Baseball Treks South to Play Ohio State Tuesday - Eastern Michigan University Athletics (2024)

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team will take on its second Big Ten opponent of the season as it is slated to face the Ohio State University Buckeyes Tuesday, May 7, at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Fans can follow the weekend action using the live stats and watch link found on the EMU baseball schedule page at EMUEagles.com/baseball/schedule. Also, stay tuned to EMU baseball socials including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), and emu.baseball on Instagram for live in-game updates.

After the game against the Buckeyes, the Eagles will return home to Oestrike Stadium for their final home series of the 2024 campaign as they will take on Bowling Green State University Friday-Sunday, May 10-12.

FIRST PITCHES
» Logan Hugo and Glenn Miller have each reached the 100-hit marks in their respective EMU careers this season. Cory Taylor is also approaching the century mark in hits, as he currently has 99.
» The Eagles rank third in the MAC in both hits (462) and batting average (.300). EMU's average checks into the top-100 nationally, at No. 51, while its hit total stands 80th in the country.
» Cory Taylor had five hits in Eastern's game against Oakland University, April 9. He became the first Eagle to have five hits in a game since former Eagle Jeff Timko did so in the 2018 season.
» With series wins over rivals Western Michigan (March 23-24) and Central Michigan (March 28-30), Eastern has beaten both its Michigan MAC foes in a series in the same season for the first time since 2012.
» The Eagles and Buckeyes will meet for the 16th time Tuesday. Eastern post an all-time record of 5-10 when facing Ohio State, and has won the previous two matchups in the series.
» After the game against the OSU, the Eagles will return home to Oestrike Stadium for their final home series of the season. They will face BGSU Friday-Sunday, May 10-12.
» A win against OSU Tuesday would mark the first time the Eagles have topped multiple "Power Five" opponents in the same season since the 2018 campaign.
» For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), emu.baseball on Instagram, and emu.baseball on TikTok.

THE CENTURY MARK
Logan Hugo reached the 100-hit mark in his collegiate career with his first inning homer against Akron, April 19, while Glenn Miller did so with a leadoff single in the first inning against Miami University, April 28. Cory Taylor is also approaching the century mark in hits, as he currently has 99 in his career. If Taylor reaches the 100 mark this season it would be the first time EMU has had three players accomplish the feat in one season since 2022, when former Eagles Shane Easter, Brady Huebbe, and Jared Kauffman did so.

HITTIN'!
The Eastern bats have remained productive for a large part of the season, as the Eagles rank third in the conference and 51st in the country with a .300 batting average this season. The Eagles also rank high in hits, having knocked 462 this season, a figure that also ranks them third in the conference while standing 80th in the nation.

DOUBLE-DIGITS x2
The Eagles have logged double-digit hits and runs in the same game 12 times this season, compiling a 7-5 record in such games. EMU most recently did so in its game against Miami, April 26, a tilt that saw them score 10 runs off 16 hits.

GLENN GETS EM' HOME
Prior to recording his 100th Division I hit against Miami, April 28, Glenn Miller drove-in an EMU career-high four baserunners in the Eagles 11-8 loss at the hands of the RedHawks, April 27. Miller has picked up the pace from the plate considerably as he has at least one hit in six of his last ten games played, with four of those games going down as multi-hit outings for the infielder. Miller most recently secured his second three-hit day of the season with a 3-for-5 performance from the plate against the University of Toledo, May 3.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Former Eagle Max Schuemann became Eastern baseball's 18th alumni to record playing time in the major leagues. Schuemann donned the Script E for three seasons (2016-18), and collected an All-MAC Second Team honor in the 2018 season, while making the MAC All-Tournament team in the 2017 campaign. A 20th round selection by the Oakland Athletics in the 2018 draft, Schuemann made his MLB debut with the A's, April 12. Entering the game as the extra-innings runner on second base in the bottom of the 10th inning, Schuemann was driven in to secure the walk-off win over the Washington Nationals, marking his first MLB run. He recently recorded his first MLB hit and home run with one swing of the bat, as he homered against the Cleveland Guardians, April 20. He became the first EMU baseball alum to homer in the majors since Brian Bixler left the playing field for the Houston Astros June 25, 2012. In 17 games with the A's, Schuemann has scored four runs, driven-in three, knocked five hits, homered once, and stole one base. He recently had one hit in consecutive games against the Miami Marlins, May 3-5.

DOUBLE DOWN
Eastern currently leads the MAC in doubles (86) and doubles per game (1.91), figures that rank EMU 117th and 108th in the nation, respectively. The Eagles also hold the highest single-game total in doubles as they have barreled seven twice this season, first against Belmont University, Feb. 18, and most recently against Morehead State University, March 17. Furthermore, Eastern posts a .474 slugging percentage, ranking fourth in the MAC and 93rd in the country.

TAYLOR'S TRIPLES
Cory Taylor recorded his third triple of the season when he smoked a ball off the right-field wall of Oestrike Stadium in the series opening game against Ohio University, April 13. Taylor's three three-baggers rank as the most on the team, the second-most in the MAC and slot him 85th nationally. As a team, the Eagles have tripled 12 times, the second most in the MAC and 68th in America.

TAYLOR: FIRST FIVE-HIT DAY SINCE 2018
Cory Taylor swung a blazing-hot bat against Oakland, April 9. The second baseman went 5-for-7 from the dish, marking the first five-hit day from the Eagles since former Eagle Jeff Timko did so in an 11-5 win over Nicholls State, March 3, 2018. The Shelbyville, Ind., native, homered twice in the game for the first multi-homer game of his career, tying for the team-lead (seven). Additionally, both Taylor's hits (five) and RBI count (four) went down as career-highs.

