Kent State University
Belmont University
Baseball Begins 2017 Season at Belmont
2/16/2017 4:03:00 PM | Baseball
The 2017 season will begin for Kent State baseball this weekend as the team travels to Belmont for a three-game series held Friday-Sunday. The season opener will begin at 5 p.m. EST while Saturday and Sunday's games are both slated for 2 p.m. EST.
COVERAGE
• Live video, audio and stats will all be available at belmontbruins.com
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS (2016 stats)
Friday, February 17
Kent State: #31 LHP Eli Kraus (9-1, 2.64 ERA, 59 SO, 24 BB, 14 GS, 88.2 IP)
Belmont: #9 RHP Tyler Vaughn (7-3, 4.00 ERA, 81 SO, 25 BB, 12 GS, 87.2 IP)
Saturday, February 18
Kent State: #23 RHP Zach Willeman (1-3, 2.70 ERA, 38 SO, 25 BB, 0 GS, 36.2 IP)
Belmont: #18 RHP Dylan King (4-1, 6.32 ERA, 23 SO, 15 BB, 9 GS, 37.0 IP)
Sunday, February 19
Kent State: #30 LHP Joey Murray (2-1, 3.69 ERA, 57 SO, 20 BB, 6 GS, 39.0 IP)
Belmont: #24 RHP Casey Queener (2-4, 8.19 ERA, 22 SO, 18 BB, 8 GS, 40.2 IP)
THE MATCHUP
• Kent State has met Belmont just once before in program history, on February 26, 2006
• The Flashes won that meeting 17-3 at Belmont
• The Bruins went 33-27 last season and return eight starters this year
• Head Coach Dave Jarvis holds a 558-497 record in 19 years at the helm
• Last season, Belmont posted a team batting average of .297 and an ERA of 5.68
• In comparison, Kent State hit .290 and posted an ERA of 2.89
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
• Many early season honors have come in for the Flashes this preseason
• Collegiate Baseball ranked Kent State 39th in its preseason poll
• All major publications, including D1Baseball, Perfect Game and Baseball America, have named Kent State has the top team in the MAC and the preseason favorite to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
• Eli Kraus was named a Collegiate Baseball Preseason Second Team All-American while also being touted as the Preseason MAC Pitcher of the Year by D1Baseball
• Zach Willeman was named the Preseason MAC Pitcher of the Year by both Perfect Game and Baseball America
• Dylan Rosa and Luke Burch both received spots on Perfect Game's Preseason All-Conference Team along with other accolades heading into the 2017 season
MAC PRESEASON POLL
East Division (1st place votes)
1. Kent State (9) – 61 votes
2. Miami (1) – 56 points
3. Ohio – 44 points
4. Bowling Green (1) – 32 points
5. Buffalo – 27 points
West Division
1. Ball State (5) – 57 points
2. Central Michigan (2) – 49 points
3. Toledo (1) – 36 points
4. Northern Illinois (2) – 32 points
5. Western Michigan (1) – 31 points
6. Eastern Michigan – 26 points
Tournament Champion: Kent State (4), Ball State (1), Central Michigan (1), Eastern Michigan (1), Miami (1), NIU (1), Toledo (1), Western Michigan (1)
