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. The Golden Flashes are currently in second place overall in the conference, one game back of Central Michigan. 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
