Zips Baseball: Enters First Road MAC Series

Friday, April 2

Kalamazoo, MI

3 PM

University of Akron

Western Michigan

April 01 | Baseball

Zips Baseball: Enters First Road MAC Series

Akron Travels to Kalamazoo, Mich. for #MACtion Weekend Series Against the Western Michigan Broncos at Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

Akron Zips [9-6, 3-5 MAC] at Western Michigan [3-11, 3-5 MAC]
Friday-Saturday, April 2-4 | Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. | Kalamazoo, Mich.

GAME COVERAGE
Friday, April 2 vs. Western Michigan | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | WMU Radio
Saturday, April 3 vs. Western Michigan | Noon | Live Stats | WMU Radio
Saturday, April 3vs. Western Michigan | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | WMU Radio
Sunday, April 4 vs. Western Michigan | 1 p.m. | Live Stats | WMU Radio

WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron baseball enters its third Mid-American Conference series of the season and first away from Skeeles Field as the Zips travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a four-game series against the Western Michigan Broncos on Friday-Sunday, April 2-4. Friday's game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch while Saturday's doubleheader is slated to begin at Noon. The nightcap of the doubleheader will start approximately 30 minutes after game one, and Sunday's series finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time.

Fans can follow the action via live stats on GoZips.com or hear the action on WMU Radio. Links are also available on the baseball schedule page.

Under the guidance of second-year head coach Chris Sabo, the Zips own a 9-6 overall record and 3-5 league mark after splitting the weekend series with Eastern Michigan, 2-2, and falling 3-1 to Bowling Green.

Bryant Shellenbarger (.344) leads the Zips offense through the first two MAC series. He is 11-of-32 with two doubles, 3 RBI and five runs scored. Justin Barr (.326) follows in batting average but leads the squad in hits, 14-of-43 with five extra-base hits. He blasted four doubles and a homerun with seven RBI and four runs scored.

On the mound, Connor Steinbaugh and John Creel lead the Zips in innings pitched with 18.1 and 15.0 respectively. Steinbaugh is 2-1 with four appearances and a 2.49 ERA with 31 strikeouts and no walks issued. He fanned 11 in his first two outings and nine the last time out against BGSU. He has allowed 14 hits and seven earned runs. Creel is 3-1in four appearances with a 4.00 ERA. He has allowed seven hits and eight earned runs while issuing 16 free passes and striking out 23 batters. Jackson Hickert has 24 strikeouts with a 2.40 ERA in 15.0 innings of work. He also struck out 11 batters against EMU.

Western Michigan Broncos
Western Michigan enters the weekend with an overall record of 3-11 and 3-5 in conference play. The Broncos are coming off a split last weekend with in-state foe Eastern Michigan as WMU hit .328 and had an ERA of 2.82 in the four-game series.

In league play, Conor Charping (.310), Sean O'Keefe (.300) and Jimmy Allen (.290) have led the Broncos through MAC play with nine hits each. Charping and O'Keefe both have four RBI, while O'keefe dispersed two doubles and a homerun.

On the mound, Will Mullen (1.10 ERA) and Jack Huisman (2.13 ERA) lead the way with 16.1 and 12.2 innings pitched, while Ryan Watt (0.87 ERA) follows with 10.1 innings of work. Mullen (1-0) leads the trio with 13 K's and seven walks, allowing nine hits and two earned runs. Huisman (1-0) allowed 11 hits, three earned runs with 11 strikeouts and two walks, while Watt issued four strikeouts and three walks with 10 hits and one earned run.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

SP Conor Steinbaugh has 31 K's with 0 BB and 2 HBP
Zips swept the MAC doubleheader against EMU, marking the first two league wins for head coach Chris Sabo and the first MAC win since 2015 for the program.
Barr went 8-17 against EMU with 3 RBI a homerun and a double, including a 4-for-6 performance in the extra-inning setback.
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 opened 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