Zips Baseball: Akron Returns to Skeeles Field for Five-Game Homestand

Zips Baseball: Akron Returns to Skeeles Field for Five-Game Homestand

Akron hosts a midweek game against Walsh and #MACtion Weekend Series Against the Ball State Cardinals at Skeeles Field this week.

Akron Zips [9-6, 3-5 Mid-American]
Vs. Walsh [13-7, 11-5 Great Midwest] | Wednesday, April 7 | 3 p.m.
Vs. Ball State [15-9, 6-2 Mid-American] | Friday-Sunday, April 9-11

GAME COVERAGE
Wednesday, April 7 vs. Walsh | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Stream
Friday, April 9 vs. Ball State | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Stream
Saturday, April 10 vs. Ball State | Noon | Live Stats | Live Stream
Saturday, April 10 vs. Ball State | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Stream
Sunday, April 11 vs. Ball State | Noon | Live Stats | Live Stream

WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron baseball is back at Skeeles Field, hosting five games this week and starting with Walsh on Wednesday, April 7 at 3 p.m. Two days later, the Zips welcome the visiting Ball State Cardinals for a four-game #MACtion series on Friday-Sunday, April 9-11. 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 Noon start time.

Fans can follow the action live on Zips Digital Network live stream or via live stats on GoZips.com Links are also available on the baseball schedule page on GoZips.com.

Under the guidance of second-year head coach Chris Sabo, the Zips own a 9-11 overall record and 3-9 league mark after splitting a weekend series with Eastern Michigan, 2-2, and falling 3-1 and 4-0 to Bowling Green and Western Michigan, respectively.

The Zips have three players hitting above .300 as Bryant Shellenbarger (.345) leads the Zips offense with Cameron Tilly (.318) and Justin Barr (.310) following. Shellenbarger is 20-of-58 with 10 runs scored, seven RBI and two doubles, while Tilly leads the team with nine extra-base hits, including a team-highs with 16 RBI, 15 Runs scored five doubles and four homeruns. Tilly is 21-of-66. Barr adds seven extra-base hits with four doubles, two homeruns and a triple to a team-high 22 total hits in 71 attempts. He owns 14 RBI and 12 runs scored.

In league play, Shellenbarger (.355) and Barr (.302) are producing at .300 or better through the first three MAC series. Shellenbarger is 11-of-31 with one double, two RBI and four runs scored, while Barr is 13-of-43 with four extra-base hits. He blasted three doubles and a homerun with five RBI and four runs scored.

On the mound, Connor Steinbaugh (2-2) leads the Zips with 33 strikeouts and no walks allowed in 28.1 innings pitched. Steinbaugh owns a 3.49 ERA, allowing 22 hits and 11 earned runs. Steinbaugh fanned 11 batters in his first two outings ( and nine against BGSU. Taed Heydinger (1-2) owns a 2.74 ERA with 24 K's and 14 walks while allowing 14 hits and seven earned runs in 23 innings of work. John Creel (3-2) leads the Zips in the wins column with 26 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched. Creel has walked 20 batters while allowing only nine hits and 12 earned runs. Jackson Hickert has 24 strikeouts with a 2.40 ERA in 15.0 innings of work. He also struck out 11 batters against EMU.

Walsh Cavaliers
Walsh is 13-7 and 11-5 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). The Cavaliers have won six of the last seven games, including six straight before Hillsdale snapped the streak to avoid the series sweep.

The Cavaliers are hitting .261 as a team with 27 homeruns and are led by Brenden Spaulding (.407) with 33 hits in 81 at-bats. He has delivered a team-high 26 RBI and scored 17 runs with seven doubles and four homeruns. Andrew Czech blasted a team-best seven homeruns to go along with three doubles en route to a .349 batting average on 22-of-63. Joey Holiga (.338) and Cobe Hutchison (.319) follow with 27 and 22 hits, respectively. Holiga has 10 extra-base hits with six doubles and four bombs, while has four doubles and one homerun.

Ball State Cardinals
Ball State enters the weekend with an overall record of 15-9 and 6-2 in MAC play. The Cardinals have won six of the last seven games and riding a four-game winning streak, defeating Toledo (3-1) and a three-game sweep against Butler. For the season, Ball State is hitting .261 as a team and owns a 4.07 ERA.

The Cardinals have six players with 20 or more hits and three players batting above .300 as Adam Tellier (.400), Ross Messina (.318) and Decker Scheffler (.310) lead the way. Tellier owns a team-high 28 hits in 70 at-bats with three triples, three doubles and a homerun. He scored 19 runs and collected 13 RBI, while Messina has 27 hits in 85 at-bats with 18 RBI and 12 runs scored on seven doubles and two bombs. Scheffler is 13-of-42 with a homerun, triple and double. Nick Powell leads the team in homeruns (3).

On the mound, Chayce McDermott owns a 4-1 record with 2.38 ERA IN 34.0 innings of work. He has struck out 54 batters while allowing 25 hits, 12 walks, and nine earned runs. Lukas Jaksich issued 48 strikeouts with 10 free passes en route to a 3-1 overall record and 3.03 ERA. He allowed 29 hits and 11 earned runs in 32.2 innings pitched. John Baker is 2-1 with a 2.23 ERA with a team-best 40.1 innings pitched, striking out 43 batters with 14 walks.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

SP Conor Steinbaugh has 33 K's with 0 BB and 2 HBP in 28.1 IP
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

Zips Baseball: Akron Returns to Skeeles Field for Five-Game Homestand

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Players Mentioned

Justin Barr

John Creel

Taed Heydinger

Jackson Hickert

Bryant Shellenbarger

Conor Steinbaugh

Cameron Tilly

The University of Akron Athletics