Friday: Weaver’s milestone not enough in run-rule loss
The Eastern Michigan University baseball team began its 54th year of Mid-American Conference (MAC) play Friday, March 6, with a challenging 13-3 loss against Miami University. The contest, held at Hayden Park, remained a tight affair through the early innings, but a late-game explosion by the RedHawks eventually ended the game in the eighth inning via the 10-run rule.
Junior right-hander John Carmichael earned the start for the Eagles, pitching five innings and allowing three earned runs. The Eagles found life in the top of the third inning when Nick Weaver delivered his first career NCAA Division I home run, a solo shot to left field that tied the game at 1-1. Weaver finished the day with two hits and two runs scored, marking his first multi-hit game of the 2026 campaign.
Miami regained the lead with two runs in the fourth and added insurance in the sixth. The Eagles attempted to stay within striking distance as TJ Williams connected for an RBI triple in the seventh, extending his hitting streak to six games. Williams also stole his team-leading sixth base of the season during the outing. However, the Eagles' defense struggled to contain a massive seventh-inning surge by the RedHawks, who plated six runs to put the game out of reach. Nathan Borchardt managed to score on a passed ball in the eighth, but Miami added two final runs in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory.
Saturday: Bullpen shines as late rally falls short
On Saturday, March 7, the Eagles faced an uphill battle early as Miami jumped out to a 7-0 lead within the first two innings. Despite the deficit, the EMU bullpen provided a stellar performance, stabilizing the game by tossing 6.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Cal Rutherford led the relief effort with a career-long four innings of scoreless work.
The Eagles' offense slowly chipped away at the lead, starting in the fourth inning when Devan Zirwas launched a solo home run to left field. It was Zirwas' fifth home run of the season, a figure that leads the team. Freshman Demir Heidelberg also contributed with singles in the fifth and seventh. In the fifth, Drew Jones doubled to center field to drive in Heidelberg, cutting the lead to 8-2.
The Eagles refused to go quietly, mounting a three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning. Drew Jones continued his productive day with an RBI single, finishing the game with two hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Nathan Borchardt followed with a two-run single to bring the Eagles within three. While EMU outhit Miami 9-7, the early damage proved too much to overcome, resulting in an 8-5 final.
Sunday: Historic strikeout performance marred by defeat
The series finale on Sunday, March 8, was highlighted by a historic performance from the Eastern Michigan pitching staff, though the Eagles ultimately fell 9-4. EMU pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, which ranks as the third-most in a single game in program history since 1999. Landon Mueller was the standout of the afternoon, striking out seven batters in 3.2 innings of relief while allowing only one earned run.
Offensively, the Eagles outhit the RedHawks for the second consecutive game, 10-9. Nathan Borchardt powered the lineup with a solo home run in the third inning, his second of the season. Nick Weaver also remained a force at the plate, recording two doubles for his first game with multiple extra-base hits this year. TJ Williams added to the effort with his second triple of the series, tying him for second in the MAC for triples.
Despite the high strikeout total and double-digit hits, defensive miscues and a four-run first inning by Miami kept the Eagles in catch-up mode. John Hale provided a late spark with a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth, but the RedHawks completed the series sweep. The Eagles (4-12, 0-3 MAC) now look to bounce back as they return to Ypsilanti for their home opener against Michigan State University on March 10.