HOT BATS
The Eastern offense erupted for a 17-run, 24-hit, 15-RBI performance from the dish in its mid-week game against Oakland, April 9. The runs, hits, and RBI totals each mark season-highs for the Eagles, while the hits are the most from the program since they knocked 28 in a 27-7 win over Bowling Green State University, April 8, 2009. The 17 runs went down as the second time this season the Eagles have eclipsed the 15-run mark, previously doing so in their 16-6 thumping of the Belmont University Bruins, Feb. 18.

TOUGH TO SHAKE
Eastern showed its resilience in its series against Central Michigan, March 28-30. In both of EMU's wins in the three-game set, the Eagles walked-off the Chippewas in the ninth inning, coming back from four runs down in the first game (March 28), and three runs in the series finale (March 30). In total, EMU scored 10 runs in the final two innings in both of its walk-off triumphs over the Chippewas. Furthermore, the wins marked the Eagles first time coming back from down three runs or more to win a game this season.

THE MORE THE MERRIER
Eastern won its first extra-innings contest of the season with a 13-12 win over the Golden Flashes in 11 innings, April 6. The win marked the first extra-innings win of the Head Coach Robbie Britt era. After dropping a 10-9 decision in 10 innings at Toledo, May 3, the Eagles are 1-1 in extra-inning contests under Britt.

COMPLETE GAMES NATIONWIDE
Nick Chittum is one of 33 players in the nation to record multiple complete games this season, doing so against the University of Southern Indiana, Feb. 25, and most recently against Western Michigan University, March 24. One of 175 Division I pitchers to go the distance this season, Chittum held the Broncos scoreless in his most recent CG, he became the first EMU pitcher to toss a nine-inning shutout since former Eagle Brad Allen notched a 3-0 complete-game triumph over Bowling Green, March 25, 2017.

KYLE SCHROEDLE: MID-SEASON FORM
Kyle Schroedle has turned a corner in his second Division I season. The Redding, Calif., native has already surpassed his home run total from last season (seven) with nine jacks this season. The graduate student has also eclipsed his RBI total from last season (23) as he has currently driven-in 31. Additionally, Schroedle surpassed his hit total from last season (41) as he has knocked 46 this season and has made improvements to his slugging percentage (up from .533 to .614), OPS (up from .903 to 1.008), and batting average (up from .299 to .329).

McRAE'S BREAKOUT SEASON
Also in his second Division I campaign, Blake McRae has grown leaps and bounds since last season as the senior has already surpassed his 2023 season total in nearly every hitting statistic. Last season, the Armada, Mich., native batted .292 with 26 hits, 16 runs, two doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI, and 34 TB. This season, McRae is batting .340 with 53 hits, 38 runs, eight doubles, one triple, five homers, 31 RBI, and 78 TB. McRae has also increased his OPS (up from .772 to .936), batting average (up from .292 to .340), and slugging percentage (up from .382 to .500).

NICK GETS THE NOD
Nick Chittum started in the series finale against Toledo, May 5, marking his 12th start of the season. Chittum's 12 starts rank as the most in the conference, and 19th-most in the nation.

DANGEROUS ON THE BASE PATHS
Logan Hugo ranks second in the MAC and stands 89th nationally with 17 stolen bases. He also stands 76th in the country and second in the conference in stolen bases per game (0.43). Hugo leads an Eagles team that ranks 72nd nationally in stolen bags and third in the conference with 68. EMU also ranks high in stolen bases per game, averaging 1.51 swipes per contest (67th nationally and third in MAC).

IMPORTANCE OF THE SEVENTH
The Eagles have proven hard to beat when leading after seven and eight innings of play as they post an 8-0 record in both scenarios.

MOVE EM' UP
Glenn Miller has excelled this season in advancing EMU baserunners via the sacrifice bunt. Miller has notched nine sacrifice bunts on the season, ranking him second in the MAC and 21st nationally. He also ranks high in sacrifice bunts per-game, slotting 15th in the nation and first in the MAC at 0.25. The senior most recently executed a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fifth inning against Toledo, May 5, advancing two EMU baserunners 90-feet.

MULTIPLE "POWER 5" WINS?
A victory against Ohio State on Tuesday would mark the first time the Eagles have tallied multiple "Power Five" wins in the same season since 2018. That season, Eastern Michigan topped Ohio State University, 6-1, March 4, before besting Oklahoma State in a three-game set, 2-1, March 9-11.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE B1G
The contest against Ohio State will mark the 394th for Eastern against a Big Ten opponent. Overall, the Eagles post a 146-242-5 record when facing Big Ten teams. Additionally, the only three Big Ten institutions the Eagles have yet to face on the diamond are Maryland, the University of Illinois, and Rutgers University.

IN THE SERIES: OHIO STATE
The Eagles and Buckeyes will meet for the 16th time Tuesday. Overall, the Eagles hold a 5-10 record when facing OSU, but have emerged victorious in each of the last two contests. Eastern most recently bested OSU by a score of 6-1 in a neutral site setting in Pensacola, Fla., March 4, 2018, after beating the Buckeyes a year prior in Columbus to a tune of 3-1.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Picked to finish outside of the top-six in the Big Ten Preseason Poll, the Buckeyes currently stand ninth in the conference with an 8-10 B1G record and a 23-22 overall record. OSU has played two other MAC teams this season, they first defeated BGSU, 6-4, April 9, before topping the University of Akron, 18-13, May 1. Most recently, Ohio State is coming off a 2-1 series loss to the current Big Ten leader, the University of Illinois, May 3-5.

ON THE HORIZON
After the game against the Buckeyes, the Eagles will return home to Oestrike Stadium for their final home series of the 2024 campaign as they will take on Bowling Green State University Friday-Sunday, May 10-12.

FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter), emu.baseball on Instagram, and emu.baseball on TikTok.