Kent State University
Eastern Michigan University
Baseball Readies for Conference Matchup at Eastern Michigan
4/14/2016 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Mid-American Conference Division leaders Kent State (23-10, 6-3) and Eastern Michigan (13-17, 5-1) will face off in a three-game set this weekend in Ypsilanti. Friday's game is slated for 6 p.m. with Saturday's scheduled for 3 p.m. and the finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
COVERAGE
• The game will be aired live on Golden Flashes iHeart Radio
• Live stats will be available at sidearmstats.com/emu/baseball
THE MATCHUP
• Kent State is 62-42 all-time versus Eastern Michigan
• The teams faced off in Kent last season with the Eagles taking game one 4-3 before the Flashes took the series in a Sunday double header by scores of 8-6 and 12-4
• Kent State traveled to Eastern Michigan in 2014, winning 10-2, 6-1 and then losing 2-1
• Prior to 2014, the teams had not met in a conference series since 2011 when the Golden Flashes swept at home
• The Eagles are batting .252 and have a team ERA of 5.25 through 30 games this season
• They opened MAC play with a home sweep of Bowling Green before taking two out of three at Buffalo
• EMU is coming off a 19-3 midweek loss at Michigan
MAC RANKINGS
• Through last weekend's games, Kent State leads the conference in ERA, wins, runs allowed, earned runs allowed and saves
• The team ranks in the top five in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, RBI, doubles, homeruns, total bases, plate appearances, at-bats, walks, sac bunts, sac flies, stolen bases, steal attempts, opposing batting average, innings pitched, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, runners picked off, hits allowed, walks allowed, homeruns allowed, fielding percentage, chances, putouts and assists
• Individually, Zarley Zalewski is 6th in batting average, 7th in hits, 5th in runs scored, 4th in doubles, 3rd in RBI, 8th in total bases and 7th in on-base percentage
• Eric Lauer is the conference leader in ERA, wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, shutouts and opposing batting average
• Eli Kraus is 4th in ERA, tied for the lead in wins
• Dylan Rosa is 7th in runs scored, 4th in homeruns, 4th in doubles, 2nd in RBI, 6th in total bases and 9th in slugging percentage
• Conner Simonetti ranks 6th in homeruns
• Luke Burch is 3rd in stolen bases
• Zach Willeman is tied for the conference lead in saves
LOOKING AHEAD
• Kent State will return home next Wednesday, April 20, for a 6 p.m. game against Penn State
• They will then pick up conference play on the road at Ohio the following weekend in the first MAC East matchup this season
