The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Opens Three-Game Series on Friday with Bowling Green
April 17 | Baseball
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Season Update with Head Coach Rick Rembielak
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team looks to extend its current six game win streak as the Zips play host to Bowling Green State University for a three-game Mid-American Conference series beginning on Friday at 3 p.m., on Lee R. Jackson Field. The series will continue on Saturday at 2 p.m., and wrap up on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Gameday Information
Friday – 3 PM
BGSU: R-Sr., RHP Mike Frank (2-4, 3.66 ERA, 51.2 IP)
Akron: So., LHP John Valek III (3-2, 2.28 ERA, 51.1 IP)
Saturday – 2 PM
BGSU: So., LHP Brett Fitzwater (1-1, 6.00 ERA, 12.0 IP)
Akron: So., RHP JT Brubaker (3-2, 3.96 ERA, 38.2 IP)
Sunday – 1 PM
BGSU: R-Fr., LHP Andrew Lacinak (3-3, 4.81 ERA, 39.1 IP)
Akron: R-Jr., RHP Myles McVeigh (1-1, 2.86 ERA, 22.0 IP)
Coverage: Video and play-by-play with Bill Morgan, along with live stats, will be available through GoZips.com.
Midweek action…
Akron had one non-conference matchup against Western Michigan on Wednesday, resulting in an 8-2 win for the Zips. Junior Pat Dyer made a strong start over 6.0 scoreless innings with four hits allowed.
Devan Ahart led the mob with a team-high three base hits and one run scored. Derek Carmichael, Daulton Mosbarger and James Sheltrown had two hits apiece in the contest, with Sheltrown leading the squad with two runs.
Last weekend…
The Zips swept MAC East foe Ohio University in a three-game series at Lee R. Jackson Field this past weekend. Sophomore John Valek III opened the weekend with his first collegiate complete game shutout en route to an 8-0 victory in game one. Freshman James Meeker III went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI, while Sheltrown tied Meeker for the team high with two RBI of his own.
Not to be outdone, sophomore JT Brubaker went 6.0 innings with one hit, one run allowed and four strikeouts in game two, as the Zips clinched the series at a final score of 7-1. Freshman Masashi Sakamoto notched his first collegiate save after 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit allowed in the contest. Ahart, Kris Simonton and Meeker had two hits apiece.
Akron was off to a rough start on Sunday, going down 3-0 after the first. However, the Zips fought back as Matt Rembielak provided two clutch at-bats, the first a game-tying RBI single to left and the second go-ahead sac fly in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Simonton led the squad with two runs and two base hits.
Raking in accolades…
Valek received his first career Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week award for his complete game shutout performance. A native of Parkland, Fla., Valek has been an integral part of the Akron rotation for the past two seasons. He's shown growth in the Friday role this season, totaling a rotation-low 2.28 ERA on a 3-2 record over 51.1 innings pitched.
He has allowed 13 earned runs while striking out 20 batters with zero wild pitches. Valek ranks sixth in the MAC with a 2.28 ERA in 2014. He is the second Akron pitcher to win the weekly award, as junior Myles McVeigh earned the honor for his nine-strikeout performance against EMU (03/22/2014).
History in the making…
Akron is amidst one of the most successful seasons in program history at a 9-3 record through four weekends of Mid-American Conference play. Third-year head coach Rick Rembielak has the team on a current six game win streak, and has led the team to its best mark through 12 league games in the history of the program in the MAC.
The Zips have dominated in their home ballpark, collecting series sweeps over MAC opponents Eastern Michigan and Ohio. UA played a home game at Canal Park against Canisius on April 2, a walk-off victory, which gives the squad a perfect 7-0 record overall at home.
UA last had a winning record in the conference during the 2005 season at a record of 11-8. Akron's best finish in the MAC was a final record of 18-12 in the 1995 season. The Zips last won the MAC Tournament in the 1996 season.
Offense staying consistent…
In Wednesday's 8-2 win over WMU, Akron posted 13 hits, which marks the 16th time this season UA has recorded 10 hits or more. The team registered a season-high 18 base hits in the 13-5 rout of Milwaukee on March 9.
Akron batting average leaders with 60 at-bats include Devan Ahart (.328), Brian Lees (.323), Matt Rembielak (.316), Joey Havrilak (.315) and James Sheltrown (.287). The Zips team batting average of .272 ranks sixth in the MAC and 127th in the nation. The squad also ranks 107th in scoring in the NCAA at 5.4 runs per game.
Sheltrown has shown a prowess in getting on base, leading the offense with a .443 on-base percentage. The Springboro, Ohio native is second on the team in walks (17), fifth in hits (27), and first in hit by pitch (10). Sheltrown is tied for third overall with 10 HBP, while tied for the conference lead with six HBP in MAC play.
Akron owns a .358 team on-base percentage, good for 124th in the country.
Running wild…
Akron has racked up 47 stolen bases this season, led by Ahart with 17 overall this season. Following Ahart in the top four are Havrilak (9), Sheltrown (7) and Kris Simonton (6). Ahart leads the conference in league games with seven stolen bases, while Havrilak is tied for third with five MAC play steals. Ahart's 17 steals in 2014 rank third overall in the MAC.
UA ranks 63rd in the nation with 1.38 steals per game.
Scouting the Falcons…
Bowling Green rolls into Akron with a 13-9 overall record and a 5-7 record in the conference. The squad bats a collective .274, led by Brian Bien at .353. In MAC games, T.J. Losby has performed well batting .422 with eight RBI and a .511 slugging percentage.
The Falcon pitching staff owns a 5.54 ERA in the MAC, while posting a 4.93 ERA overall. Akron will be scheduled to face Mike Frank (2-4, 3.66 ERA, 51.2 IP), Brett Fitzwater (1-1, 6.00 ERA, 12.0 IP), and Andrew Lacinak (3-3, 4.81 ERA, 39.1 IP) this weekend.
Bowling Green has two strong relievers in Jason Link (1.96 ERA, 23.0 IP) and Ethan McKenney (2.70 ERA, 20.0 IP).
Familiarity on the bench…
First-year volunteer assistant coach Spencer Schmitz came to the Akron baseball program, after spending time as assistant coach to his father, Danny Schmitz, on the Bowling Green baseball team.
Schmitz served as assistant coach for the Bowling Green State University baseball team since fall 2007, and was a part of a staff that saw two regular season MAC Championships and one MAC Tournament Championship in that time period.
He also has a history playing for the Bowling Green baseball team from 2001-04. Schmitz was a member of the 2001 MAC East Championship team and the 2002 MAC Championship team. He was also named to the Academic All-MAC team in 2002.
Schedule change…
Due to the festivities surrounding the Football spring game, Saturday's contest has been pushed back to 2 p.m. Sunday's game will remain at the originally scheduled 1 p.m., first pitch.
