The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Set for Three-Game Series at Northern Illinois
May 08 | Baseball
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team heads to Northern Illinois University for a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Ralph McKinzie Field, beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m., on both days.
Gameday Information
Friday – 3 PM
Akron: So., LHP John Valek III (4-4, 2.58 ERA, 69.2 IP, 17 BB, 23 K)
NIU: Sr., LHP Anthony Andres (3-6, 3.69 ERA, 61.0 IP, 34 BB, 25 K)
Saturday – 1 PM
Akron: So., RHP JT Brubaker (3-4, 3.67 ERA, 54.0 IP, 29 BB, 37 K)
NIU: Sro., RHP Eli Anderson (3-5, 3.71 ERA, 80.0 IP, 25 BB, 64 K)
Sunday – 1 PM
Akron: Jr., LHP Pat Dyer (3-3, 5.28 ERA, 44.1 IP, 15 BB, 37 K)
NIU: Sr., RHP Alex Klonowski (3-5, 2.56 ERA, 77.1 IP, 28 BB, 52 K)
Last weekend…
The Zips welcomed MAC West Division leader Ball State University for a three-game set at Lee R. Jackson Field this past weekend. UA opened the series with a 5-2 win on Friday aided by 7.1 dominant innings from John Valek III and a four-RBI afternoon from Kris Simonton.
Akron forced extra innings on Saturday with a three-run ninth inning, but ended on the losing end by a score of 4-3 in 11 innings. Despite the loss, JT Brubaker made a masterful start with 7.0 shutout innings and five strikeouts. Devan Ahart went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base, while Matt LaRocca and Daulton Mosbarger had one hit and one run scored apiece.
UA dropped the series finale Sunday by a final score of 5-3. Overall, Akron registered nine base hits on the afternoon, led by James Sheltrown and Simonton with two hits apiece. Sheltrown also had a run scored and two walks in the game.
The Zips are 23-23 overall and 10-11 in the MAC following the series loss to Ball State. The Zips are currently ranked seventh in the conference.
Career week…
Sophomore Kris Simonton had a career week totaling six RBI, three walks and a .375 batting average (6-for-16). He opened the week with two base hits, a run scored, one RBI, a stolen base and one walk in the 9-5 win over Wright State.
In the series opener vs. Ball State, Simonton was crucial to the Akron offense as he had two singles with the bases loaded, giving him a career-high four RBI. He went hitless with one walk in Saturday's contest, but came back on Sunday with two base hits, including one double, to go along with one RBI and a walk.
Simonton totaled a .474 on-base percentage for the week.
Need for speed…
The Zips have a 48th place standing in the nation with 66 steals as a team, while also having an 83 percent (66-79) success rate on steals this season. Redshirt junior Devan Ahart ranks tenth in the NCAA and second within the MAC with 26 stolen bases. James Sheltrown (11), Havrilak (9), and Simonton (8) follow Ahart in steals on the Akron roster.
Walk this way…
Sheltrown leads the mob with a .445 on-base percentage, which ranks fourth in the conference and 123rd in the NCAA. He is second on the team with 27 walks and first in hit by pitch with 14, while also laying down seven sacrifice bunts. This past weekend, Sheltrown scored six runs and drew three walks out of the leadoff spot.
Akron as a team ranks 148th in the nation with a .355 on-base percentage. Ahart (.412), Havrilak (.388), Simonton (.386) and Salem (.385) follow Sheltrown on the Zips in on-base percentage.
Ahart has a team-high 28 walks this season, ranking 130th in the NCAA and seventh in the MAC. Ahart is second in the conference with 19 walks in MAC play. The Zips have 182 overall walks, 87th in the nation.
Rotation…
Akron starting pitchers totaled 21 innings with six earned runs allowed and 14 strikeouts against a powerful Ball State offense, giving the rotation a 3.50 ERA for the weekend.
Sophomore John Valek III dropped his season ERA to 2.58, following a 7.1-inning, two-run performance in the series-opening win against Ball State. His ERA ranks 194th in the country, and has had five starts lasting 6.0 innings or more with two earned runs or less. His longest start of the season was a complete game shutout over Ohio on April 11, which garnered him MAC East Pitcher of the Week honors.
Sophomore JT Brubaker had his strongest start of the season on Saturday with 7.0 shutout innings with five strikeouts against Ball State. Overall in 2014, Brubaker has a 3.67 ERA over 54.0 innings, second only to Valek on the rotation. He is tied for the team lead with 37 strikeouts.
Junior Pat Dyer made his return to the weekend rotation, and turned in 6.2 innings pitched with a season-high seven strikeouts. Dyer has made nine starts overall this season, accruing a 3-3 record on the mound. He has 37 strikeouts compared to 15 walks in 2014.
Scouting the Huskies…
Northern Illinois enters the weekend with a 15-32 record and 9-12 in the MAC at the helm of 12th-year head coach Ed Mathey. The team bats a collective .218 led by Brian Sisler with a .304 batting average. Alex Klonowski has driven in the most runs with 20 RBI, while also leading the weekend rotation with a 2.56 ERA. The Huskies pitching staff has a 4.46 ERA in 2014.
Akron holds a 12-18 all-time series record against NIU.
Looking ahead…
Following three games at Northern Illinois, the Zips will have just four remaining games in the 2014 regular season slate. UA has a home game at Lee R. Jackson Field on Tuesday against non-conference opponent Dayton, before a three-game series against rival Kent State.
The first game of the series will be in downtown Akron at Canal Park for the Diamond Classic at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, May 15. The final two games of the series will be at KSU on Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m.
