The Eastern Michigan University baseball team scored eight unanswered runs in an 8-2 come-from-behind win against the University of Michigan Wednesday evening at Oestrike Stadium.
The Eagles improve to 16-9 on the season and have won four of their last five games. The Wolverines drop to 6-16 having lost four straight games.
“It feels absolutely great,” coach Jay Alexander said of getting the win after losing 2-5 to Michigan on March 20. “I told these guys that we have to feel we are better than them and go out here and play like it.”
The Wolverines scored first when Patrick Biondi hit a two-run single to centerfield that scored Kevin Krantz and John Lorenz in the top of the second inning.
The Eagles answered back with four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave them a 3-2 lead.
Tucker Rubino singled to right field for the Eagles second hit of the game and then stole second. Robert Wendzicki hit a line drive up the left field line that put runners on first and third. Matt Hitt bunted a single down the first base line to score Rubino for the Eagles first run.
Ken Battiston doubled to right field to score Wendzicki from second to tie the game. Daniel Russell then grounded out to second but batted in Hitt as the game-deciding run.
“It’s a good win for us,” Russell said. “We really want everyone to know that we are the best team in Michigan.”
Once the Eagles had the lead, they continued to add to it.
In the fifth inning, Wendzicki hit a single up the middle that scored Zack Leonard to make it a two-point lead.
In the sixth inning, Battiston beat the throw home on a fielder’s choice from Lee Longo, and Ben Magsig scored Russell on a single to second base, increasing the lead to 6-2.
Brian Valente threw for five innings with three strikeouts and giving up five hits to get the win. He improves to 2-0 on the season.
“We are looking real good,” Valente said. “Everybody has one goal in mind. We are all looking to do our jobs. Everybody is just pulling together as a team to keep the season going as far as we can.”
The Eagles had 13 hits to the Wolverines five.
Rubino was 2-of-3 with two RBI and one run scored. Wendzicki was 3-of-5 with one RBI and one run scored. Battiston was 2-of-3 with one RBI, one run scored and three stolen bases.
The Eagles added two more runs in the eighth inning for assurance off a single from Rubino that scored Leonard and Longo.
Alexander turned 39-years-old on Wednesday, and said this win was a great birthday present from his team.
“It was one of the best,” Alexander said.
The Eagles will resume Mid-American Conference play against Bowling Green State University April 1-3 in Ohio. Friday’s series opener starts at 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday’s games are scheduled for 1 p.m.
