{"id":182964,"date":"2026-03-08T07:53:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T07:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/182964\/"},"modified":"2026-03-08T07:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T07:53:12","slug":"strong-bullpen-not-enough-baseball-drops-saturday-contest-to-miami","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/182964\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong Bullpen Not Enough, Baseball Drops Saturday Contest to Miami"},"content":{"rendered":"

OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University baseball team’s bullpen tossed 6.1 innings without an earned run as EMU dropped a Mid-American Conference contest to defending MAC Tournament champion Miami University, 8-5, Saturday, March 7, despite a ninth-inning Eastern comeback.
\n\u00a0
\nMiami scored seven runs in the first two innings and held on to win despite a three-run ninth inning for EMU.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Eastern bullpen had a strong performance, tossing 6.1 Innings with zero earned runs, highlighted by a career-long four innings from Cal Rutherford<\/a> (Canton, Mich.\/Detroit Catholic Central).
\n\u00a0
\nHow it Happened
\nMiami seized early control with four runs in the first inning and three more in the second, capitalizing on three hits, multiple walks and a two-RBI double to quickly build a 7-0 advantage. After those opening frames, the Eastern bullpen stabilized the contest, keeping the RedHawks mostly in check for the remainder of the game.
\n\u00a0
\nIn the top of the fourth, Devan Zirwas<\/a> (Imperial, Pa.\/West Allegheny\/VCU) put the Eagles on the board with a solo home run to left field, marking his fifth homer of the season and moving him within eight hits of the 100-hit collegiate milestone.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Eagles chipped away with another run in the fifth as freshman Demir Heidelberg<\/a> (Homewood, Ill.\/Homewood Flossmor) singled and later scored on a double by Drew Jones<\/a> (Cleveland, Ohio\/Brush\/Ohio State). Jones cut into the Miami lead again in the ninth, singling to left-center field to score John Hale<\/a> (Ashland City, Tenn.\/Sycamore\/Motlow State C.C.).
\n\u00a0
\nNathan Borchardt<\/a> (Stanley, N.C.\/East Lincoln\/King) capped the Eagles’ scoring with a two-run single in the ninth as the game ended in an 8-5 final in favor of the RedHawks.<\/p>\n

Game Notes

\n\u00bb Eastern’s record went to 4-11 (0-2 MAC) and Miami’s improved to 10-4 (2-0 MAC).

\n\u00bb EMU outhit its opponent for the second time this season, losing for the first time when doing so. It previously outhit SIUE, 7-4, in the first game of a doubleheader, Feb. 28.

\n\u00bb The Eastern bullpen held Miami to just one run over the final 6.1 innings. Outside of the Vanderbilt series, Feb. 17-18, the EMU bullpen has allowed 39 earned runs in 59.2 innings of work. \u00a0

\n\u00bb Devan Zirwas<\/a> (Imperial, Pa.\/West Allegheny\/VCU) homered for the fifth time this season, marking his 12th RBI of the year. Both figures lead the team.

\n\u00bb Cal Rutherford<\/a> pitched a career-long 4.0 innings, allowing zero earned runs for the first time this season.

\n\u00bb Brian Henson<\/a> (Huntsville, Ala.\/Buckhorn\/Northwest-Shoals C.C.) tossed his first outing of the year without allowing an earned run as he entered the game in relief with two outs in the second inning and pitched the next 2.1 innings.

\n\u00bb Drew Jones<\/a> (Cleveland, Ohio\/Brush\/Ohio State) notched his first multi-hit game of the season and second with multiple RBI. He recorded two hits and two RBI, both of which led the team. Jones tied the team’s single-game season high with two stolen bases, joining Ty Stecko<\/a> (North Huntingdon, Pa.\/Norwin\/Mount St. Mary’s) as the only Eagles to accomplish the feat this season.

\n\u00bb Demir Heidelberg<\/a>\u00a0earned his first multi-hit day as an NCAA student-athlete with singles in the fifth and seventh innings.

\n\u00bb Nathan Borchardt<\/a> had two hits and one RBI, marking his third multi-hit showing and seventh RBI of the campaign.

\n\u00a0

\nHistorical Notes

\n\u00bb Eastern and Miami met for the 138th time. The Eagles hold a 65-73 all-time record when facing the RedHawks and a 6-23 mark when facing them in Oxford since 1999.

\n\u00bb Devan Zirwas<\/a> is eight hits from reaching 100 in his career.

\n\u00a0

\nUp Next

\nEastern will close its three-game series against Miami Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m.

\n\u00a0

\nFollow Us

\nKeep up with all things Eastern baseball by following the team on X\u00a0@EMU_Baseball<\/a>, and on Instagram\u00a0@emu_baseball<\/a>.<\/p>\n