The University of Akron Athletics
Friday, February 16
Winston Salem, N.C.
10:00 AM
University of Akron
vs
Illinois
Baseball Faces Illinois, Fordham, and No. 1 Wake Forest To Begin The Season
February 15 | Baseball
WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
The season opener between Akron and Illinois represents the first game of the 2024 NCAA DI baseball season as the Zips and the Fighting Illini are scheduled to throw the first pitch of a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. The Blue and Gold focus shifts to Fordham for a 9-inning contest on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. before opening weekend concludes with a battle against No. 1 ranked Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Illinois: (GM 1): Stats | Audio Illinois Broadcast - (GM 2): Stats | Audio Illinois Broadcast
Fordham: Stats |
Wake Forrest: Stats | Video |Â
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A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Against Illinois
Illinois Leads 6-1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
First Meeting: Akron 12-Illinois 7 (03/20/99 | Jacksonville, Fla.) Â Â Â Â Â
Last Meeting: Illinois 7-Akron 6 (03/19/10 | Winter Haven, Fla.)
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Against Fordham
Tied 2-2
First Meeting: Fordham 7-Akron 6 (03/13/98 | Ormond Beach, Fla.)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Last Meeting: Akron 14-Fordham 11 (Jacksonville, Fla.)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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Against Wake Forest
Wake Forest Leads 2-0
First Meeting: Wake Forest 11-Akron 2 (02/20/09 | Winston-Salem, N.C.)Â
Last Meeting: Wake Forest 16-Akron 15 (02/21/09 | Winston Salem, N.C.)
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STAT LEADERS (2023)
Akron: Batting Average: Jack Poist (.298) | Hits: Jack Poist (59) |Â Home Runs: Jack Firestone (17) | RBI: Jack Firestone (38) | Stolen Bases: Ian Pennington (19) | Wins: Three Tied (4) | Strikeouts: Sammy Tortorella (74) | ERA: Yassir Kahook (4.26) | Saves: Emmett Gillies (3) |
Illinois: Batting Average: Camden Janik (.308) | Hits: Cam McDonald (65) | Home Runs: Drake Westcott (18) | RBI: Drake Westcott (47) | Stolen Bases: Cal Hejza (8) | Wins: Jack Wenninger (6) | Strikeouts: Jack Wenninger (76) | ERA: Korey Bunselmeyer (2.81) | Saves: TJ Constertina (4)|
Fordham: Batting Average: Zach Selinger (.326) | Hits: Daniel Bucciero (63) |Â Home Runs: Zach Selinger (12)Â | RBI: Two Tied (41) | Stolen Bases: Two Tied (9) | Wins: Aric Berg (4) | Strikeouts: Two Tied (67) | ERA: Ryan Egan (4.22) | Saves: Ben Kovel (8) |
Wake Forest: Batting Average: Two Tied (.353) | Hits: Tommy Hawke (95) |Â Home Runs: Brock Wilken (.345) | RBI: Brock Wilken (82) | Stolen Bases: Tommy Hawke (14) | Wins: Rhett Lowder (15) |
Strikeouts: Rhett Lowder (143) | ERA: Rhett Lowder (1.87) | Saves: Camden Minacci (13) |
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A NEW ERA FOR ZIPS BASEBALL
Akron will have a new face leading the charge this season with Brian Faulds taking over the Zips in 2024. Faulds, who most recently was the head coach at St. Edward's (Div. II). Faulds led the Hilltoppers to a 72-43 overall record the past two seasons that featured a pair of NCAA Regional appearances. Faulds is no stranger to the MAC with a stint at Ohio University from 2015-17 where he served as the pitching coach.
SCOUTING REPORT
Akron begins the season with four games against three teams from three different conferences.
The Zips first take on Illinois for a doubleheader. The Fighting Illini finished 8th in the Big Ten with a 12-12 conference record and a 25-27 overall record. Illinois finished the season with defeats to Indiana and Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.
Akron will then move its attention to Fordham. The Rams finished 7-17 in the Atlantic-10 conference and 19-36 overall.
Capping off the opening week is a battle with Wake Forest, who finished 54-12 overall, 22-7 in the ACC and 29-3 at home last season. Wake Forest fell to Miami in the ACC Tournament semifinals and ultimately saw its season end in the College World Series in a winner-take-all extra-inning affair with LSU.
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ZIPS AT A GLANCE
COMMON OPPONENTS
Illinois: Fordham, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio State,
Fordham: Dayton, Wake Forest, Illinois
Wake Forest: Fordham, Illinois, Dayton, Duke
The Zips were picked to finish 11th in the 2024 MAC Preseason Poll, which was released by the conference on February 13. Kent State was picked to finish first with eight first-place votes.
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(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Kent State (8) -- 98
2. Ball State (3) -- 93
3. Central Michigan -- 68
4. Western Michigan -- 67
5. Ohio -- 61
6. Toledo -- 60
7. Miami -- 59
8. Bowling Green -- 36
9. Eastern Michigan -- 29
10. Northern Illinois -- 22
11. Akron -- 12
ON DECK
The Zips travel to Charleston, S.C., to take on The Citadel for a three-game series starting on February 23.
The season opener between Akron and Illinois represents the first game of the 2024 NCAA DI baseball season as the Zips and the Fighting Illini are scheduled to throw the first pitch of a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. The Blue and Gold focus shifts to Fordham for a 9-inning contest on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. before opening weekend concludes with a battle against No. 1 ranked Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Illinois: (GM 1): Stats | Audio Illinois Broadcast - (GM 2): Stats | Audio Illinois Broadcast
Fordham: Stats |
Wake Forrest: Stats | Video |Â
Â
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Against Illinois
Illinois Leads 6-1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
First Meeting: Akron 12-Illinois 7 (03/20/99 | Jacksonville, Fla.) Â Â Â Â Â
Last Meeting: Illinois 7-Akron 6 (03/19/10 | Winter Haven, Fla.)
