Marshall University Athletics
Marshall to Host Akron in Final Home Series of 2003
5/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Marshall to Host Akron in Final Home Series of 2003
5/8/2003
Herd RF Francois Larmore leads Marshall in home runs (14), doubles (16) and RBIs (42). |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. ? Marshall will put its slim conference tournament hopes on the line this weekend as the Thundering Herd prepares to wrap up its home schedule when the Akron Zips visit University Heights for a four-game series beginning with Friday?s first pitch at 3 p.m. Saturday?s doubleheader and Sunday?s single game will both start at 1 p.m.
Marshall (19-29-1, 9-15 Mid-American Conference) is still mathematically eligible to earn its first ever MAC Tournament bid, but several other teams must fall flat during the conference schedule stretch run for that to occur. What the Herd can control, though, is their final conference contests of 2003 versus Akron. Winning three of four games against the Zips will give Marshall its highest MAC win total in school history (12) and highest conference winning percentage (.429) since rejoining the league in 1998.
Akron (20-25, 10-10 MAC) comes to Huntington with its eyes on its third MAC Tournament berth in school history. The 1996 Zips won the post-season tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals, where they fell in two games to Southern California and Texas Tech. With eight conference games remaining, Akron looks to equal its highest win total (18) since joining the MAC in 1993.
Akron stands in a third-place tie with Ohio in the MAC East Division with the Herd behind the Zips in fifth place. The MAC pre-season poll is currently correct with its top to bottom prediction with regards to the East Division, something that the Thundering Herd would like to jumble with a strong showing this weekend.
?We?re going to come out and play hard,? Marshall head coach Dave Piepenbrink said. ?We can?t focus on the standings and how other teams do, we can only determine how we want to close out this season.?
With a 6-1 finish to Marshall?s season, Piepenbrink would record his highest single season winning percentage (.455) since taking over head coaching duties midway through 1998.
Marshall lost three of four games to Miami (Ohio) last weekend in its last MAC series. The Herd used a complete game victory from Grant Harper (Grayson, Ky.) in game one of the set, but lost the final three contests to the RedHawks. The complete game was Harper?s second straight, the first coming in shutout fashion at Bowling Green.
The Zips were also dealt a three-loss conference series its last time on the field, losing to Kent State. Akron has lost five of its last eight games and two straight.
The last two MAC East Players of the Week will square off at University Heights, with the Zips? Israel Victor fresh off of his first career conference honor, along with Herd third baseman Corie O?Bryan (Frederick, Md.), who won the award for his 9-for-17 (.529) performance the week of April 21-27. O?Bryan has registered 70 hits in 2003, third most in the MAC, tying him with Jason Brooks (2001) for the single season record at MU. The first-year transfer from Frederick C.C. leads Marshall with a .380 batting average.
Victor tied O?Bryan?s offensive numbers in Akron?s series with Kent State to win the weekly award, but it was Francois Larmore (Magnolia, N.J.) who put up the biggest numbers last week, yet was snubbed from Player of the Week accolades. The Marshall right fielder batted .579 (11-for-19) with six RBIs and six runs scored, including a 4-for-5, five RBI day versus Miami on May 2. Larmore is second in the MAC in home runs (14) and second in total bases (124).
Harper has logged the most innings pitched (82.1) in the MAC and will add to that total with his scheduled start in game three of the series. RHP Steve Ziroli (LaGrange, Ill.) will get the ball in game one on Friday. Ziroli leads Marshall in wins and ERA, pitching at a 3.09 clip. Akron head coach Tim Berenyi will send Frank Mendoza, a two-time MAC East Pitcher of the Week in 2003, to the mound in game one. Mendoza is tied for the league lead in wins with a 6-2 record.
With his next save, Marshall's Chris Meadows (Huntington, W.Va.) will break the school record for saves in a season with six. Meadows upped his career total to seven to tie him with Tony Peterson (1988-89) for second place on the career saves list, with Tim Fanning (1994-95) at number one with nine. The right-handed Herd closer is now second in Marshall history with 68 career appearances, seven from tying the all-time mark of 75, held by Sean Reeder (1997-00).
Marshall leads the all-time series with the Zips with a 19-9 mark. Piepenbrink is 7-7 versus Akron, with the two ballclubs splitting a two-game series last season at University Heights.
Probable Pitching Rotation
Game One: RHP Frank Mendoza (6-2, 2.52 ERA) vs. RHP Steve Ziroli (4-2, 3.09 ERA)
Game Two: LHP Aaron Gangi (4-4, 3.90 ERA) vs. LHP Scott Henning (1-3, 5.76 ERA)
Game Three: RHP Ross Liersemann (2-4, 5.48 ERA) vs. RHP Grant Harper (4-7, 5.36 ERA)
Game Four: RHP Billy McKinney (0-3, 4.41 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Koutsavlis (4-3, 5.62 ERA)
