Zips Baseball Opens 2021 Season Against Olivet College

Saturday, March 6

Akron, Ohio

12 PM

University of Akron

Olivet

Zips Baseball Opens 2021 Season Against Olivet College

March 05 | Baseball

GAMEDAY: Zips Baseball Opens 2021 Season Against Olivet College

Olivet Comets [0-0] at Akron Zips [0-0]

Saturday, March 6 (DH) | Noon | Skeeles Field | Akron, OH

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

2021 SEASON OPENER
After an abrupt end to the 2020 season, the newly revived Akron baseball team, led by second-year head coach Chris Sabo, opens the 2021 campaign with a pair of 9-inning games against Olivet Comets at Skeeles Field

Action begins on Saturday, March 6, with the first pitch slated for Noon. The 9-inning nightcap will follow at approximately 3 p.m.

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. After being reinstated in 2020, the Zips posted a 1-12 record in a shortened season caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Akron captured its lone win against Marshall, securing the first game of doubleheader 7-4 on March 8. Akron is slated to play the initial 14 games of the season at home.

THE SERIES
Saturday's doubleheader marks the first time in series history for Akron and Olivet. The Comets are led by fifth-year head coach Shelby Dixon. He guided the Comets to their first three-game winning streak since 2014 and an overall 4-8 record. The pitching staff recorded its lowest ERA since 2015, marking the fourth straight season of improvement under Dixon's guidance. The pitching staff was on pace for the most strikeouts in school history.

The offense was also poised for a historic year in 2020. The Comets were on pace to set the single-season stolen bases record before the pandemic ended the season. Olivet also finished the year with the best slugging percentage in the last decade. After 12 games, Olivet ranked fifth in all of NCAA Division III in stolen bases, while setting the single-game record with 13 stolen bases against Becker (Mass.) College on March 10.

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.