Kent State University
University of Akron
Regular Season Comes to a Close This Week at Akron
5/13/2015 12:50:00 PM | Baseball
Kent State (29-19, 16-8) and Akron (24-26, 12-12) will face off in the final Mid-American Conference series of the year this week with a lot at stake in the three games.
The rivals will vie for a point in the annual PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge while fighting for seeding in next week's MAC Tournament. Â The Golden Flashes are currently in second place overall in the conference, one game back of Central Michigan. Â The Zips are currently in position to be the seven seed with the final four of eight teams still needing to clinch a spot.
The series will begin with the 9th annual Diamond Classic for Kids held Thursday night at Canal Park in Akron, home of the RubberDucks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Tickets are $5 with proceeds benefitting School Health Services at Akron Children's Hospital. The final two games are set for Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m. at Lee Jackson Field on Akron's campus.
COVERAGE
• Live video and stats will be available via gozips.com
• Live audio will be available on Golden Flashes iHeart Radio
PROBABLE PITCHING STARTERS
Thursday, May 14
Kent State: #32 RHP Nick Jensen-Clagg (7-4, 3.15 ERA, 95 SO, 34 BB, 13 GS, 80.0 IP)
Akron: #27 LHP John Valek (6-5, 2.98 ERA, 52 SO, 24 BB, 13 GS, 87.2 IP)
Friday, May 15
Kent State: #10 LHP Eric Lauer (5-3, 1.69 ERA, 90 SO, 20 BB, 11 GS, 74.2 IP)
Akron: #20 RHP JT Brubaker (5-4, 3.55 ERA, 64 SO, 25 BB, 13 GS, 78.2 IP)
Saturday, May 16
Kent State: #35 RHP Andy Ravel (6-2, 3.15 ERA, 51 SO, 14 BB, 12 GS, 68.2 IP)
Akron: #25 RHP Jon Pusateri (3-5, 2.79 ERA, 54 SO, 19 BB, 9 GS, 67.2 IP)
KENT STATE – AKRON HISTORY
• Kent State is 107-54-1 all-time against Akron
• Last year, the Golden Flashes lost the series-opener and first game of a doubleheader before taking the next two to win the regular season series
• The two teams then met in the MAC Tournament Championship game, where a three-run 8th inniing gave Kent State the 3-0 victory and tournament title
• Kent State swept Akron in 2013 and 2012. The Zips last won the series in 2009
PNC WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE
• The winner of the series will earn a point for its school in the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge
• Kent State currently leads Akron 7.0-5.0 with three events remaining
• The Golden Flashes have won the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge in all three years of its existance
ARSENAL OF ARMS
• Kent State's pitching staff continues to dominate this season, with incredible statistical numbers
• The team's ERA ranks 54th nationally while it ranks 10th in strikeouts per nine innings , 38th in hits allowed per nine innings, 44th in shutouts and 42nd in WHIP
• Eric Lauer's ERA ranks 20th in the nation while he is 28th in strikeouts and 23rd in strikeouts per nine innings
• Nick Jensen-Clagg is 20th in strikeouts and 31st in strikeouts per nine innings
• The staff is 22 strikeouts away from landing in the top five of the team single season rankings
• They are also inching very close to have one of the top five single season ERAs
MAC SPOTS CLINCHED
• Central Michigan, Kent State, Ohio and Toledo have all clinched a berth to next weeks MAC Tournament
• The last four teams and seeding will be decided in the final three games