Â
Against Fordham
Tied 2-2
First Meeting: Fordham 7-Akron 6 (03/13/98 | Ormond Beach, Fla.)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Last Meeting: Akron 14-Fordham 11 (Jacksonville, Fla.)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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Against Wake Forest
Wake Forest Leads 2-0
First Meeting: Wake Forest 11-Akron 2 (02/20/09 | Winston-Salem, N.C.)Â
Last Meeting: Wake Forest 16-Akron 15 (02/21/09 | Winston Salem, N.C.)
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STAT LEADERS (2023)
Akron: Batting Average: Jack Poist (.298) | Hits: Jack Poist (59) |Â Home Runs: Jack Firestone (17) | RBI: Jack Firestone (38) | Stolen Bases: Ian Pennington (19) | Wins: Three Tied (4) | Strikeouts: Sammy Tortorella (74) | ERA: Yassir Kahook (4.26) | Saves: Emmett Gillies (3) |
Illinois: Batting Average: Camden Janik (.308) | Hits: Cam McDonald (65) | Home Runs: Drake Westcott (18) | RBI: Drake Westcott (47) | Stolen Bases: Cal Hejza (8) | Wins: Jack Wenninger (6) | Strikeouts: Jack Wenninger (76) | ERA: Korey Bunselmeyer (2.81) | Saves: TJ Constertina (4)|
Fordham: Batting Average: Zach Selinger (.326) | Hits: Daniel Bucciero (63) |Â Home Runs: Zach Selinger (12)Â | RBI: Two Tied (41) | Stolen Bases: Two Tied (9) | Wins: Aric Berg (4) | Strikeouts: Two Tied (67) | ERA: Ryan Egan (4.22) | Saves: Ben Kovel (8) |
Wake Forest: Batting Average: Two Tied (.353) | Hits: Tommy Hawke (95) |Â Home Runs: Brock Wilken (.345) | RBI: Brock Wilken (82) | Stolen Bases: Tommy Hawke (14) | Wins: Rhett Lowder (15) |
Strikeouts: Rhett Lowder (143) | ERA: Rhett Lowder (1.87) | Saves: Camden Minacci (13) |
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A NEW ERA FOR ZIPS BASEBALL
Akron will have a new face leading the charge this season with Brian Faulds taking over the Zips in 2024. Faulds, who most recently was the head coach at St. Edward's (Div. II). Faulds led the Hilltoppers to a 72-43 overall record the past two seasons that featured a pair of NCAA Regional appearances. Faulds is no stranger to the MAC with a stint at Ohio University from 2015-17 where he served as the pitching coach.
SCOUTING REPORT
Akron begins the season with four games against three teams from three different conferences.
The Zips first take on Illinois for a doubleheader. The Fighting Illini finished 8th in the Big Ten with a 12-12 conference record and a 25-27 overall record. Illinois finished the season with defeats to Indiana and Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.
Akron will then move its attention to Fordham. The Rams finished 7-17 in the Atlantic-10 conference and 19-36 overall.
Capping off the opening week is a battle with Wake Forest, who finished 54-12 overall, 22-7 in the ACC and 29-3 at home last season. Wake Forest fell to Miami in the ACC Tournament semifinals and ultimately saw its season end in the College World Series in a winner-take-all extra-inning affair with LSU.
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ZIPS AT A GLANCE
Akron is coming off a 21-34 season where they went 12-18 in the MAC. The Zips posted a 7-12 home record and a 12-18 road record.
The Zips will be under the direction of Brian Faulds, who is in his first season leading the Akron Baseball program after leading St. Edwards (Lone Star, Div. II) for the past two seasons.
Nick Poist led the Blue and Gold with a .298 batting average that saw 59 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 28 RBI. Nick Arrivo and Nick Firestone were second and third in hits while Firestone led the way with 17 home runs, which set a program record for single-season home runs.
On the mound, Akron saw Sammy Tortorella and Yassir Kahook collect four wins each. Kahook was a perfect 4-0 in 18 appearances with a 4.26 ERA. He also had one save in 31.2 innings of work and allowed just 15 earned runs with hitters just hitting .216 against him. Tortorella had 17 starts in 19 appearances and threw a team-high 86.0 innings last season.
COMMON OPPONENTS
Illinois: Fordham, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio State,
Fordham: Dayton, Wake Forest, Illinois
Wake Forest: Fordham, Illinois, Dayton, Duke
#MACtion CONNECTIONS
The Zips have numerous connections to the MAC on their coaching staff as well as players.
- Coach Faulds coached at Ohio (2015-17)
- Fisher Pyatt's father played for the Zips
- Michael Orlowski's parents both attended Akron
- Ben Brombaugh's father played football at Miami (OH)
- Sam Seeker's father played baseball at Miami (OH)
The Zips were picked to finish 11th in the 2024 MAC Preseason Poll, which was released by the conference on February 13. Kent State was picked to finish first with eight first-place votes.
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(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Kent State (8) -- 98
2. Ball State (3) -- 93
3. Central Michigan -- 68
4. Western Michigan -- 67
5. Ohio -- 61
6. Toledo -- 60
7. Miami -- 59
8. Bowling Green -- 36
9. Eastern Michigan -- 29
10. Northern Illinois -- 22
11. Akron -- 12
ON DECK
The Zips travel to Charleston, S.C., to take on The Citadel for a three-game series starting on February 23.
Players Mentioned
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