The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
EMU pitcher shines
Trenton pitcher helps the Eagles finish season strong
PUBLISHED: July 10, 2008
No matter how deep a hole is, there is always a way to climb out of it.
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If you doubt that, just take a look at the Eastern Michigan University baseball team's 2008 season.
The Eagles dug themselves a hole by starting of the season with 17 straight defeats.
"We had a very difficult schedule early on in the season" Coach Jake Boss said.
But the Eagles bounced back. Boy, did they bounce back.
After losing 17 in a row, EMU countered with a modest five-game winning streak. The team then won 19 of its last 37 games and finished the year with a 24-35 record.
Considering Eastern's start, the record was impressive enough, but the Eagles did even better, winning the Mid America Conference championship and qualifying for the NCAA regionals.
Also bouncing back in Ypsilanti was Trenton's Matt Shoemaker, who missed the early part of the season with an injury, but bounced back to help his team finish fast.
In January, Shoemaker, a senior-to-be pitcher, slipped and fell on some ice, breaking his left arm.
"It was fairly serious," he said. "I'm just glad it wasn't my throwing arm."
At the beginning of the season, Shoemaker was used as a closer until he was healthy enough to start a regular season game.
In his first start - against Wright State - the Eagles broke their long losing streak, winning 11-2.
"Getting the first win was sweet," Shoemaker said.
Shoemaker is majoring in business and management, but he said he hopes baseball is still an option after college.
The former Trenton standout said he hopes to get drafted this year or the following year.
"It is my dream to play baseball," he said.
This season, despite his injury, Shoemaker finished the season with a five victories, tied for the most on the team. He had a 4.40 earned-run average.
This season was Boss' first as head coach at EMU and Shoemaker's win over Wright State was also Boss' first as a coach.
"It was great to get Coach Boss his first win," Shoemaker said.
Shoemaker, the son of David and Karen Shoemaker, earned many high school honors, including twice being named to the News-Herald All-Downriver Dream Team.
He was a three-year varsity letter winner at Trenton.
As a sophomore, he posted a 6-1 record on the mound with three shutouts, a 2.83 ERA and 39 strikeouts. He batted .407 with seven home runs, 33 hits, 27 RBI and 26 runs scored
In his junior campaign, Shoemaker posted a 2.89 ERA with 41 strikeouts. He hit .333 with 29 hits, 28 RBI and 26 runs scored
And, as a senior, he captained Trenton to the Michigan Mega Red division championship with an 11-1 record in conference play. He posted a 5-2 record on the mound with a 5-0 record in Mega Red play with 55 strikeouts and he hit .371 with 33 hits, 32 RBI and 33 runs scored.
Trenton finished that season with a 25-5 record and Shoemaker was named one of The Detroit News' Top 25.
Success has followed the big righty into college.
He started three games and appeared in 12 as a red-shirt freshman in 2006.
Last year he appeared in 25 games and set a single-season school record for saves with 14. He had a 3.97 ERA and was named to the All-MAC second team.
And this year he became one of the Eagles best starting pitchers and helped the team into the post-season.
EMU's dream comeback season ended last month in the regional tournament played in Ann Arbor.
The Eagles lost to top-seed Arizona in the first game and then were eliminated in the consolation finals by Kentucky.
But the season taught some great lessons, according to Boss.
"The players realize the whole season is a process," he said.
Shoemaker said the season proved to the players that they need to rely on each other.
"Everybody gave their hearts out," he said. "We have a good group of guys.
"As a team we stuck together" Shoemaker said.
Boss seconded that: "The players never quit," he said.
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