The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Set to Open 2014 Season at Winthrop
February 12 | Baseball
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team is ready to embark on the 2014 campaign this weekend with a three-game series against Winthrop University, set to begin with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., at Winthrop Ballpark. The series finale will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Gameday Information
Sunday (DH) – 2 PM
Akron: R-Jr., RHP Jon Pusateri
Winthrop: R-So., LHP Sam Kmiec
Sunday (DH)
Akron: So., RHP Michael Steensen
Winthrop: So., RHP Joey Strain
Looking back at 2013…
Akron finished last season with an overall record of 15-37 and 10-16 within the Mid-American Conference. The Zips graduated two seniors from the 2013 squad in Jared Turocy and Samuel Trecaso, who both played a major part in the program last season. Turocy batted.356 and earned second team All-MAC, while Trecaso finished the season with a miniscule 0.74 ERA in the closer role.
Overall, the Zips batted .245 as a team, collecting 74 doubles, 12 homers, 156 walks and 50 stolen bases along the way. Devan Ahart and Matt LaRocca were the more productive members of the Akron offense, along with Turocy, as each accrued 10 or more doubles and over 20 RBI.
Sophomore John Valek III led the weekend rotation with a 4.15 ERA and 86.2 innings pitched, despite accruing a 4-7 record. Valek tossed the 10th most innings in a season in program history during his freshman campaign. The Akron pitching staff as a whole had a 4.98 ERA.
Changes on the bench…
Third-year head coach Rick Rembielak, who has accumulated over 500 wins as a Division I head coach, brought in two new coaches for the upcoming season. Rembielak has hired Kyle Smith to be his pitching coach, with Spencer Schmitz taking over the volunteer assistant coach role. Smith and Schmitz join third-year assistant coach Fred Worth to round out the coaching staff.
Both Smith and Schmitz have a history in both playing and coaching within the MAC. Smith, a 2009 MLB draftee by the Indians, earned a 17-3 career pitching record at Kent State, and also was a first team All-MAC and first team All-Midwest Region selection after the 2008 season. Schmitz played on the Bowling Green baseball team from 2001-04 before moving into an assistant coach role with the Falcons, a position he held since 2007.
The rotation…
Redshirt junior Jon Pusateri will be making the season-opening start for the second consecutive season for Akron. In last season's opener, Pusateri tamed the strong Georgia Tech offense with one earned run over 4.1 innings and four strikeouts, despite incurring the loss. The native of Randolph, Ohio finished the 2013 season with back-to-back, six-strikeout performances against Penn State and Central Michigan.
Sophomore Michael Steensen opens the season in the Saturday starter role, and will pitch the second game of the season-opening doubleheader. Steensen worked his way into the weekend rotation late last season, following strong performances in wins over Youngstown State (W, 5.0 IP, two K's) and Pittsburgh (4.0 IP, one ER).
Junior Pat Dyer, a southpaw, started last season in the weekend rotation like Pusateri, and will be Sunday's starter this weekend. . Dyer notched a pair of quality starts last season against Michigan (5.0 IP, one ER) and Ball State (6.0 IP, one ER).
The bullpen…
Redshirt junior Matt LaRocca is expected to lock down the backend of the Zips bullpen this season, working as a two-way player for coach Rembielak. LaRocca performed well in his time on the mound last season as he notched a 2.88 ERA over 34.1 innings, while also recording four saves and making one spot start.
Sophomore Daulton Mosbarger performed well in his 13.1 innings of relief in 2013 He allowed only one earned run and struck out seven in his time on the mound. Sophomore Zach Beaver and junior Andrew Fanning provided Akron with stability in long relief, as the pair combined for 86.2 innings pitched and 42 strikeouts out of the bullpen.
Up the middle…
Junior Matt Rembielak, a native of Tallmadge, Ohio, is expected to provide strong defense again this season at shortstop, after starting all 52 games at the position in 2013. Over the course of the season, Rembielak tallied 148 fielding assists, which is now tied for seventh in program history for fielding assists in a single season. He also contributed 22 runs, 17 RBI and seven doubles on offense.
Redshirt senior James Sheltrown will man second base at the outset of the season. Sheltrown played in a total of 41 games last season, and collected 15 runs scored, 19 base hits and 16 walks. Rembielak and Sheltrown accounted for a total of 259 fielding assists over the course of the season.
Redshirt junior Devan Ahart will be roaming centerfield again for the Zips this season, following a strong 2013 campaign. Along with strong defense, Ahart notched a .295 batting average with 15 doubles, 12 steals, 24 RBI and 27 runs scored. He led the team in doubles, hits and runs scored, while playing in 51 of Akron's 52 games.
On the corners…
Towards the end of the 2013 season, sophomore Cale Giddings and LaRocca entrenched themselves at first and third base, respectively. Giddings, a native of Pickerington, Ohio, provided some thump at the plate, as he slugged two homers and six doubles in 28 games played. LaRocca gave consistent production over the season in the middle of the Akron lineup, adding 12 doubles, two homers and 27 RBI over 186 at-bats.
Sophomore Billy Salem and freshman James Meeker III are expected to help out the defense at the hot corner. Salem played in 21 games for UA in 2013, and provided three RBI and three runs in 50 total plate appearances. Meeker comes to the Zips from North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pa., where he was a four-year letterwinner and a 2013 all-conference selection.
In the outfield, redshirt junior Joey Havrilak and sophomore Kris Simonton are expected to start in right and left field, respectively. Havrilak played in 47 games for UA, and hit a team-leading three homeruns along with 17 RBI and 21 runs scored. Simonton had a total of 41 at-bats in 16 appearances in 2013. The native of Dublin, Ohio totaled 11 base hits, two doubles and eight runs.
Behind the dish…
Redshirt senior Brady Stewart took on most of the catching load during the 2013 season, as the native of Ashville, Ohio played in 47 of the 52 games and had the fourth most at-bats (178) on the team. Stewart performed well on offense, collecting a .281 batting average with six doubles and 18 RBI. He earned MAC East Player of the Week honor last season during the period of April 29 to May 5.
Stewart will have a pair of backups in sophomore Derek Carmichael and freshman Brian Lees. Carmichael played in five games last season and had two hits over 11 plate appearances. Lees joins Akron following three years with the varsity baseball team at nearby Brunswick High School. He finished his senior year with a .330 batting average to go along with 13 doubles, two homers, and 24 RBI.
Odds and ends…
- Coach Rembielak enters his 19th season as a Division I baseball head coach, and is in his third at the helm of the Zips. He has a career coaching record of 545-468-1, which was accumulated from time as head coach of the Kent State, Wake Forest and Akron baseball programs.
- Akron has an all-time series record of 2-3 against the Winthrop Eagles. UA and Winthrop last matched up in the 2005 season, resulting in a 9-3 loss for Akron.
- Last season, the Zips opened the season with a 3-0 loss to Georgia Tech. The last time Akron started the season with a win was in the 2011 campaign, when the squad defeated Lamar, 2-1.
- UA opens the season with 16 home games before coming home to Lee R. Jackson Field to face Pittsburgh in the home opener on March 19.
- Winthrop had a 21-33 overall record and 8-15 in the Big South Conference last year. Overall, the Eagles batted .239 in 54 games played, scoring a total of 196 runs. The Winthrop pitching staff managed a 3.76 ERA, a staff that included six pitchers with ERA under 4.00.
