The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Baseball Welcomes Buffalo for Weekend Series
April 26 | Baseball
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team will host the University at Buffalo for a three game Mid-American Conference series beginning on Friday at 6 p.m., at Canal Park. The series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m., on Lee R. Jackson Field, and will return to Canal Park on Sunday for a 1 p.m., first pitch.
Game Day Information
Friday – 6 p.m. – Canal Park
Akron: Fr., RHP JT Brubaker (0-7, 6.38 ERA)
Buffalo: So., LHP Mike McGee (4-3, 4.56 ERA)
Saturday – 2 p.m. – Lee R. Jackson
Akron: Fr., LHP John Valek III (2-6, 4.70 ERA)
Buffalo: So., RHP Anthony Magovney (4-3, 4.33 ERA)
Sunday – 1 p.m. – Canal Park
Akron: Fr., RHP Michael Steensen (1-1, 8.27 ERA)
Buffalo: Jr., RHP Mike Burke (6-2, 3.31 ERA)
*Links to live stats and a video broadcast can be found on the Akron baseball schedule page.
Series Overview
Akron Baseball will start the weekend off with an overall record of 9-29 and 6-9 in the MAC. The Zips are coming off a 4-3 loss to Canisius College on Tuesday.
UA last competed within the MAC last weekend against Bowling Green State University. The Zips won one out of three contests against the Falcons, as Akron edged out BGSU by a score of 7-3 in last Sunday's series finale.
Buffalo will enter the series with an overall record of 21-17 and 11-4 within the MAC. The Bulls' last MAC series was last weekend, when they hosted Kent State and completed a three-game sweep by scores of 6-5, 4-3 and 3-2.
Buffalo is hitting .265 as a team with 331 total hits, 188 runs scored, and 19 home runs in 38 games. Buffalo's pitching has recorded 141 walks and 275 strikeouts. Leading the Bulls in hitting is sophomore Jason Kanzler who is hitting .327 and has an on-base percentage of .384 with 27 runs. Kanzler also leads the team in RBI with 39.
Akron has an all-time series record of 21-16 against Buffalo. In their last matchup in the 2012 season, Akron won one of three games in a 16-inning thriller by a score of 5-4.
The Rotation
Freshman JT Brubaker is scheduled to make his team-leading 11th start of the season in the series opener on Friday. In Brubaker's last start, the right-hander tossed 2.2 innings with seven earned runs allowed en route to a 14-6 loss. This season, Brubaker has logged 48.0 innings on the mound with 30 strikeouts and 19 walks.
John Valek III will be on the mound for UA for Saturday's 2 p.m., matchup. Valek owns a record of 2-6 heading into the series with an ERA of 4.70 over 61.1 innings pitched with 19 strikeouts. The native of Parkland, Fla., last pitched on Saturday versus BGSU, and turned in 7.1 innings pitched with five earned runs allowed and two strikeouts.
Freshman Michael Steensen will be making his second straight Sunday start for the Zips rotation. The last time on the mound, Steensen pitched 4.2 innings at Bowling Green with two earned runs allowed in the Zips 7-3 win over the Falcons last Sunday.
Quick Hits
Senior Jared Turocy currently leads the Akron offense in batting average, hitting at a .324 clip. This season, Turocy has notched 23 hits in 24 games played with two homeruns, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored. The native of Canfield, Ohio registered his second career homer on Tuesday against Canisius.
Center fielder Devan Ahart comes into the weekend series against Buffalo with a team leading hit total of 43, including 11 doubles. Over 37 games played, the sophomore has recorded a .291 batting average with 14 runs scored and 14 RBI. Ahart also owns an on-base percentage of .346.
Joey Havrilak has had strong success over the past two games played for the Zips. On Sunday's game against BGSU, Havrilak notched two hits, one run, one double and two walks. He followed up that performance with a 1-for-4 game against Canisius on Tuesday, which included a two-run blast. Havrilak leads the Akron lineup in homeruns with three.
Andrew Fanning has seen consistent success coming out of the Akron bullpen as of late. Most recently, Fanning worked one inning of scoreless relief in Tuesday's matchup at Canisius. This season, Fanning has logged 27.1 innings out of the UA bullpen with an ERA of 3.95, while also striking out 12 batters.
Senior Samuel Trecaso has the lowest ERA on the Zips pitching staff with a 0.81 ERA over 22.1 innings pitched. Trecaso currently owns a pitching record of 4-1 in 13 appearances this season, while also striking out 14 batters and allowing six walks.
Akron Baseball Golf Outing
Zips baseball will be hosting its annual golf outing this summer on Monday, July 22 at Medina Country Club. If you're interested in participating in the outing, please contact Alexa Doutt by phone at 330-972-2695 or email at asd9@uakron.edu.
