The first night game in Oestrike Stadium history came
down to the Eagles'
final at bat when shortstop Nick Soliz blasted a game winning two-run
homerun
to give the Eagles a 9-8 victory over Michigan.
Soliz took the first
pitch
off Michigan pitcher Bobby Wood over the left-field fence to give the
Eagles
the victory and cap a historic night for the EMU baseball team.
A crowd of 1153, the largest to attend a game at
Oestrike Stadium in
20 years, witnessed a night even too good by Hollywood standards.
Legendary former EMU head coach Ron Oestrike was on hand
to throw out the
ceremonial first pitch, and Bill Clark of Quadrants Inc. turned on the
lights
at 6:43 pm to signal the first night game at EMU.
When EMU starting pitcher Jeff Mull's first pitch
crossed home plate at
7:00 pm, the Eagles became the first Division I team to play a home game
under the lights in the state of Michigan. Early on the story was the
Michigan bats as they jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead after two innings.
But
it was in the sixth inning that the Eagle fans finally had something to
cheer
as EMU put up five runs, including Vince Thomas' fifth homerun of the
year to
take a 7-6 lead.
Michigan score a run each in the seventh and eighth
innings to take a 8-7
lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Frank Garcia led off the
inning
for EMU with a groundout to third and things were beginning to look
blead for
the Eagles. Vince Thomas who went two-for-three with three RBI and two
runs
scored on the night, drew a walk from UM closer Bobby Wood. Up stepped
junior short-stop Nick Soliz who yanked Wood's first offering over the
left
field fence to give EMU the 9-8 victory.
Greg Anglin was three-for-four on the night for EMU and
Dan Hyott added
two hits. Soliz's homerun was his first hit of the night. Sean
Harrington
got the win for EMU in relief his record is now 5-3.