Sheets of freezing rain periodically plummeted the baseball diamond, and gusts of wind reaching 25 miles per hour took ball caps off of players' heads flying all over Oestrike Stadium on Saturday, March 25, when the Eastern Michigan University baseball team played their second home game of the year.
The inclement weather, however, could not slow down Matt Kirk (Milford, Ohio) who had a perfect day at the plate, hitting for an extra base in all three at-bats highlighted by blasting his fifth home run of the season.
Despite Kirk’s big day on Saturday, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team had a tough home-opening series in Ypsilanti, Michigan, over the weekend of March 24-26, as visiting Ball State University was victorious in all three games and became the first team to sweep the Eagles (10-10, 4-5 MAC) this year. EMU falls to sixth place in the Mid-American Conference following the series, while the Cardinals (17-6, 8-1 MAC) move into first.
Kirk looked comfortable in his home jersey while the Eagles made their return to Oestrike Stadium for the first time in 2023, and he led the offense throughout the weekend with a batting average of .583. The Ohio native also tallied three hits in back-to-back games for the first time in his career throughout Saturday and Sunday.
The series began with a different tone, however, on Friday as hits would be hard to come by for both teams, and it would be pitching rather than hitting that would be showcased. The game was tied 1-1 when the ninth inning began, and both ball clubs had only produced five hits each. Ball State scored an unearned run in the top of the frame that EMU failed to match, and the Eagles subsequently dropped the game, 2-1.
Thomas House (Ross, Ohio) struck out eight Cardinals over six innings pitched and only allowed one run to be scored while walking four. The eight strikeouts match a previous season high for House and match Nick Chittum (Grosse Ile, Michigan) and Luke Russo (Howell, Michigan) for most strikeouts in a game for an Eagles pitcher this year. Russo made considerable contributions from the mound in this game as well, dealing two strikeouts and giving up two hits over 2.1 innings pitched. Regardless of the run being unearned, the game-winning run was scored against Russo, so the Howell, Michigan native acquired his first loss of the season (3-1).
Saturday’s game surpassed the scoring total of the day prior in the first inning as the Eagles jumped out to a 3-2 lead thanks to an RBI double from Kirk and a two-RBI single from Ryan Lux (Shelby Township, Michigan) in the bottom of the frame. The Cardinals answered with nine runs between the second and sixth innings, giving Ball State an 11-3 lead. EMU would add two more scores throughout the remainder of the game highlighted by Kirk’s solo-shot home run in the seventh, but would ultimately lose the game, 16-5.
Kirk’s fifth home run of the season gives him sole possession of most home runs on the team this season and ranks sixth in the MAC.
The series finale on Sunday was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Eagles leading 3-2 as the game progressed into the eighth inning. Unfortunately, EMU would allow five runs on six hits over the final two frames and fall to Ball State, 7-3. The setback marks not only the first time the Eagles have been swept by a team this season but also the fourth straight loss for the team.
Russo got the nod to start in Sunday’s game and carried over the momentum from his stellar appearance in Friday’s game. Russo matched the team and season high of eight strikeouts, which seems to be the magic number for the Eagles’ pitchers this year in six innings of work where he allowed one run to be scored on five hits. The eight-strikeout mark has been reached five times total between Russo, House both hitting the mark twice and Chittum doing so once.
Offensively, Kirk solidified his position as the most consistent batter in the Eagles lineup when he led the way for EMU going three for five on the day while producing a double and an RBI. Kirk’s double that came in the first inning of the game marked lucky number 13, which puts him on top of the MAC for the most doubles so far in 2023. Glenn Miller (Pentwater, Michigan) also made his presence felt at the plate when he hit the first home run of his EMU career in the seventh inning. Miller went two for five and produced a double and an RBI in addition to his home run.
After the three-game series this past weekend, the Eagles and Cardinals have now met 79 times on the baseball diamond with Ball State in control of the record, 49-30.
Looking to get back in the win column, the Eagles will make a short trip to Rochester, Michigan, on Tuesday, March 28, for an in-state non-conference matchup with the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University at 2:30 pm.
For more information on the Eastern Michigan baseball team, listen to The Block E Podcast weekly for updates on all Eastern Michigan University Athletics.
