Zips Host the Ohio Bobcats for Final Home #MACtion Series

Zips Host the Ohio Bobcats for Final Home #MACtion Series

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Akron hosts its final #MACtion four-game weekend series of the year as the Ohio Bobcats visits Skeeles Field this weekend. On Sunday, the Akron Baseball program will recognize the 2021 Class prior to first pitch.

Akron Zips [11-31, 5-27 MAC] vs Ohio Bobcats [24-17, 15-13 MAC]
Friday-Sunday, May 7-16 | Skeeles Field | Akron, Ohio

GAME COVERAGE
GM1 Fri – 3 PM - https://bit.ly/3tCC08l
GM2 Sat (1) – Noon - https://bit.ly/3tCC08l
GM3 Sat (2) – 3 PM - https://bit.ly/3tCC08l
GM4 Sun – Noon - https://bit.ly/3tCC08l

Live Stats - https://bit.ly/3efnu22

WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron baseball is back at Skeeles Field hosting its final weekend series of the season as the Ohio Bobcats is in town for a four-game Mid-American Conference series on Friday, May 14-16 at Skeeles Field.

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 after the Akron Baseball program recognizes its 2021 Class.

Fans can follow the action on Zips Digital Network 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 11-31 overall record and 5-27 league mark, defeating Eastern Michigan twice for a series split, and taking one game from Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Kent State while dropping four games to Western Michigan, Ball State, Toledo and Central Michigan.

The Zips are hitting .220 as a team through 32 league games led by Bryant Shellenbarger (.286 AVG) with a team-high 26-for-91 effort including two doubles, a homerun, seven RBI and eight runs scored. Justin Barr (.230 AVG) and Bradley Goulet (.230 AVG) follow with 23-for-100 and 20-for-87 performances, respectively. Barr blasted three doubles and two homeruns with eight RBI and eight runs scored, while Goulet delivered two doubles and a homerun with four RBI and 11 runs scored. Cameron Tilly (.217) and Connor Regan (.208) also collected 20 or more hits for the Zips in MAC play as Tilly is 20-of-92 and Regan is 21-of-101. Regan leads the RBI category with 11 and Jerry Reinhart follows with 10 RBI

On the mound, Taed Heydinger (6.10 ERA), Anthony Fett (6.53 ERA) and Connor Steinbaugh (3.42 ERA) have collected the most innings pitched at 41.1, 30.1 and 26.1, respectively. Heydinger is 0-6 in eight appearances, while Steinbaugh is 2-2 in with five appearances. Steinbaugh recorded 28 strikeouts with one walks in league play and 39 K's with one walk overall to lead the Zips.

Ohio Bobcats
Ohio enters the weekend with an overall record of 24-17 and 15-13 in conference play. The Bobcats have split the last two weekend series with Miami and Kent State.

The Bobcats have four players hitting over .300 in league play and three players just under as Harry Witwer-Dukes (.326 AVG) leads the way. Witer-Dukes has 30 hits in 92 at-bats and owns a team-high eight doubles and three homeruns with 16 RBI and 14 runs scored. Mason Minzey (.323 AVG) is 20-of-62 with six doubles, two homeruns, 15 RBI and 13 runs scored. Joe Weisenseel (.302 AVG) and Sebastian Fabik (.301 AVG) round out the .300-plus hitting 16 and 28 hits, respectively. Trevor Hafner (.290 AVG), Aaron Levy (.288 AVG) and Isaiah Peterson (.280 AVG) are just under the .300 threshold as Levy leads the squad in round trippers with five bombs.

On the mound, Joe Rock (2.30 ERA) owns a 5-0 record in seven starting appearances with one complete game. In 43.0 innings pitched he has allowed 34 hits and 14 runs (11 earned runs) while dishing out a second-best 51 strikeouts and 18 walks. Edward Kutt IV (4.15 ERA) follows with a team-high 54 strikeouts in 39.0 innings pitched for a 5-3 record on 2-of-13 starting appearances. He has allowed 35 hits, 21 runs scored and seven base on balls.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

Steinbaugh relinquishes first walk of the season 28 K's in MAC play and 39 K's for the season
Zips posted another MAC win defeating Kent State 2-1
Zips snapped a 25-game winless streak, Defeating NIU 7-4 on the road.
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

Zips Host the Ohio Bobcats for Final Home #MACtion Series

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Players Mentioned

Justin Barr

Anthony Fett

Bradley Goulet

Taed Heydinger

Connor Regan

Jerry Reinhart

Bryant Shellenbarger

Conor Steinbaugh

Cameron Tilly

Tate Wargo

The University of Akron Athletics