The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Jacksonville State
Zips Travel to Alabama to Face Jacksonville State
February 20 | Baseball
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Gm 1: Video | Stats
Gm 2: Stats
Gm 3: Video | Stats
INSIDE THE SERIES
First Meeting | Faulds vs Jacksonville State: 0-0
COMMON OPPONENTS
Oakland (Horizon)
SCOUTING REPORT
Jacksonville State comes into the series with a 4-1 record after defeating Samford 12-6 on February 18. Before the win over the Bulldogs, Jacksonville State won 3-of-4 against Oakland.
Senior Drew Collins collected six RBI and finished with three extra base hits to lead Jacksonville State to a 12-6 win over in-state rival Samford in the first-midweek test of the season on a chilly Tuesday afternoon on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
Collins, in his second year with the program, turned in a feat that no Gamecock has done since the 2000 season with a pair of triples in his first two plate appearances. He becomes the seventh Gamecock in the program's NCAA Division I era to accomplish that and the first since Jason Nunn had a pair of triples in a single game against Jacksonville on May 5, 2000.
The Gamecocks finished last season 18-34 overall, 5-19 in CUSA and 11-17 at home.
Jacksonville State is led by Drew Collings in batting average (.500), hits (9), triples (2), home runs (1) and RBI (11). Cooper Blauser hold the lead for stolen bases (4) while Caled Johnson and Grayson Ashe both have a team-high in doubles (2). On the mound, Brady Thomas leads the way in strikeouts (7) while Steven Cash is the leader in innings pitched (5.0), ERA (0.00). Four Gamecocks have one win each while Connor Brooks holds the lone save on the season.
The Gamecocks were picked to finish 10th in the CUSA Preseason poll while Caleb Johnson was named to the All-Conference Preseason team.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips are coming off a 2-1 season-opening series at Radford. Akron recorded 38 runs over the three games against the Highlanders with three Zips recording home runs. Jack Poist hit a grand slam in game one of the series while Caden Matlon and Ian Pennington went yard in game three.
As a team, Akron hit .296 against the Highlanders with 34 hits and a team on-base percentage of .450.
Poist was also named the MAC Player of the Week after the first week of the season. On the week, Jack slashed .417/.750/.611 with five hits in 12 at-bats, drawing five walks, driving in six runs and coming around to score six times as well. He also went a perfect 2-for-2 on stolen bases.
The Zips are led in batting average by Poist (.417) and walks (5) while Charlie Schebler is the leader in hits (6) and RBI (8) while three other Zips are close behind with five hits each. Three Zips hold the lead in home runs with one.
On the mound, Landon Vandegrift and Sean Perkins both have one win each while Johnny Anservitz holds the lone save of the season. Anservitz has an ERA of 0.00 through two appearances and 2.0 innings of work with three strikeouts. Jack Kelley and Jared Schaeffer both have stuck out a team-leading five batters this season.
LAST TIME OUT (AT RADFORD 2/16)
RADFORD, Va. - Senior Caden Matlon racked up five RBIs to help lead the Akron Zips over the Radford Highlanders 17-4 on Sunday.
Matlon went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and a walk in addition to his five RBIs for the Zips. Senior Max Bowman furnished a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and two RBI. Senior Ian Pennington also contributed for Akron, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a home run, two walks and two RBI.
Freshman Landon Vandegrift (1-0) got the win for Akron (2-1). The right-hander went four innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on seven hits, allowing one walk and striking out three.
EARLY FIREPOWER
Akron scored 38 runs against Radford on 34 hits which included the first three home runs of the season. Jack Poist smashed a grand slam in game one against the Highlanders for his first home run of the 2025 season while Ian Pennington and Caden Matlon added to the bomb total in game 3.
WEEK 1 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
On the week, Jack Poist slashed .417/.750/.611 with five hits in 12 at-bats, drawing five walks, driving in six runs and coming around to score six times as well. He also went a perfect 2-for-2 on stolen bases.
Poist wasted no time getting back into the groove of things as he started the season with a grand slam to help the Zips take down the Highlanders 12-11 in the season opener. Walking three times while coming around to score as many times, Jack added a stolen base to his name in game 1.
He'd add two hits in game two, one of them a double, while increasing his RBI and run total with one each.Â
The final game of the series with the Highlanders saw Poist go 2-for-3 with two runs, two walks one RBI and one stolen base.
AWAY FROM HOME
The Zips will play their first 10 games away from Skeeles Field before hosting Oakland on March 5. The Zips will travel to Virginia, Alabama and North Carolina before returning to the Buckeye State.
MEET THE RETURNERS
Akron returns 18 players from last seasons squad. Parker Munday, Austin Lafferty, Evan Bottone, Charlie Schebler, Jared Schaeffer, John Allen, Ian Pennington, Jack Kelley, Josiah Ross, Elijah Griffith, Sean Perkins, Jacob Beall, Max Bowman, Jack Poist, Andrew Horvath, Nicky Sackett, Dawson Tourney and Brett Dietrich all return from the 2024 squad
WHO'S NEW
Akron welcomes 17 newcomers to the roster this season with nine freshmen and eight transfers. The Zips welcomed Kyle McConachie, Bradyn Shaw, Landon Vandegrift, Derek Occhipinti, Nathan Currah, Jack Fenton, Sean Flowers, Ty Pangborn, Jackson Frasure, Taylor Bednar, Caden Matlon, Blake Bowen, LA Mighton, Will Heisler, Jett Slepak, Johnny Anservitz and David Moore entering the 2025 season.
ON DECK
Akron travels to Holly Springs, N.C., to battle Purdue at Ting Stadium for four games starting on February 28 before returning to Skeeles Field to host Oakland on March 5 for the 2025 home opener.
