East Michigan News

The Eastern Michigan University baseball team is set to challenge Ball State University in a three-game series at Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on April 4-5. The first two games will form a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 11 a.m., followed by game two 40 minutes after the first concludes. The series will wrap up with the third game scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.

This MAC series is crucial for Eastern Michigan, which currently ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference with an 8-4 record, and aims to outperform their 2024 season win total (14 wins) early in the 2025 campaign. So far, the team has achieved a 13-12 overall record and stands at its strongest point in MAC play since 2017. In contrast, Ball State, tied for second with Kent State in conference standing, holds a 7-2 record and shares the lead for most wins in the MAC with Bowling Green, totaling 20 victories this season.

Fans will have the opportunity to watch the games without charge, either at the venue or through live stats and streaming services provided via EMUEagles.com. Eastern Michigan University maintains active engagement through social media outlets for live updates and information.

Historically, the rivalry between Eastern Michigan and Ball State has been balanced, with Ball State holding a slight edge. Out of their 172 encounters, Eastern Michigan trails with an overall record of 85-86-1 and a home record of 17-19 against Ball State. Recently, Eastern has struggled, losing four consecutive home games to Ball State and winning only three of the last ten encounters against the Cardinals.

Eastern Michigan aims to break its home losing streak against Ball State, as they last secured a home series victory against them in 2018. On the road last season, Eastern Michigan won two out of three games against Ball State, marking their first series victory in Muncie since 2007. This year, they come into the series after a 13-2 defeat to Michigan, where Cooper Vance and Harrison Travis each hit solo home runs.

The team has shown resilience this season with four notable comeback victories when trailing by at least three runs. This comeback capability was exemplified during a game against Western Michigan, where they overturned a 7-2 deficit by scoring eight runs in the ninth inning. Consequently, they secured a 10-8 victory. They achieved a similar feat against Ohio, bouncing back from a 5-1 score with a nine-run rally to win 9-5.

On a national level, Eastern Michigan's offense ranks within the top 50 in several categories. They stand 23rd with a batting average of .313 and are 27th for runs per game and on-base percentage statistics. Meanwhile, EMU's senior athletes, namely Logan Hugo and Drew Beckner, continue to deliver notable performances. Hugo enjoys a breakout season, reflected in his career-high batting achievements, while Beckner consistently delivers solid results on the mound.

A strong performance against Ball State is vital for Eastern Michigan, a team aiming for a top spot in the MAC and improving its standings. Following this series, Eastern will continue a three-game home series hosting Toledo on April 11-13.

For ongoing updates about Eastern Michigan University's baseball team and its progress, fans and supporters are encouraged to follow the team on their various social media platforms.