Hugo Homers Twice, Beckner Strikes Out 10, Eagles Take Game One Over Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – Behind a two-home run, six RBI day from Logan Hugo, and a career-high 10 strikeouts from Drew Beckner, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team captured a series-opening win over the University at Albany Great Danes, 15-6, at Varsity Field, Thursday, April 17.

The Eagles recorded double digits across the board offensively with 15 runs, 13 hits, 15 RBI, and a season-high 12 walks. Pitching wise, the Eagles struck out 15, marking the most in the Head Coach Robbie Britt era (2024-present), and walked just four.

Starting pitcher Drew Beckner (Westerville, Ohio/Big Walnut/Charleston) (3-1) earned the win while junior reliever Ethan Davis (Brownstown, Ind./Brownstown Central/Marian/Frontier C.C) pitched a scoreless two innings to earn his team-high fourth save of the season. Albany's Ethan Nardacci (0-2) was tagged with the loss.

How it Happened
Albany struck first in the first inning, scoring two runs off three hits, including a leadoff double, followed by a triple.

Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) ripped a two-RBI double in the third to put the Eagles on the board and trim the Great Danes' lead to one. Beckner returned to the bump to retire the side in order in the ensuing half inning.

Eastern took control in the fourth off Logan Hugo's (Essexville, Mich./Essexville Garber) two-out grand slam, marking his eighth home run of the season and vaulting the Eagles ahead, 5-2.

Albany responded with power of its own in the home half of the inning, sending two balls over the outfield fence and drawing within one run of the EMU total.

Zirwas went back to work at the dish in the fifth, kicking the inning off with a solo home run, marking his sixth of the season.

Beckner held the Great Danes scoreless in the home half of the fifth, and Eastern added one run in the top of the sixth off a sacrifice fly from Brendan Kleiman (Olney, Md./Sherwood/Frederick C.C.), who scored Hugo to increase the Eagles' lead to four at 8-4.

Michael Pfeiffer (Brownsboro, Ala./Huntsville/Northwest-Shoals C.C.) entered the game to relieve Becker in the bottom of the sixth. Beckner left after a strong five innings where he struck out a career-high 10 batters while walking just one.

Pfeiffer retired the side in order in his opening inning, grabbing two outs via strikeouts.

Hugo showed more pop in his bat in the seventh, homering for the second time, sending a two-run shot to left, scoring Giano Zuccaro (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea Midpark/Charleston) in the process, and elevating the EMU lead to six at 10-6.

Davis entered the game in a save situation to relieve Pfeiffer in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded. He pitched his way out of the bases-loaded jam, allowing just one run in the process.

The Eagles added five runs in the bottom of the ninth to cap their scoring at 15, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn./Soddy Daisy/Carson-Newman).

Davis slammed the door in the ninth to secure the 15-6 win for the Eagles and his fourth save of the season.

Game Notes
» Beckner's 10 strikeouts tied for the most from one pitcher in a single game in the MAC this season, while also marking a career-high. He is the first EMU pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts this season and the first since his teammate Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier/Xavier) sat down 10 via the strikeout in a 15-6 win over Ohio, April 13, 2024.
» Hugo tied career highs with six RBI, two home runs, and three stolen bases, while setting a career best with five runs scored. The two-homer day was the second of the season for Hugo, fourth of his career, and fourth time an Eagle has recorded two-plus home runs in a game this season. Additionally, he leads the team this season with nine homers.
» Hugo's fourth-inning homer was a grand slam, Eastern's fourth of the season. EMU is 4-0 when hitting a grand slam in 2025.
» Hugo's five runs scored tied for the most in the MAC this season while his two home runs rank as the second-most, and six RBI stand third.
» Zirwas homered for the sixth time this season, turned in his team-high 14th multi-hit game, and 12th game with multiple RBI.
» Eastern set season highs with 12 walks and five stolen bases.
» Eastern homered three times, marking its 13th multi-homer game of the season, and tying for the second most homers in a game in the 2025 campaign.
» Eastern out-hit its opponent for the 19th time this season. It is 13-6 when doing so. It was the Eagles' 17th game with 10-plus hits. They are 12-5 when reaching the double-digit plateau.
» Davis earned his team-high fourth save of the season after pitching his ninth scoreless outing and second consecutive. His four saves tie for fourth in the MAC.
» Eastern surpassed the double-digit mark in runs (15), hits (13), and RBI (15), marking its ninth time this season with a team triple double. EMU is 8-1 when reaching the double-digit plateau in all three categories.
» Travis continued his hitting and reached base streak. He has now reached base safely via a hit in five straight and reached at least once in 13 consecutive contests. Both currently serve as the longest streaks on the team.
» Kleiman and Zirwas each walked three times, tying an individual single-game high for the Eagles and marking the second-most in the MAC. Both totals mark respective NCAA Division I career highs.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers limited Albany to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 41 Albany hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and five fly balls while striking out 15.
» Eastern Michigan went 7-for-14 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» The Eagles got two hits in four at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Eastern Michigan's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Four Eagles had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Every Eastern Michigan starter reached base safely in the win.

Historical Notes
» The meeting between the Eagles and Great Danes was the first all-time. After the 15-6 win, the Eagles hold a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
» Eastern posted double-digit runs, hits, RBI, walks (offensive), and strikeouts (pitching) in the same game for the first time in 21 years. The Eagles last accomplished the feat against the NCAA Division II Wayne State Warriors, March 22, 2004. Eastern recorded 13 runs, 11 hits, 10 RBI, 10 walks (offensive), and 10 strikeouts (pitching) enroute to a 13-3 win.
» Eastern's 15 strikeouts (pitching) and 12 walks (batting) are the most in the Britt era. The 15 strikeouts are the most since the Eagles fanned 17 in a 12-7 win at Miami, April 11, 2022, and the 12 walks are the most since Eastern worked 13 against Oakland, April 3, 2019.
» Beckner has recorded at least eight strikeouts in three consecutive outings. He is the first EMU pitcher to do so since Sam Delaplane (10, 8, 12) did in the 2017 season, March 31-April 14, posting 30 strikeouts total in the three starts.

Up Next
The Eagles and Great Danes will play the second of three games tomorrow, Friday, April 18, 1 p.m. Fans can follow along with a live stream along with livestats.

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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.

Hugo Homers Twice, Beckner Strikes Out 10, Eagles Take Game One Over Albany

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Team Stats

Logan Hugo

Devan Zirwas

Ty Stecko

Brendan Kleiman

Players Mentioned

Drew Beckner

Ethan Davis

Logan Hugo

Bobby Jones

Brendan Kleiman

Michael Pfeiffer

Harrison Travis

Devan Zirwas

Giano Zuccaro

Players Mentioned

Drew Beckner

Ethan Davis

Logan Hugo

Bobby Jones

Brendan Kleiman

Michael Pfeiffer

Harrison Travis

Devan Zirwas

Giano Zuccaro

Eastern Michigan Athletics