Akron Travels to Northern Illinois for Weekend #MACtion

Friday, April 30

DeKalb, IL

3 PM ET

University of Akron

Northern Illinois

Akron Travels to Northern Illinois for Weekend #MACtion

April 29 | Baseball

Akron Travels to Northern Illinois for Weekend #MACtion
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Akron Travels to DeKalb, Ill. for #MACtion Weekend Series Against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Akron Zips [9-25, 3-21 MAC] at Northern Illinois [7-27, 6-14 MAC]
Friday-Sunday, April 30-May 2 | Ralph McKinzie Field | | DeKalb, Ill.

GAME COVERAGE
Watch on NIU All-Access
GM1 Fri - https://bit.ly/3vocwwc
GM2 Sat (1) - https://bit.ly/3vocwwc
GM3 Sat (2) - https://bit.ly/3vocwwc
GM4 Sun - https://bit.ly/3vocwwc

Live Stats - https://bit.ly/3u3ejGN

WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron baseball is back in #MACtion traveling to DekAlb, Ill. for a four-game Mid-American Conference series against the Northern Illinois on Friday-Sunday, April 30-May 2 at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Friday's game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET first pitch while Saturday's doubleheader is slated to begin at 1 p.m. ET. 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. ET start time.

Fans can follow the action on NIU All-Access or via live stats on GoZips.com. Links are also available on the baseball schedule page.

Under the guidance of second-year head coach Chris Sabo, the Zips own a 9-25 overall record and 3-21 league mark, defeating Eastern Michigan twice for a series split and Bowling Green once posting a 1-3 series record while dropping four games to Western Michigan, Ball State, Toledo and Central Michigan.

The Zips are hitting .224 as a team through 24 league games led by Bryant Shellenbarger (.328) with a team-high 21-for-64 effort including two doubles, a homerun, five RBI and seven runs scored. Justin Barr (.260) follows in batting average and hits, 19-of-73 with five extra-base hits. He blasted three doubles and two homeruns with six RBI and five runs scored.

On the mound, Taed Heydinger (4.78 ERA), Anthony Fett (6.16 ERA) and Connor Steinbaugh (4.67 ERA) have collected the most innings pitched at 32.0, 19.0 and 17.1, respectively. Heydinger is 0-4 in six appearances, while Steinbaugh is 1-2 in with three appearances. Steinbaugh recorded 22 strikeouts with no walks in league play and 33 K's with zero walks overall to lead the Zips.

Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois enters the weekend with an overall record of 7-27 and 6-14 in conference play. The Huskies have dropped five straight games after splitting a series with Ohio and falling in four games to Ball State.

The Huskies have two players hitting over .300 as Kam Smith (.341) leads the way. Smith has 42 hits in 123 at-bats with a team-best nine homeruns, three doubles and one triple, collecting 22 RBI and 22 runs scored. Dylan Lonteen also has 22 RBI. Jake Dunham follows with a .305 BA with a 36-for-118 performance which includes a team-high 13 doubles, three homeruns, 19 RBI and 17 runs scored.

On the mound, Brandon McPherson (3.38 ERA) owns a 2-3 record starting 8-of-10 appearances. In 48.0 innings pitched he has allowed 42 hits and 22 runs while dishing out 50 strikeouts and 20 walks. Michael Lasiewicz (5.23 ERA) follows with 53.1 innings pitched and a 1-5 record on 9-of-9 starting appearances. He has allowed 53 hits and 38 runs scored with 40 strikeouts and 20 walks. Rounding out the top starters is Connor Langreder with a 2-4 record with nine appearances and eight starts. In 32.1 innings pitched, he allowed 36 hits and 29 runs with 37 K's and 28 BB's.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

Bryant Shellenbarger leads the offense with 21 hits and a .328 BA
Tate Wargo went 3-of-3 against Ball State with BB and HBP
Zips are looking to snap a 22-game setback streak
SP Conor Steinbaugh has 33 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