Saturday’s Baseball Results
Toledo 3, Ohio 2
Bowling Green 10, Miami 9
Eastern Michigan 6, Ball State 5
Kent State 11, Central Michigan 3
Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 3
Northern Illinois 3, Western Michigan 1
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Toledo 3, Ohio 2
Boxscore
Toledo, Ohio— Toledo showed a flair for the dramatic on Saturday in its 3-2 win over Ohio.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, senior AJ Montoya lifted a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his third dinger of the season and the deciding hit in UT's victory. Montoya's blast was the first offense for either team after the first inning. Ohio scored its two runs in the top of the first on a two-run homer from Rudy Rott, and UT halved the deficit in the bottom of the first thanks to a sacrifice fly from freshman Trace Hatfield.
Senior Sam Shutes turned in another fantastic outing on Saturday. After allowing the one-out home run in the top of the first, he threw 7.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits and two walks. Eighteen of Shutes' 24 recorded outs came via fly balls. His start today was the second time this season he's pitched at least eight innings (3/24 at Western Michigan). Sophomore Austin Calopietro earned his second save of the season.
Freshman John Servello extended his hitting streak to 16 games and has now reached base in 20 consecutive contests.
The Rockets and Bobcats will wrap up the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Bowling Green 10, Miami 9
Boxscore
OXFORD, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team scored three runs in the ninth inning to complete a wild comeback that saw the Falcons earn a 10-9 win at Miami University on Saturday (April 7). The game was played at MU's McKie Field at Hayden Park.
By winning the game, Bowling Green evened the weekend series with the RedHawks. The Falcons are now 9-20 overall on the season, including a 4-4 mark in Mid-American Conference play. Miami drops to 16-10 (5-3 MAC) with the loss.
"That was a great college baseball game, and I couldn't be more proud of our guys for never giving up," said head coach Danny Schmitz. "We were losing by multiple runs for the majority of that game, and our guys just never gave in. Even in the ninth inning, we kept battling. I told our guys after the game that now we have a chance to do what we came here to do – win the series."
Miami scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 9-7 lead, but the Falcons scored three in the ninth before Brad Croy slammed the door shut in the bottom half of the ninth. BGSU's three runs in the ninth came on bases-loaded walks.
Eastern Michigan 6, Ball State 5
Boxscore
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team won its second-consecutive Mid-American Conference series in walk-off fashion with a 6-5 win over Ball State University Saturday afternoon, April 7, at Oestrike Stadium. In a back and forth affair, a freshman Jared Kauffman (Springboro, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick) RBI single was the game winner for EMU (10-17, 5-3 MAC) in its third-straight victory.
The walk-off winner was EMU's first since May 19 of last season when Jordan Peterson was the hero in a 4-3 win over Toledo. The Eagles had three walk-offs last season at Oestrike Stadium.
EMU's offense rebounded after yesterday's three-hit output to notch 11 today. It was the 15th double-digit hitting performance this season for the top offense in the conference. The Eagles also drew a season-high 11 walks.
Leading the way as he has all season was junior Max Schuemann (Portage, Mich.-Portage Northern), as he went 3-for-3 including a walk, hit by pitch, as well as two RBIs and a double. It was his team-leading 13th multi-hit game of the season, and his second three-hit performance. Freshman Nate Jones (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview) also reached in all five plate appearances as he finished 2-for-2 with three walks, while sophomore Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline) finished with two hits as well as a run scored.
On the mound, junior Jackson Shaver (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids C.C.)) took a no decision in a solid start, going the first seven innings only allowing two earned runs while striking out a career-best seven batters. Fellow junior Mitchell Sparks (Willis, Texas-Carmel (Ind.) (Iowa Lakes C.C.)) earned his team-leading fifth win of the season after getting the final out in the ninth inning.
The Eagles struck first in the bottom of the first, using two hits and a walk to produce a run. Owings led off with an infield single, followed by a walk to bring up junior John Rensel Jr. (Tallmadge, Ohio-Tallmadge). The designated hitter singled through the right side, scoring Owings, and making it 1-0 early.
After three quick innings from Shaver to start the contest, Ball State finally got the bats going in the fourth as they struck for a pair of runs on four hits to take their first lead of the series, 2-1.
EMU answered back quickly in the bottom half of the fourth on a two-out RBI single from Schuemann. After freshman Eli Gora (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) led off with a double, two outs were recorded before Schuemann singled to right to knot the game back up into the fifth.
After Shaver rebounded with a quick fifth, EMU retook the lead in the bottom portion of the inning. A walk and single led things off to put runners on the corners. After a failed sac bunt attempt cut down the runner at home, Nate Jones followed with a single to right, which was misplayed, allowing a runner to come home and give EMU the 3-2 lead.
Shaver continued to mow down Cardinal hitters in the sixth and seventh, only allowing one base runner while upping his strikeout total to seven, to keep the one-run game into the eighth. There, a leadoff double chased Shaver from the game. Later in the frame, a couple EMU miscues allowed a pair of runners to score, making it 4-3 BSU into the bottom of the eighth.
Eastern had the response in the bottom of the eighth as Gora led off with a walk, followed by a sac bunt to bring up Schuemann. The shortstop drove in his second runner of the day on his third hit, an RBI double tying the contest once again into the ninth.
