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Both Teams Finally Get Season-Openers In

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Senior Cameron Selik earned his first victory of the season, holding Eastern Michigan to

James Stanfield (KU photo)

one run on two hits over six innings, while the Jayhawks sent 12 men to the plate and scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to down Eastern Michigan 9-5 in the second game of the doubleheader Monday night at the Metrodome.  EMU won the first game, 3-1.

Selik silenced EMU’s bats for most of the night.  He allowed just two base runners – an RBI double following an error and an infield single in the sixth – but was in control for most of the evening. He retired the first 10 men he faced, before EMU shortstop Aaron Crooks reached on an error with one out in the fourth.

Dating back to his NCAA Tournament victory against Coastal Carolina last May, Selik has allowed just one earned run on five hits over his last 12 2/3 innings.

His offense tallied single runs in each of the first three innings to help him earn his first win.

Senior Robby Price drove in runs in both the first and second innings, while sophomore James Stanfield tripled home Jimmy Waters in the third to stake KU to a 3-0 lead.

Kansas broke the game open in the eighth without the benefit of a base hit. The Jayhawks sent 12 men to the plate in the frame, drawing eight walks and a hit by pitch to score six runs. During the inning, seven-straight Jayhawks reached

Corey Chaffins (EMU photo)

base without the benefit of a base hit with two outs.

As a team, KU collected just four hits and none after Stanfield’s third-inning triple.

In the first game, EMU pitcher Corey Chaffins held the Jayhawks to one run on just three hits over seven innings. Junior Jimmy Waters drove in KU’s only run of the game with a fourth-inning RBI single to plate Brian Heere, who walked to lead off the inning.

Chaffins had everything working to shut down the Kansas offense in the season opener for both squads, as he went seven strong innings, yielding just one run on three hits while tallying eight strikeouts to earn the victory.

The victory in game one marks EMU’s second win all-time against the Jayhawks, while Jay Alexander earns his second straight season opening victory as the Eagles’ Head Coach. It marks EMU’s first win over a top 25 team since the 2007 season when the team topped No. 19 Tennessee.

The Eagles out-hit the Jayhawks in both games, 8-3 in game one and 7-4 in game two, but a disastrous eighth inning in game two in which the Eagles’ pitching staff allowed eight walks and a hit batsman proved too much to overcome, despite a late rally with four runs in the ninth inning to limit the deficit. The split moves the all-time series to 4-2 between the two squads, with Kansas holding on to the advantage.

The games were originally scheduled to be played on the Jayhawks’ home field in Lawrence, KS, but they were moved to the Metrodome due to snow and low temperatures across the Midwest.

(Releases & staff report)

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Can West Compete With East In 2010?

2009 Division Winners: Bowling Green won the East Division & Ball State won the West.

2009 Champion: Kent State defeated Toledo 5-3 to win their 7th MAC championship in school history.

East Side Rules: The top 4 teams in the East all had conference and overall records above .500, while only Ball State accomplished that in the West.

2010 MAC West Division Preview

CLICK HERE to see our 2010 MAC East Division Preview with picks for overall conference champion, Player of the Year pick and Pitcher of the Year pick.

Ball State

2009 Season: (26-25, 14-10)

Mascot: Cardinals

Head Coach: Greg Beals

Location: Muncie, IN

Vitals: .323 BA, 72 HR, .404 OBP, .944 Fld. %…5.54 ERA, 9 SVs, 335 K, 196 BB,

Kolbrin Vitek

.294 Opp. BA

Big Returns: Ball State returns 6 of their 8 position starters from a year ago, including Preseason All-American Kolbrin Vitek (.389, 13 HR, 67 RBI) and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American So. 1B Ian Nielsen (.352, 9 HR, 53 RBI).

Big Losses: Even with all the talent back, Ball State still has huge holes to fill with the loss of 3rd team All-American OF Jeremy Hazelbaker (.429, 8 triples, 29 SB), and 2B Nate Fields (.308, 16 doubles, 32 SB).

Cardinal Challenges: Ball State boasts a strong non-conference schedule with games against Arkansas, UAB, Coastal Carolina, Michigan, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Indiana.

Central Michigan

2009 Season: (28-30, 12-15)

Mascot: Chippewas

Head Coach: Steve Jaksa

Location: Mt. Pleasant, MI

Vitals: .288 BA, 36 HR, .378 OBP, .944 Fld. %…5.61 ERA, 6 SVs, 466 K, 198 BB, .307 Opp. BA

Bring ‘em Back: CMU welcomes back their top six hitters from a season ago including Jr. OH Matt Faiman (.333, 75 H, 9 SB), Sr. OF Tyler Kipke (.333, 10 doubles, .425 OBP), and SR. OF Billy Anderson (.332, 4 HR, 19 SB).

