Zips Baseball: Akron Hosts Four Games at Skeeles Field this Week

Zips Baseball: Akron Hosts Four Games at Skeeles Field this Week

Wittenberg Tigers [0-0] at Akron Zips [2-0]
Wednesday, March 10 | 3 p.m. | Skeeles Field | Akron, OH

GAME COVERAGE
Video Stream: http://bit.ly/2N7klpO
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/3efnu22

WHAT'S AHEAD
A big week lies ahead for the Akron baseball team as the Zips host four 9-inning ballgames against Wittenberg, Salem, Grand Valley State and Mercyhurst at Skeeles Field.

Akron continues the 14-game homestand on Wednesday, March 10 against Wittenberg at 3 p.m., and the following day, the Zips welcome Salem at 2 p.m. Akron wraps-up the week against Grand Valley on Friday, 12 at 3 p.m. and Mercyhurst on Sunday, March 14 at Noon.

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 second-year head coach Chris Sabo, the Zips return to the field with five seniors, 19 juniors, four sophomores, and 10 freshmen.

The Zips enter the week 2-0 after sweeping a twinbill against Olivet College. In the Zips' season opener, Akron received a one-hit shutout as three pitchers combined for the effort with junior Conor Steinbaugh (Georgetown, Ill.) securing the win. Steinbaugh faced the minimum number of batters while hurling five hitless innings and collecting seven strikeouts in the 13-0 victory. Junior Cameron Tilly (Canberra, Australia ) paced the offense with a 3-for-4 performance, including two extra-base hits with a grand slam and a double. He drove in four of the Zips' 13 runs and scored three times. Akron went on to claim the second game 9-1. On the day, eight Zips delivered multiple hit performances with six extra-base hits which included four doubles, a triple and a grand slam.

Junior Roy Thurman (Indianapolis, Ind.) leads the Zips' offensive efforts with a 4-of-8 showing at the plate and a .500 BA. Thurman recorded two RBI and a double. Tilly follows with a .429 BA on 3-of-7 hitting, while senior Connor Regan (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) is third overall with a .375 BA three RBI and two runs scored.

THE OPPONENTS
Wittenberg will be playing its first game of the season as the Tigers posted a 7-3 overall record last season with a 4.72 team ERA. Tanner Griggs (2-0, 4.63 ERA) and Nick Cunningham (2-1, 2.79 ERA) issued a pair of wins each. The Tigers averaged 10.0 hits per game, spraying 102 total hits with five of them leaving the yard. Wittenberg also distributed 30 doubles and five triples with 49 walks and 69 strikeouts.

Salem is 2-6 this season, opening the season with four-straight losses before taking a doubleheader from Concord. The last time out, Salem dropped a doubleheader to Mercyhurst, who Akron plays on Sunday.

Mercyhurst swept the Tigers by scores of 4-3 and 18-4 en route to a 3-1 start to the season – the Lakers split a doubleheader with Wheeling. The Mercyhurst pitching staff owns a collective 3.63 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 99 plate appearances. Michael Krauza recorded a team-best seven punchouts and owns a 1.62 ERA in 4.1 innings. Offensively, the Lakers have issued seven homeruns and 21-of-45 hits have been for extra bases. Jack Elliott owns three of those homeruns and sports a .353 batting average on a 6-of-17 effort. Phillip Ferranti leads the team with a .462 batting average on 6-of-13 hitting with two doubles, homerun, four RBI and two runs scored. Tyler Zaluski also distributed six hits with a second-best .429 BA with a homerun, double and three RBI.

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]

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Akron opens its 118th season in 2021 after a four-year hiatus and a shortened 12-game season. 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.

MAC PREDICTIONS
Central Michigan was selected to win the 2021 Mid-American Conference title in a preseason poll conducted by the league's 11 head coaches.

The Chippewas won both the MAC regular-season and tournament championships in 2019, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995.

It was Jordan Bischel's first season in charge of the program, and he was named the MAC Coach of the Year after leading his club to a program-record-tying 47 victories. CMU's .770 win percentage (47-14) was the fifth best in the nation and the Chippewas improved their win total by 18 games over the previous season.

The MAC baseball season begins on Friday, February 19, while conference play starts up Friday, March 19. For more information visit getsomemaction.com or follow the MAC on Twitter at @MACSports.

2021 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Michigan (4 first place votes) – 111 points
2. Kent State (5) – 110 points
T3. Miami (1) – 96 points
T3. Ball State – 96 points
5. Northern Illinois (1) – 72 points
6. Western Michigan – 63 points
7. Ohio – 56 points
8. Toledo – 45 points
9. Eastern Michigan – 36 points
10. Bowling Green – 28 points
11. Akron – 13 points

UP NEXT
Akron has a big week ahead, hosting three 9-inningh contests next week as Wittenbrg, Salem and Mercyhurst are scheduled to visit Skeeles Field. Akron opens the week on Wednesday, March 10 Akron hosts Wittenberg at 3 p.m., and the following day, the Zips welcome Salem at 2 p.m. Akron wraps-up the week against Mercyhurst on Sunday, March 14 at Noon.

Zips Baseball: Akron Hosts Four Games at Skeeles Field this Week

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Players Mentioned

Connor Regan

Conor Steinbaugh

Roy Thurman

Cameron Tilly

The University of Akron Athletics