YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) –
The Eastern Michigan University baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader with Northern Illinois University, taking game one, 3-2, and falling in game two, 5-3.Prior to the game, the Eastern Michigan baseball program celebrated the 50th anniversary of its 1970 NAIA National Championship team, whose 2020 celebration was canceled due to COVID-19. Highlighted by a keynote address from Pete Casteel, players and fans in attendance were treated to stories and highlights from the championship season that brought Eastern Michigan baseball its first national championship.
On offense, senior Christian Bault (Maineville, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller (Lincoln Trail)) and junior Gabe Denton (Clare, Mich.-Clare (North Iowa)) each tallied four hits to pace the Eagles, while junior hurler Justin Meis (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Bethel Park) earned his fourth win of the season on the mound for the Green and White.
Game One: Eastern Michigan 3, Northern Illinois 2
Behind a two-hit, two-RBI performance from Denton, Eastern Michigan took game one, 3-2, over Northern Illinois.
Meis took the mound to start the game, and despite issuing a walk to the first batter he faced, forced a lineout double play and flyout to retire the Huskies in order in his first inning.
Once again putting a run on the board in the first inning, senior Nick Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) lined a single that dropped in centerfield for the first hit of the afternoon. Bault quickly followed with a chopper towards second base, finding the gap left by the NIU infield for a base hit and to move Jones to third.
Batting cleanup, Denton notched his first hit of the day with a double to the wall in left center, giving Eastern the 1-0 advantage after the first inning.
The Eagles would hold it led through four innings, as Meis faced the minimum in the second inning, and subsided threats from Husky baserunners in the third and fourth. Northern Illinois would find its first run of the game in the top of the fifth on a leadoff triple and ensuing single, but a double play via strikeout and catching the runner stealing third would end the top of the frame in a 1-1 tie.
Eastern would find its response right away in the bottom of the fifth, as junior Taylor Hopkins (Mason, Ohio-Archbishop Moeller) would send the first pitch he saw over the 390' marker on center field fence to put the Eagles back in front, 2-1. Adding one more, Denton would crush his second double of the contest to the left field wall, scoring Jones, who got on two at-bats earlier with a single of his own, giving EMU the 3-1 lead after five.
After a 1-2-3 sixth inning from Meis, the Huskies opened the seventh with back-to-back hits to pull within one, 3-2. With one out, Trevor House was called in to relieve Meis, and proceeded to strikeout one and force a groundout to earn the save and seal the win for EMU, 3-2.
Game Two: Northern Illinois 5, Eastern Michigan 3
Leaving all its run production to the seventh inning, Eastern Michigan fell short in its comeback attempt against Northern Illinois, 5-3, in the final game of the day.
Unable to plate a run to open the game like in the first two meetings, the Eagles and Huskies remained scoreless through the first two innings. Wagoner opened the game with two quick outs before allowing a hit, and forced a flyout to end the first. He followed with a three up, three down second frame to keep the Huskies scoreless.
NIU would be the ones who opened the scoring, as they picked up a run in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. While EMU would see senior Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) get in scoring position in the bottom half of the frame, Northern Illinois would continue to hold the 1-0 lead until the fifth inning.
Recording a timely hit, the Huskies would add a pair of runs to its lead with a two-out double in the top of the fifth, taking the 3-0 lead. Adding two in the sixth, the Huskies would hold a 5-0 advantage until the final frame.
Eastern would attempt to spark its offense in the bottom of the sixth, as Bault and Denton knocked back-to-back singles, and loaded the bases when Gora drew a walk. However, the Eagles were unable to capitalize, and the game continued to seventh inning with the 5-0 NIU lead.
Sophomore Luke Russo (Howell, Mich.-Howell) took over on the mound in the seventh, facing the minimum to bring Eastern back up to the plate.
Beginning its comeback effort, junior Will Oberg (Wayzata, Minn.-Wayzata (Heartland)) and Jones hit singles to right field, putting two on with no outs. Breaking the shutout, Hopkins landed a double on the left field line to score Eastern's first run of the second game. Jones would walk in the next plate appearance, loading the bases for the second time in as many innings.
Notching his third hit of the game, Bault became the third Eagle of the inning to knock a single to right field, plating two runs and pulling Eastern within two, 5-3. Gora drew a two-out walk to load the bases once again two batters later, however, Eastern would be unable to complete the comeback and fell to NIU, 5-3.
Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois will conclude its series tomorrow, May 16, at 1 p.m.
To stay up to date on all things EMU basbeall, continue to check EMUEagles.com, or follow the team on Twitter, @EMU_Baseball.
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May 16, 2021 at 09:35AM
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Eagles Split Doubleheader With Huskies - EMU Eagles
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