On-Base %              0.400            3rd                         89th
Average                  .295              4th                         71st
Hit By Pitch            62                 T4th                       58th
Sac Flies                 14                 5th                         147th
Home runs             38                 T5th                       119th

IMPROVED DEFENSE
After tallying the MAC's worst fielding percentage in 2024 (0.958), the Eagles appear to be significantly improved defensively as they currently post a 0.969 clip in the field, tying for fifth in the MAC and standing as a 1.1-percent improvement from 2024 to 2025. Eastern has committed the fourth fewest errors in the conference, posting 34 mishandles in 31 games this season. Last season, the Eagles had 39 errors through 31 games.

HUGO BREAKOUT SEASON
Logan Hugo is in the midst of a breakout season. After winning the MAC Player of the Week award for the first time in his career, Feb. 25, the right-handed bat ranks highly in the MAC as he stands inside the top five in terms of value in doubles (4th - 12). Hugo is currently posting career highs in batting average (.312), slugging (.592), and OPS (1.001). If he keeps his current doubles pace (0.44 per game), Hugo would end the season with 19 doubles, which would tie Bryon Horn (1981) for the eighth-most in program history and serve as the most in a season since Lee Longo knocked 20 in 2014.

His 12 doubles and 34 RBI mark career highs, while his 19 walks are two away from matching his career best from the 2023 campaign, and his home runs (seven) are three away from tying his career high set in 2024 (10).

DREW BECKNER ON THE BUMP
Senior left hander Drew Beckner has gotten off to a solid start on the mound. Through nine starts (49.2 IP - 4th most in the MAC), he has struck out 50 batters (3rd in the MAC) while walking just 24, posts a 3.44 ERA (5th in the MAC), has allowed just 19 earned runs (5th in the MAC), and held opposing batters to a .219 average (5th in the conference). With a 2-1 record on the year, his two wins are tied for the fifth-most in the conference. Expected to make a minimum of five more starts this season, Beckner is on pace to set NCAA Division I career-best marks in innings pitched (76.5), strikeouts (78), and hits allowed (64). He is currently averaging NCAA Division I career-bests in ERA (3.44), WHIP (1.31), and batting average against (.219).

HUGO MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior outfielder Logan Hugo was named MAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career, Feb. 25. In 13 at-bats, Hugo batted .538 with a 1.000 slugging percentage and 1.600 OPS. He notched seven hits, four of which went for extra bases (three doubles, one homer), while driving in seven runs, and totaling 13 bases. The Essexville, Mich., native also worked one walk and one hit by pitch while going strikeout free for the week.

Hugo started the week with a 4-for-5 performance from the plate with a MAC single-game high three doubles and four RBI while scoring one run. He then went 1-for-4 from the dish in game two with one home run, two RBI, and two runs scored, before batting 2-for-4 in the series finale, driving in one run.

KINGS OF THE FIFTH
The Eagles have thrived in the fifth inning, scoring roughly 24.2 percent of their total runs (243) in the frame as they have scored 59 runs in the fifth, their highest total in any inning this season and 21 runs more than their second-highest scoring inning (3rd - 28 runs).

KAPA's Ks
Senior right hander Tyler Kapa has demonstrated high strike-throwing ability in nine appearances this season. He has sat down a total of 48 batters, good for the fourth-most in the conference. Kapa's nine strikeouts against Pitt, Feb. 15, stand as the second most in a single game in the MAC this season and a Division I career high for the Waterford, Mich., native. He would strikeout nine two starts later against Presbyterian College, March 1, making him the only pitcher in the MAC to strike out at least nine batters in two games this season.

KAPA & BECKNER: MAC TOP 5 IN Ks
With Tyler Kapa and Drew Beckner (T3rd - 50) each ranking inside the MAC top five in strikeouts, Eastern is one of two schools in the conference to have two hurlers inside the top five. Ball State is the other institution as Jacob Hartlaub (1st - 52) and Keegan Johnson (T3rd - 50) also check into the top five.

STRONG IN THE NINTH
Eastern has allowed just 13 runs in the ninth inning, its least amount of runs allowed in any inning this season. The 13 runs allowed in the ninth account for just 4.9 percent of its total runs allowed (261).