Schedule Notes: The Chippewas begin their schedule a week later than most starting on the weekend of February 26th when they travel to Bakersfield, CA to play against California, Cal-Bakersfield, and St. Mary’s.  They open their home slate April 2nd when they welcome in MAC rival Ohio.

Eastern Michigan

2009 Season: (25-35, 13-14)

Mascot: Eagles

Head Coach: Jay Alexander

Location: Ypsilanti, MI

Vitals: .287 BA, 100 HR, .373 OBP, .957 Fld. %…6.61 ERA, 5 SVs, 366 K, 277 BB, .310 Opp. BA

Hit for Power: Eastern Michigan hit just .287 as a team with only 4 regulars finishing with an average above .300, but did have 6 guys hit at least 10 homers to finish with 100 homers as a team, 2nd best in the MAC.

MVP Replacement: The Eagles lose team MVP Kyle Rhoad who produced one of the best seasons in school history hitting for a team-high .349 with 12 HR and 34 RBI.  Rhoad led the MAC and set a single-season school record by swiping 32 bases in 35 attempts.

Big 10 Dominance: EMU played four Big 10 teams (Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State) in 2009 beating all of them at least once.

Northern Illinois

2009 Season: (19-34, 10-16)

Mascot: Huskies

Head Coach: Ed Mathey

Location: DeKalb, IL

Vitals: .288 BA, 44 HR, .378 OBP, .952 Fld. %…7.29 ERA, 7 SVs, 314 K, 262 BB, .324 Opp. BA

Jordin Hood

Key Returners:  Northern Illinois brings back their top hitter and top two pitchers from a year ago.  Sr. Jordin Hood (.382, 10 HR, .628 Slg%) leads the offense, while Sr. LHP Chuck Lukanen (7-6, 5.65 ERA, 1 CG) and Jr. LHP Tom Zelasko (2-4, 3.26 ERA, 4 SVs) head up the staff.

Feet to the Fire: The Huskies begin the season February 19th with a four-game series against Arizona State in Tempe.

Future is Now: The incoming freshman class with 11 signees in the largest class signed by head coach Ed Mathey in his 7 years at NIU.

Toledo

2009 Season: (24-30, 14-12)

Mascot: Rockets

Head Coach: Cory Mee

Location: Toledo, OH

Vitals: .296 BA, 51 HR, .358 OBP, .962 Fld. %…7.02 ERA, 11 SVs, 339 K, 201 BB, .301 Opp. BA

Breakthrough Year: Three Toledo players (P Justin Collop, P Mike Hamann, P Jeff Cinadr) were selected in the 2009 MLB draft tying a single-season record for the Rockets.  Hamann was picked out of high school, but will join UT for 2010 instead of playing professionally.  Overall, Toledo returns 25 of 30 letterwinners, 8 of 9 position starters, and 11 of the 14 pitchers from their 2009 squad.

Who’s Back: Among those returning are Jr. Chris Dudics (.386, 59 H, 8 doubles) and Jr. INF Jared Hoying (.293, 11 HR, 50 RBI).

Western Michigan

2009 Season: (14-35, 9-18)

Mascot: Broncos

Head Coach: Randy Ford

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Vitals: .278 BA, 58 HR, .348 OBP, .954 Fld. %…7.30 ERA, 8 SVs, 340 K, 193 BB, .324 Opp. BA

Challenge Accepted: The Broncos have several tough road tests on this years schedule with road contests against Dallas Baptist, Oral Roberts, Notre Dame and Illinois-Chicago.

Offensive Offense: WMU hit only .278 as a team last year with just 4 players hitting over .300.  Pedro Dager led the way with a .360 BA and 13 doubles, but is now gone.  The three other top hitters from 2009 are back however.  Leading this year’s offense is Chris Lewis (.318, 68 H, 7 HR), Kyle Galbraith (.304, 13 HR, 35 RBI), and Jamie Simpson (.333, 7 HR, .620 Slg. %).

2010 MAC West Predictions

MAC West Winner: Ball State

Top MAC West Player: Kolbrin Vitek—Ball State

Top MAC West Pitcher: Trent Howard—Central Michigan

2010 Overall MAC Predictions

MAC Champion: Bowling Green

Player of the Year: Tyler Elkins—Bowling Green

Pitcher of the Year: Brennan Smith—Bowling Green

(By Collegebaseball360.com contributor Shawn Lewallen)