The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Opens MAC Slate at Home on Friday with EMU
March 20 | Baseball
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron (7-10) baseball team opens Mid-American Conference play at home against Eastern Michigan University (8-8) for a three-game series, beginning on Friday at 1 p.m., with a doubleheader at Lee R. Jackson Field. Akron will cap off the weekend with one game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Gameday Information
Friday – 1 PM
EMU: Jr., RHP Jake Andrews
Akron: So., LHP John Valek III
Friday
EMU: Jr., RHP Ryan Lavoie
Akron: So., RHP JT Brubaker
Saturday – 1 PM
EMU: R-Sr., RHP Steve Weber
Akron: R-Jr., RHP Myles McVeigh
Midweek action commences…
Akron lost a pair of well-fought matchups at Ohio State and Pittsburgh in the first midweek games of the season. On Tuesday vs. OSU, Akron fell 6-5 in 11 innings. Junior Danny Lawrence drew a bases loaded walk in the 11th to take the lead, but the Buckeyes added two runs in the bottom half earning the win on a sac fly off reliever Matt LaRocca.
Due to weather in the Akron area on Wednesday, the home opener versus Pitt was moved to the Panthers' campus. The game was tied 5-5 after the sixth inning, but Pittsburgh took control of the game with a five-run, eighth-inning rally and an 11-5 lead. The Zips added three runs in the ninth, but went on to lose, 11-8.
Last weekend…
Akron baseball went 1-2 in the three-game set against the University of Cincinnati. The Zips lost the opener on Friday 8-5, but bounced back for a shutout victory over the Bearcats 8-0 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Akron fell in the finale by a final score of 4-2.
Filling up the stat line…
Redshirt junior Devan Ahart currently leads the Akron offense in runs (17), batting average (.412), triples (two), home runs (three), stolen bases (10) and on-base percentage (.474). He's accumulated 10 multi-hit games, including six, three-hit contests.
The native of Orchard Lake, Mich., came into the week tied at 56th in the nation with a .407 batting average, now .412, and tied at 25th in the NCAA at 10 steals. In Tuesday's game at Ohio State, Ahart notched two triples and a double in five at-bats.
Hits keep on coming…
Overall, the Zips offense has accumulated a .282 batting average, .364 on-base percentage and 93 runs scored. The squad has totaled 10 or more hits in a game on 10 different occasions, with a season-high 18 hits totaled in the 13-5 win over Milwaukee on March 9. Heading into the midweek games, UA ranked 91st in the nation with a .279 batting average.
The rotation…
Sophomore John Valek III is set to make his fifth start of the season against Eastern Michigan on Friday in game one of the doubleheader. Valek III was tagged with the loss last Friday against Cincinnati, tossing 4.0 innings with four earned runs and two strikeouts. Overall, the southpaw leads the Akron rotation in ERA (2.19), innings pitched (24.2) and strikeouts (16). Valek ranks sixth in the MAC in ERA.
Sophomore JT Brubaker will take the mound for Akron in game two of Friday's doubleheader. The right-hander last pitched against Cincinnati on March 15, and turned in 6.0 scoreless innings with four hits allowed and three strikeouts. His record improved to 1-1 with the win.
Redshirt junior Myles McVeigh is the Akron starter for Saturday's finale vs. the Eagles. He's made three appearances out of the bullpen this season, pitching a total of 4.0 innings with one earned run and three strikeouts. McVeigh's last start was in the 2012 season against Canisius, when he allowed one run over 4.0 innings.
Bright spots in the bullpen…
Freshman Masashi Sakamoto has been one of the Zips strongest arms out of the bullpen thus far this season. He owns a 1.00 ERA over 9.0 innings with five strikeouts. Sakamoto has pitched 2.0 innings or more twice this season.
Fellow freshman Josh Davis had three straight scoreless appearances, totaling 6.0 innings and eight strikeouts, before allowing two runs on Wednesday against Pittsburgh. Last weekend, Davis followed Brubaker on the mound and completed the shutout vs. Cincinnati with 3.0 scoreless innings, one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
Youth movement…
Third-year head coach Rick Rembielak has seen early rewards from his freshman class this season from three standout position players in Dom Iero, Brian Lees and James Meeker III. Meeker III has started all 17 of Akron's games at third base this season, accumulating a .281 batting average with six runs scored and eight RBI. In 49 chances at third base, Meeker has had four errors. He went 3-for-5 with two RBI vs. Pitt on Wednesday.
Lees, a Brunswick, Ohio native, has started 12 of the past 13 Akron games, which included 10 starts behind the dish for UA. So far, he's recorded a .300 batting average with seven runs and four RBI, while also registering 10 runners caught stealing at catcher.
Iero came to the Zips from North Canton, Ohio, and has earned 11 starts so far in his freshman campaign. Overall, he has a .265 average with eight RBI, seven runs, three doubles and a homer. Earlier this season against Delaware State on March 2, Iero hit a grand slam and finished game going 2-for-4 with a season-high six RBI.
Scouting the Eagles…
Eastern Michigan comes into the weekend series with an 8-8 overall record this season. The team is batting a collective .285 with 121 runs scored, 42 doubles and 31 stolen bases. The lineup is led by Lee Longo, who is batting .406 with 10 doubles and 17 RBI this season.
The Eagles pitching staff has accumulated a 4.63 ERA this season. Ryan Lavoie leads all starting pitching with a 3.32 ERA, followed by Jake Andrews at a 3.96 ERA. Reliever Ben Dartnell owns a bullpen-low 1.04 ERA.
Akron holds an all-time series record of 16-28 against Eastern Michigan. The last weekend series matchup occurred in Ypsilanti, Mich., and ended with a UA series victory.
Weekend info...
Admission is free of charge to all Akron home games. Live stats and video will be available through GoZips.com during the series.