UPCOMING MILESTONES
Drew Beckner recently reached the 200 strikeouts milestone with his eight against Ball State, April 4. He currently has 209 in his career. Giano Zuccaro is 20 hits away from reaching the 200 mark, two home runs away from posting 20 in his career, and seven doubles from 50. Brendan Kleiman needs 22 knocks to reach 100 in his NCAA career.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SIXTH
The sixth inning has provided insight on whether the Eagles will win or lose the game. When leading after six innings, Eastern posts a 9-3 record. Conversely, when trailing after six, EMU is 2-12. EMU earned its ninth win of the season when leading after six innings against Ohio, March 29, as it concluded the sixth with a 17-9 advantage and won the game 18-13.   Most recently, the Eagles came back to win for the second time after being down after six innings against Ohio, March 29. Eastern concluded the sixth inning in the first game of the doubleheader that day trailing 5-1 and came back to win 9-5.

ONE WEEK, TWO SAVES
Junior right hander Ethan Davis had a strong week as he earned one save in both of his appearances out of the bullpen against Akron, March 7-9. Davis tallied 3.1 innings pitched and allowed just one run while issuing zero walks and striking out two. Davis' three saves lead the Eagles and stand as the fourth most in the MAC. Furthermore, he is the first Eastern hurler to earn two saves in one week since Trevor House did so in the 2021 season against Toledo in the first game of a doubleheader, May 11, and against Northern Illinois, May 15. Davis plays a large role in the much improved Eastern bullpen that through 31 games already has more saves than it did all of last season.

ZIRWAS MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Devan Zirwas earned the first conference player of the week award of his career, March 4, and the Eagles' second consecutive as Logan Hugo won the award the previous week, Feb. 25. Zirwas paced the Eagles in nearly all offensive categories. In 17 at-bats, he batted .529, knocked nine hits, four of which went for extra bases (three doubles, one home run), while driving in three runs, and totaling 15 bases.

Zirwas struck out just twice on the week as he posted a 1.411 OPS (.882 slugging, .529 on-base) and played a perfect first base, totaling 28 putouts, three assists, and a 1.000% fielding clip. Zirwas tallied multiple hits in 3-of-4 games on the week, starting the series with a 3-for-5 performance with one run, two doubles, and one RBI, before batting 2-for-3 with one run scored in game two, 1-for-4 with one double in game three, and 3-for-5 in the series finale with one run scored, one home run, and two RBI.

Zirwas is excelling after seeing just 48 at-bats in his redshirt freshman season at VCU in 2024. He has set career highs in at-bats (124), runs (27), hits (42), doubles (11), home runs (five), RBI (36), total bases (70), walks (13), and stolen bases (one). He is also posting career best numbers in average (.339) and OPS (.980). Zirwas has also improved his discipline at the plate as he struck out in 30 percent of his at-bats in 2024 and currently strikes out just 19 percent of the time this season.

KAPA'S COMPLETE GAME
Tyler Kapa pitched a seven-inning complete game against Presbyterian in the first game of a doubleheader, March 1, becoming the first EMU hurler to throw a complete game since his teammate, Bobby Jones threw an eight-inning complete game last season against Northern Illinois (May 16). Kapa is one of 149 pitchers nationally and six in the MAC to have thrown a complete game this season. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs, while striking out nine and walking two. Overall, he is tied for 28th in the nation with his one complete game.

ON THE HORIZON
Eastern will return home to further non-conference play with a mid-week game against the Youngstown State Penguins of the Horizon League, Tuesday, April 22, 3 p.m. Admission is free at Oestrike Stadium and fans can stream the game live on ESPN+.

FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter) and emu_baseball on Instagram.

Baseball Heads to Empire State for Three-Game Series at Albany

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Players Mentioned

Dom Anderson

Drew Beckner

Nick Chittum

Ethan Davis

Fischer Hendershot

Logan Hugo

Bobby Jones

Drew Jones

Tyler Kapa

Brendan Kleiman

Ty Stecko

Cooper Vance

Devan Zirwas

Giano Zuccaro

Eastern Michigan Athletics