The ninth was an eventful one as Ball State grabbed yet another lead on an RBI single. They went on to load up the bases with two outs, but Sparks got the fly out to preserve the one-run game. This proved to be clutch, as EMU rallied for the final time in the bottom of the ninth.
Redshirt freshman Jeff Timko (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice) and junior Kolton Schenker (Augusta, Kan.-Augusta (Labette C.C.)) led off the ninth with consecutive walks, and senior Luke DeVenney (Des Moines, Iowa-Dowling Catholic) executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance them. After an intentional walk, Gora took a pitch off his knee to score the tying run, and brought Kauffman up to the plate. On a 2-1 count, Kauffman lined a pitch to center field, scoring Schenker and giving EMU the thrilling 6-5 win.
Eastern looks for the sweep tomorrow afternoon, April 8, when it concludes the series with Ball State. First pitch from Oestrike Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
Kent State 11, Central Michigan 3
Boxscore
MT. PLEASANT, MICH - Kent State and Central Michigan played six scoreless innings before the Golden Flashes did what they've done all year – flex some offensive muscle late at frigid Theunissen Stadium.
Kent State (16-9) batted around and then some in an eight-run seventh that started with a Reilly Hawkins single and featured a two-hit inning by Josh Hollander – the first such feat since last March. The Golden Flashes picked up their first run on a Patrick Ferguson RBI. The Chips' bullpen walked in a handful of runs as KSU took command.
Joey Murray was his usual fantastic self, recording nine strikeouts and walking just one. The 34-minute seventh inning took him out of the game as he picked up his fourth win. John Schreiber finished off the Chippewas, pitching the final three innings.
All 11 runs were scored in the final three innings. Coming into this weekend series, 42 percent of Kent State's total runs were scored in the seventh or later. The Flashes added one in the eighth and two in the ninth. Head coach Jeff Duncan was able to get multiple reserves into the game late.
KSU and CMU will attempt to play two on Sunday to finish the series. First pitch is slated for high noon.
Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 3 -- Boxscore
Northern Illinois 3, Western Michigan 1 – Boxscore
DeKalb, Ill. – On Saturday Western Michigan baseball split its doubleheader with Northern Illinois winning the series opener, 5-3 before falling in the night cap, 3-1 at Ralph McKinzie Field.
The rubber match between the Broncos and the Huskies is set for Sunday, April 8 with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. With the split, WMU improves its overall record to 12-15 and 2-6 in Mid-American Conference play.
On the day the Brown & Gold went 15-for-66 from the plate with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs. As a team the Broncos recorded a slugging percentage of .303 and an on-base percentage of .329.
WMU was led by junior Jimmy Roche who hit a blistering .571 with one double and two RBIs. Fellow junior Nate Grys hit the lone home run for the Broncos, a two-run home run over the left field wall in the top of the ninth inning in game one to secure the Bronco victory.
On the mound the Broncos used just four pitchers in two games, registering a 2.65 ERA. As a pitching staff, WMU collected 11 strikeouts with seven coming from RHP Nic Laio and four coming from LHP Jacob Piechota.
Game One (WMU – 5, Northern Illinois – 3)
In the series opener the Broncos got a stellar pitching performance from Laio who went seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out seven. Laio's seven innings of work tied a career-high.
The game was tied at 3-3 heading into the ninth before the Broncos scored two runs on one hit to gain the lead and secure the victory. With one out and a runner on first, Grys walked to the plate and sent a pitch over the left field wall that gave WMU a 5-3 lead. For Grys, it's his team-high third home run of the season and 12th of his career.
NIU got on the board first, scoring three runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning. NIU's Cam Smith slapped a two out, two RBI single through the right side that gave the Huskies an early 3-0 lead.
WMU tied the game in the top of the fifth with three runs on two hits. The Brown & Gold loaded the bases with one out before Grys was hit by a pitch to score the run from third and get WMU on the board.
Following the hit by pitch, Jimmy Roche roped a two RBI single to centerfield, scoring juniors Connor Smith and Jesse Forestell to knot the game at 3-3.
Laio and the Broncos held the Huskies scoreless after the first inning with Laio at one point retiring 11 straight batters. Senior Andrew Reisinger came on for relief in the eighth and shut down the Huskie offense going two innings, allowing no runs on no hits.
Game Two (WMU – 1, Northern Illinois – 3)
In the nightcap WMU scored just one run on eight hits and was unable to halt the Husky offense as the Broncos fell to NIU, 3-1.
The game was scoreless until the fifth inning before the Broncos got on the board with one run on one hit and one error. An error by the NIU pitcher allowed Conner Henderson to reach first before Ethan Hajdukovic executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Henderson into scoring position with one out.
Sophomore Drew Devine came through with an RBI double to left center field scoring Henderson from second to give WMU an early 1-0 lead. However, NIU responded quickly with two runs on one hit along with two Bronco errors in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 2-1 lead.
NIU tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth to gain a 3-1 lead. The Broncos had a scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth with runners on first and second and one out before a strikeout and a fly out ended the threat and the game.
In game two, junior Connor Smith and Drew Devine each went 2-for-4 with Devine registering the lone RBI for the Broncos.
