The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Opens MAC Schedule on Friday Against Ball State
March 21 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team will open up Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a three game series in Muncie, Ind., against Ball State University, beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
Game Day Information
Friday (3/22) – 3 p.m.
Akron: Fr., RHP JT Brubaker (0-5, 7.04 ERA)
Ball State: Sr., RHP Chris Marangon (1-0, 2.51 ERA)
Saturday (3/23) – 12 p.m. (Game one of DH)
Akron: Fr., LHP John Valek III (1-3, 6.04 ERA)
Ball State: Jr., LHP Jon Cisna (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
Saturday (3/23) - (Game two of DH)
Akron: So., LHP Pat Dyer (0-2, 8.56 ERA)
Ball State: So., RHP Scott Baker (5-0, 1.74 ERA)
*Links to live stats and a video feed can be found on the Akron baseball schedule page.
Series Overview
Akron baseball comes into its first MAC matchup of the season with an overall record of 2-16. Recently, the Zips traveled through the state of South Carolina, playing nine games in a span of 10 days. UA compiled a record of 2-7 on the road trip with wins over USC-Upstate and Quinnipiac. Akron was scheduled to play Penn State University this week in College Station, Pa., but weather forced a cancellation.
Ball State owns an overall record of 10-8 heading into the weekend series. The Cardinals played four games this past weekend, and won all four. Ball State defeated IPFW three times, and Taylor University. This season, the Cardinals have a .261 collective batting average with 98 runs scored, five home runs and 61 walks.
UA and Ball State have an all-time series record of 17-23. The two teams met last season for a three game series at Canal Park in March. Akron won the three game series, defeating Ball State 4-0 and 6-3 in the first two games of the series. The series finale lasted 12 innings, and eventually went in Ball State's favor, 2-1.
Heating Up at the Dish
The Zips have seen notable improvement over the nine past games when compared to the first nine. Akron has currently been rated as having the second-strongest schedule in the nation to date, which was helped in part by playing three top-10 teams to start the season in No. 8 Georgia Tech, No. 4 Louisville and No. 10 Kentucky.
Over the first nine games of the season, UA posted a .196 batting average with 11 total runs scored, while also striking out 93 times. Akron averaged a total of 1.2 runs-per-game, 6.2 hits-per-game, and 10.3 strikeouts-per-game within the nine-game span
Akron has improved in nearly every offensive category over the past nine games, registering a .248 batting average and scoring 3.2 runs-per-game. The Zips are striking out at a lesser rate – 6.7 strikeouts-per-game – and have recorded more hits, 8.1 hits-per-game.
Sophomore Matt LaRocca has been excelling at the plate over the past week. In six games played, LaRocca posted a .364 batting average over 22 at-bats with four RBI and three runs scored. He had three multi-hit games along with two extra-base hits, a home run and a double. This season, LaRocca has the team lead in RBI (nine) and slugging percentage (.436), while also being tied for the lead in home runs (two).
Centerfielder Devan Ahart holds the team lead in stolen bases (three) and hits (20). Ahart owns a .294 batting average this season while starting all 18 games thus far. The native of Oakland, Mich., has also driven in four runs and scored three runs this season.
Sophomore Matt Rembielak started to have more success at the plate while on the South Carolina road trip. Over the nine-game trip, Rembielak recorded ten hits, three RBI, three walks and four runs scored. He has improved his overall batting average from .091 to .206 over the past nine games.
Brady Stewart continues to hit well while playing as the Zips' primary catcher. Stewart has compiled a team-leading .302 batting average, along with totaling four RBI and five runs scored.
The Rotation
Two freshmen - JT Brubaker and John Valek - have highlighted the top of the Akron rotation over the past two weekends. Brubaker has been on the mound for Friday with Valek taking the ball on Saturday.
Valek had a strong start towards the end of the road trip against Quinnipiac last Saturday. The southpaw tossed 7.2 innings with three strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Valek earned the win in the start to improve his record to 1-3.
Brubaker made two starts over the nine game road trip, one against USC Upstate and another against Quinnipiac. The righty combined to throw 7.1 innings with four earned runs allowed and three strikeouts in the two starts. This season, Brubaker is second on the team in innings pitched (23.0) and strikeouts (10).
Pat Dyer – game two starter on Saturday - owns a record of 0-2 through three starts at pitcher for the Zips. Dyer has eight strikeouts over 13.2 innings pitched with 13 earned runs allowed.
Quotes for the Series
"We've come to the point in the season where all the preparation since fall practice is magnified, and we have looked forward to it. Our guys have been exposed to a very tough pre-MAC schedule in anticipation of being prepared for the conference race. Our coaching staff has a good handle on who is prepared in giving us the best opportunity to win as many games as we can."
"We've seen increments of improvement in our ball club, and we must bring all phases of the game together by maintaining our focus and discipline for every inning the entire weekend."
"The better teams at the end of the season do not let up on the gas. Each game we play is the most important game of the season, and we are looking forward in beginning the hunt of a championship."
--Head Coach Rick Rembielak
Return of the MAC Season
Akron held a record of 10-17 within the conference last season, playing out of the MAC East. UA will play 27 games against MAC opponents again this year. The culmination of the MAC baseball season will be in Avon, Ohio for the MAC Tournament, which is held at All Pro Freight Stadium, the home to the Lake Erie Crushers.
Home Opener Almost Here
Canal Park – home to the Akron Aeros – will be the setting for Akron baseball's home opener against Youngstown State University, which will be played on Tues., March 26 at 3 p.m. Akron will play a total of nine home games at Canal Park this season.
