Baseball Faces Illinois in NIA Shootout at Winthrop
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Friday vs. University of Illinois Feb. 25
Winthrop Ballpark 12:30 p.m.
Saturda vs. Wagner College Feb. 26
Winthrop Ballpark 12:00 p.m.
Sunday at Winthrop University Feb. 20
Winthrop Ballpark 2:30 p.m.
The First Pitch
The Kent State University baseball team (1-2, 0-0 MAC) travels to Rock Hills, S.C. for the N.I.A. Shootout hosted by Winthrop University Feb. 25-27.
The Golden Flashes will open play againt the University of Illinois on Friday at 12:30 p.m. then take on Wagner College on Saturday at 12 p.m. before closing out the competition on Sunday against host Winthrop at 2:30 p.m.
Pitching Probables
Friday 2/25: #33 Evan Smith (So., RHP, 6-5, 205)
2005: 0-0, 2.57 ERA, 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 SO, 0 BB
Saturday 2/26: #37 Chris Carpenter (Fr., RHP, 6-4, 215)
2005: 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 0 SO, 3 BB
Sunday 2/27: #27 Jason Brunke (Sr.-R, RHP, 6-4, 245)
2004: 6-7, 4.70 ERA, 90 IP, 47 ER, 71 SO, 41 BB
The Coaches
Scott Stricklin (Kent State 95) is in his first season as a head coach. The former Flashes catcher was previously an assistant at Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt. Illinois is coached by veteran Itch Jones, now in his 14th year with the Illini and his 38th year overall. Wagner is headed by sixth-year head coach Joe Littero while Joe Hudak is in his 14th year at Winthrop.
Series Histories
Kent State and Winthrop have met 17 times since 1990, with the Eagles owning a one-game lead in the all-time series, 9-8. The Golden Flashes have played Illinois just twice, losing both games and won the only previous meeting with Wagner in 2003.
Quick Flashes
Kent State opened the season last weekend at the University of Louisville. After dropping the first two games (3-2, 11-4), KSU won Sundays finale (8-3).
Sundays victory was the first career coaching victory for Scott Stricklin.
The Golden Flashes (36-27 in 2004) are coming off their fifth MAC Tournament championship and seventh NCAA Regional Tournament appearance in 2004.
Kent State plays 27 of its first 30 games on the road while construction is completed on Schoonover Stadium.
A Look @ The Opponents
Winthrop is 8-1 already this season and are ranked nationally in all four major college baseball publications. The Eagles have played their first nine games at Winthrop Ballpark and, including this weekend, play 15 of their first 16 games at home.
Both Illinois and Wagner are opening their schedules this weekend. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 22-33 season in 2004 while the Seahawks were 20-29 overall last season but advanced to the NEC Championship game.
Whats Up Next
The Golden Flashes continue their season-opening Southern swing in Conway, S.C. at the Springmade Beach Resort Rumble at Coastal Carolina University next weekend, March 4-6. There KSU will face nationally-ranked host Coastal Carolina as well as Western Carolina and James Madison University.
