The Eastern Michigan University Baseball team went on the road to Presbyterian College, where they split a four-game series with the Presbyterian Blue Hose.
The series opened up on Friday, Feb. 28 where the Eagles won the game 8-2 behind 13 hits. A doubleheader Saturday followed this game, where the two teams split each game. EMU lost the first game, 5-2, but won the second game 5-3.
Eastern concluded the weekend with a loss on Sunday afternoon, March 2 by a score of 10-9 to the Blue Hose.
Highlights from the series included the Eagles winning the first game in blowout fashion. They struggled early on, trailing 2-0 after two innings. From there, the Green and White could tack on eight runs in the next three innings. This included Logan Hugo (Essexille, Mich.) hitting a three-run home run to give the Eagles their largest lead of the game, 8-2.
In game one, the Eagles had 13 hits. This includes four players who had multi-hit games which consist of Hugo, Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa.), John Hale (Ashland City, Tenn.), and Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio).
Seven of Eastern Michigan’s 13 hits were for extra bases and they extended their streak of hitting a home run in every game this season to seven consecutive games.
Additionally, only two pitchers were used in the first game of the series: Drew Beckner (Westerville, Ohio) and Ethan Davis (Brownstown, Ind.) who allowed just one earned run combined as the Eagles handily controlled the first matchup.
Game two saw Eastern Michigan struggle on offense. They only had four hits as a team and had no extra-base hits. Zirwas and Vance were the only players who had hits, with each having two hits for another multi-hit game.
Losing the game 5-2, Tyler Kapa (Waterford, Mich.) pitched the entirety of the game for EMU, which became the first time that an Eastern pitcher has gone the distance and completed a game he started on the mound in 2025.
Game two of the doubleheader was a much different story as Eastern Michigan came alive. It was not until the fifth inning that the offense turned it on as they scored five runs in the inning. Hale and Connor Walsh (Mattawan. Mich.) each recorded a multi-hit game for the Eagles.
With eight hits as a team, Eastern Michigan had three doubles but went without a home run for the second consecutive game. The bullpen was the highlight for the Eagles in the second game. Nick Keane (Harrisburg, Pa.) and Eric Boothe (Rochester, Mich.) pitched three innings of scoreless baseball to help the Eagles get the win 5-3. They did not allow any hits in the process.
The finale was another offensively dominated game for both sides. Eastern Michigan had 12 hits as a team and they outhit the Blue Hose who had a total of nine hits. Zirwas, Brendan Kleiman (Olney, Md.), and Giano Zuccaro (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) had multiple hits for the Eagles.
Of the players with multiple hits, Zuccaro had a home run and a double for two extra-base knocks. He finished the game with three RBI and the home run was his first of the season. Zirwas hit a home run as well, which was his second of the season.
Even though Eastern Michigan lost the game, they led for a good portion of the game. Their largest lead was a 6-3 lead and they held that from the fifth to the bottom of the seventh. The pitching struggled as starter Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio) allowed six earned runs and the bullpen allowed four runs.
In this game, EMU had the lead 9-8 going into the ninth before Presbyterian came back to walk it off in what was the most tightly contest game of the series.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan will travel to the Hoosier State to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for one game in Notre Dame, Ind. on Wednesday, March 5. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. and the game will be streaming live on ESPN+.
