Baseball: Week 1 is in the Books

Akron @ Winthrop

Game 1: Loss, 6-5

Game 2: Loss, 6-2

The Zips had to wait a couple more days to finally go out and play due to inclement weather. Only played a double-header on Sunday, but they were still able to have 19 hits as a team by the end of the day.

Top Performers:

OF, Joey Havrilak: 3-for-8, 1 double, 1 home run, 3 runs.

P, Jt Brubaker: 3 innings pitched, 3 strikeouts, no hits, runs or walks given up.

Ball State

Game 1 vs. USC Upstate: Win, 7-4

Game 2 vs. Morehead State: Win, 7-5

Game 3 vs. Wofford: Win, 6-4 (10 innings)

Game 4: vs. Dayton: Loss, 4-3

The Cardinals are 3-0 to start the year off, which is always a good way to start off the year, no matter the opponent. Scott Baker didn't have the greatest outing, but it's still really early in the year. There's still a fourth game to be played on Monday, Feb. 17 against Dayton at noon.

UPDATE (2/18): The Cardinals ended up dropping their final game of the series against Dayton. Sean Kennedy had a 3-hit day. Is it too early to move him up in the lineup?

Top Performers:

3B, Sean Kennedy: 9-for-16, 1 base on balls, 2 K, 1 run batted in.

P, Tyler Jordan: 2 appearance, 5.1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 2 K. Received the Win against USC Upstate.

Bowling Green @ Belmont

Game 1: Loss, 2-1

Game 2: Win, 8-3

Game 3: Loss, 3-1

BGSU had 16 hits in their lone victory over Belmont, ending up with 28 for the weekend. In your face, Akron! None of the starting pitchers in the Brown and Orange gave up an earned run, which is always a bonus.

Top Performers:

OF, Patrick Lancaster: 5-for-12, all singles. 1 RBI, 1 hit by pitch.

P, Andrew Lacinak: 1 start (Game 3), 5 IP, 3 H, no runs, 1 BB, 2 K.

Buffalo

No games. It's all your fault, Mother Nature.

Central Michigan @ UNLV

Game 1: Loss, 5-0

Game 2: Loss, 5-2

Game 3: Loss, 11-8

Game 4: Loss, 6-2

Like Baker, Foley didn't have a superstaresque performance on the first day, but it wasn't a terrible day either. The bats didn't really come alive until the third game against the Rebels where they recorded 13 hits.

Top Performers:

OF, Nick Regnier: 4-for-15, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 strikeouts.

P, Adam Aldred: 1 start, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 7 K. 4.26 earned run average for the weekend.

Eastern Michigan @ #16 Clemson

Game 1: Win, 6-5, 10 innings

Game 2: Loss, 5-3

Game 3: Loss, 9-7

The Eagles took the first game in their series against No. 16 ranked Clemson, but dropped the two following. It's always cute to say that you beat a ranked opponent, but it's just one game. It's just one game, they still have 50-something to go.

Top Performers:

1B, Lee Longo: 6-for-13, 4 doubles, 10 total bases, 3 runs batted in.

P, Devon Bronson: Two appearances, 2.1 innings pitched. 3 strikeouts, 1 base on balls, did not give up any hits or runs.

Kent State @ Arizona

Game 1: Loss, 13-1

Game 2: Win, 14-5

Game 3: Loss, 7-1

The Golden Flashes had the luxury of going down to Tuscon, Ariz. to play against the Arizona Wildcats. Instead of reading my small take on the series, let me re-direct you over to AZ Desert Swarm, the Arizona SBN page, for their recaps of all three games.

Top Performers:

DH, Zarley Zalewski: 6-for-11, 1 2B, 1 triple, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K, 2 R

P, Eric Lauer: 1 appearance, 2.2 IP, 1 H,1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. Received the Win in Game 2.

Miami @ Arkansas State

Game 1: Loss, 3-0

Game 2: Loss, 18-8

Game 3: Loss, 13-3

Ouch. That's not exactly how you want to begin your tenure as the new head coach over at Miami, but thankfully it's just the first weekend. The RedHawks have a combined 8.25 ERA with 10 wild pitches. Who's the pitching coach over there, Charlie Sheen?

Top Performers:

3B, Dan Walsh: 5-for-10, did not strikeout, walked once, scored two runs.

P, Seth Varner: 1 start, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 K, 0 BB, 3 R (2 ER).

Northern Illinois vs. Minnesota

Game 1: Loss, 3-2, 10 innings

Game 2: Loss, 6-4

Game 3: Loss, 11-5

All games ended up being fairly close, especially the third game when the two teams were tied at 5-5 through the seventh inning. Eli Anderson went deep in his first start of the year, going 7 innning with a trio of strikeouts.

Top Performers:

1B, Chris Divarco: 7-for-12, 1 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.

P, Eli Anderson: 1 start, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.

Ohio @ Murray State

Game 1: Win, 7-6

Game 2: Loss, 7-6

Initially scheduled to play a three-game series at Western Carolina, the Bobcats managed to play a double-header over at Murray State instead. Somehow, Ohio managed a their way to a win to start the year off. Good thing nobody took me up on that $5 bet.

Top Performers:

OF, Mitch Longo: 6-for-7, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 0 K, 1-for-2 in stolen bases.

P, Nick Nauracy: 1 appearance, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

Toledo in First Pitch Invitational

Game 1 vs. Xavier: Loss, 6-4

Game 2 vs. Norfolk State: Win, 11-3

Game 3 vs. Furman: Loss 13-5

Double headers are funny. One game, you win by eight, next thing you know, you'e on the other end of that spectrum. And they say momentum exists in sports. Ha!

Top Performers:

OF, Jacob North: 5-for-11, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI.

P, Ryan Wilkinson: 1 start, 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Western Michigan @ Memphis

Game 1: Loss, 3-2

Game 2: Loss, 4-2

Game 3: Loss, 5-2

If you couldn't tell already, sweeps just happen. Sometimes they're to be expected. Kind of like this one. Andrew Sohn only ran away with one hit in this series, but he was able to take advantage of the easier ways to get on base.

Top Performers:

SS, Andrew Sohn: 1-for-8, 4 BB, 2 HBP, 4 stolen bases.

P, Derek Schneider: 2 appearances, 4 IP, 1 hit, 2 K, no walks or runs.