ON DECK
The Ohio University baseball team returns to the diamond at 3 p.m. (ET) on Friday for the start of a three-game Mid-American Conference matchup at Akron.
NOTING THE BOBCATS
-Ohio's matchup with Akron will mark its 10th opponent it has faced from the state of Ohio this season.
-The Bobcats have won eight of their last nine games against Akron.
-Prior to this season, Ohio has a 40-29 record in the month of May over the last five years.
-The Bobcats are averaging just under six runs a game (5.7) and have scored 274 runs this season. In 2011, Ohio totaled 286 runs.
-Ohio is just 16 hits shy of surpassing last season's hit total of 499.
-Ohio's 12 wins in conference play, surpassed its total from a year ago.
-Ohio is outscoring its opponent 275-251, but in the final three innings, the Bobcats hold an 103-70 scoring advantage.
-Senior Ethan Newton has a team-best 22 stolen bases on the year and 42 in his career to tie all-time Marc Sims (1991-94). He needs just one more swipe to become the all-time leader in career steals.
-Freshman Jake Madsen owns a .411 batting average with runners in scoring position and a .406 batting average with two outs - both team bests.
-Ohio starters have logged a combined 63.2 innings in the Bobcats' last nine league games (81 innings total).
-Ohio is batting .299 this season with two-outs.
-The Bobcats' Earned Run Average of 3.69 is the best in the Mid-American Conference, entering this week.
-Ohio has four players which are batting .300-or better (min. 20 games).
-The Bobcats are 20-2 when leading after seven innings.
-Senior Jensen Painter leads the team in slugging percentage (.559), home runs (12), RBI (39), doubles (12), total bases (99) and walks (39).
-Entering this week, Painter is one of only two players in the MAC that has 10-or-more home runs and 10 doubles.
-Painter's 12 home runs are more than Akron's entire team.
-Painter had his consecutive on-base streak snapped at the conclusion of game one last Saturday. His steak was snapped at 52 games dating back to last season.
-Freshman Jake Madsen leads the team with 66 hits on the year.
-Madsen has a hit in 36 of his last 42 games.
-Entering this weekend, senior Jason Moulton ranks second in the MAC with a 2.12 ERA, while fellow senior Brent Choban has thrown a league-best 85.2 innings.
-Junior captain Seth Streich leads the team with 51 strikeouts.
-The Bobcats have lost eight games by just one run and seven games by three runs or less.
-In league play, the Bobcats' eight losses have come by a combined total of just 19 runs (3.1 runs per game).
THE PITCHING MATCHUP
Friday - OHIO: Brent Choban, AKRON: Andrew Brown
Saturday - OHIO: Jason Moulton, AKRON: Scott Foster
Sunday - OHIO: Seth Streich, AKRON: Alex Loftin
SERIES INFORMATION - AKRON
Ohio will faceoff against Akron for the 92nd time in school history on Friday. The Bobcats lead the all-time series 56-35. Prior to this year's meeting, the two teams met last season in Athens with the Bobcats earning a 2-1 series victory.
THE SCOUT ON AKRON
The Zips enter the weekend series with Ohio having lost their last seven games. Offensively, Akron owns a batting average of .261, averaging just over four runs a game. Sophomore Tyler Begun leads the team with five home runs and is tied for the team lead in batting average. The Zips pitching staff has an overall ERA of 4.97, however in league play, Akron has posted a 3.10 ERA, while holding its opponents to just a .254 batting average.
