The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
vs. Oakland (DH)
Akron Baseball Opens 2020 Season with Oakland
February 14 | Baseball
2020 SEASON OPENER
OAKLAND [0-0] at AKRON [0-0] Â
Saturday, Feb. 15 | 1 PM
Sunday, Feb. 16 (DH) | 11 AM
Skeeles Field | Akron, OH
GameNotes in PDF
Sabo Video Preview
Video Stream: Zips Digital Network on GoZips.com
Live Stats: –
THIS WEEK
The Boys are Back in Town!
The Chris Sabo Era begins this weekend as Akron opens the 2020 baseball season against Oakland.
Action begins on Saturday, Feb. 15, with a 1 p.m. contest. Action continues on Sunday, Feb. 16, with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. All games will be played at Skeeles Field. Admission is FREE.
A live stream will be available on the Zips Digital Network on GoZips.com. Links are available on the baseball schedule page.
Under the guidance of first-year head coach Chris Sabo, Akron takes the field with all newcomers. The roster breakdown features two seniors, 22 juniors, one sophomore, and eight freshmen.
Expected to start on the mound for the Zips this weekend are redshirt junior RHP Taed Heydinger (Bayfield, Colo.), junior RHP Jacob Wosinski (Ada, Mich.), and junior RHP Quinton Kujawa (Mt. Vernon, Ill.).
Last season at Fullerton College, Heydinger appeared in 16 games with a team-best 12 starts . He pitched 74.2 innings, fanning 68 and walking 34. He also recorded one save.
At Grand Rapids Community College in 2019, Wosinski earned second-team All-Conference honors. He appeared in 11 games with 10 starts. He pitched four complete games and 53.0 innings, striking out 80 and walking 23.
At Lewis & Clark in 2019, Kujawa went 7-2 overall with a 2.06 ERA in 11 starts with 65 strikeouts and 23 walks in 65.2 innings pitched. He earned second-team All-Conference honors as a freshman in 2018.
The Golden Grizzlies, under the guidance of acting head coach Justin Karn, return 16 starters. First-year head coach Colin Kaline has taken a medical leave of absence for health-related reasons.
Junior IF Mario Camilletti is the Grizzlies' top returning hitter. Last spring he batted .306 with 52 hits, 25 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Junior IF Blake Griffith batted .284 in 2019 with 46 hits, 31, RBI, and eight doubles. On the mound, Oakland welcomes a young bullpen. Junior RHP Beau Keathley is expected to start the first game. Last season the first-team All-Horizon League selection led the team with 83 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA.
AKRON-OAKLAND CONNECTIONS
Akron has two players from the state of Michigan on its roster– redshirt junior C Josh Beck [Ottawa Lake, Mich. | Whiteford HS] and junior RHP Jacob Wosinski [Ada, Mich. | Lowell HS].
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Oakland has two players from Ohio– junior IF Blake Griffith [Grove City, Ohio | Grove City] and junior LHP Dan Rutan [Grove City, Ohio | Grove City].
AKRON-OAKLAND COMMON OPPONENTS
During the 2020 season, both Akron and Oakland will face Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Michigan State, Toledo, and Youngstown State.
AKRON-OAKLAND SERIES
Akron holds a 4-2 series advantage over Oakland since the teams first met in 1972. The Zips won the two-game series over the Golden Grizzlies in 1972 and 1974, but dropped the series in 1977.
SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Oakland: 4-2
Akron in games at Akron: 0-0
Akron in games at Oakland: 0-2
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1972, W, 4-3 [unknown place]
Last meeting in series: 1977, at Oakland, L, 1-2
ZIPS QUICK HITS
- Akron has 11 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio.
- Head coach Chris Sabo played third base for the Cincinnati Reds [1988-93, 1996-97].
- Akron is one of two baseball teams that have been reinstated for the 2020 season. Boise State, which dropped baseball in 1980, also returns to the baseball diamond this spring.
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Akron opens its 117th season in 2020 after a four-year hiatus. With the resurrection of baseball for the 2020 season on the University of Akron campus came the renovation of its home field.
A part of the Lee R. Jackson Athletics Complex, Skeeles Field underwent major renovation in the Fall of 2019. Thanks to the generous gift from Bill '77 and Mary Skeeles, the new playing surface is 110,00 square feet of playing area covered with Sprinturf Ultra-blade, including the pitching mound, batter's box, and bullpens. A complete re-grading of the infield surface took place first before a drainage system was added. A 25-foot Daktronics inning-by-inning scoreboard will be installed in March 2020. Future additions include bleacher seating and a pressbox.
A formal dedication ceremony with the Skeeles is slated for Friday, March 20.
ZIPS IN THE PROS
Three former Zips are currently listed on professional baseball rosters– RHP Chris Bassitt (Oakland Athletics), RHP J.T. Brubaker (Indianapolis Indians), and OF Joey Havrilak (West Michigan Whitecaps). Since 1969, 29 Zips have signed contracts with professional teams.
ZIPS TO PLAY RIVAL AT CANAL PARK
Akron will take on crosstown rival Kent State on Tuesday, April 28, at 3 p.m. at Canal Park, the home of the Akron RubberDucks. The two single games against the Golden Flashes do not count as Mid-American Conference games this season.
CRYSTAL CLINIC WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE
Akron tackles Kent State each year for the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge. The 16-sport rivalry series between Akron and Kent State is based on a time-honored competition for an historic wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. Â
This season, baseball returns as one of the sports in the all-sport competition.
Since the 2011-12 academic year, the rivalry was broadened to include 16 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings. To learn more about the rivalry and follow the results and standings, visit:
www.WagonWheelChallenge.com
MAC PREDICTIONS
Central Michigan, which received three first-place votes, was the preseason favorite to capture the 2020 regular-season MAC title. Kent State and Ball State followed, separated by one point, while Miami was fourth.
Northern Illinois was fifth, followed by Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green.
Newcomer Akron was selected 11th. The Zips' program is back in action this spring following a four-year hiatus. Only Buffalo (2000-17) does not currently field a baseball team.
Kent State was the overwhelming favorite to win the 2020 MAC Tournament which will be held May 20-24 at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
Perfect Game picked Akron eighth in the MAC, while Baseball America has the Zips 10th.
UP NEXT
Akron packs its bags for its first road trip of the season. The Zips visit Pepperdine on Feb. 21-23 for three games.
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