Part two of the four-game series at Washington State University ended with a sweep by the WSU Cougars as Eastern Michigan University’s baseball team lost both games in Sunday’s double-header.
There was plenty of offensive action in game three as eight of nine batters in the EMU lineup had a hit, scoring 10 runs off of 11 hits, but the Cougars took advantage of EMU errors.
EMU redshirt senior Brian Hill, who was injured last season, was the starting pitcher. The Cougars wasted no time jumping into an early six-run lead in the second inning after home runs hit by Nick Tanielu and Yale Rosen.
Hill ended the game with a no decision after throwing for four innings, where six of the eight runs scored on him were earned. The Cougars got nine hits off him as well.
The Eagles rallied to make it a 6-5 ball game in the third with RBIs hit by center fielder Daniel Russell, shortstop John Rubino and catcher Adam Sonabend.
Brian Valente relieved Hill in the fifth and started out strong in his first two innings, giving up one unearned run, but the Eagles still trailed 9-5.
EMU had another big rally in the seventh with an RBI by right fielder Sam Ott and another by Sonabend. First baseman Jamie Simpson turned the tides for the Eagles with a clutch three-run home run, giving EMU its first lead of the game, 10-9.
Things were looking good until the bottom of the eighth when Cougar outfielder Ben Roberts had a solo homer to right field to tie the game at 10 a piece. Joe Battistelli (0-1) came in to relieve Roberts, but gave up a pair of hits and yet another home run by Jason Monda, helping the Cougars pull through for a 13-10 win.
The series finale didn’t get any better for the Eagles.
Pitcher Ryan Lavoie (0-1) got off to a rocky start, giving up four runs (all earned) in the first two innings of work, giving up three hits, walking four and only striking out one batter.
True freshman Mitchell McGeein got his fourth start at third base and went 1-for-3 at the plate, including a solo home run in the fourth inning, for the Eagles’ second run of the game. McGeein also had a throwing error in the sixth and caused two more errors in the eighth.
With six more runs tacked on for WSU in the sixth and another one in the eighth, the Eagles lost their series finale, 12-2.
EMU (1-5) will be taking on the University of Kansas Jayhawks next in a four-game series, March 1-3 in Grand Prairie, Texas, at QuikTrip Park. Friday’s game and the double-header Saturday will both start at noon, while Sunday’s finale is slated for 11 a.m.
