April 21, 2016 ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland baseball team is set to play a pair of Horizon League doubleheaders this weekend starting with hosting Northern Kentucky on Friday at the Oakland Baseball Field with game one set to start at noon, followed by a Saturday twinbill at Youngstown State with first pitch set for 1 p.m. for the opening game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Grizzlies are coming off a three-game series against Valparaiso that saw Oakland win the series finale 5-3. Mike Brosseau hit his league-best seventh home run of the season to drive in the game-winning runs, while Tyler Palm earned his third win of the season tossing 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits.
SERIES
The Golden Grizzlies are 4-1 all-time against the Norse after completing a three-game sweep against NKU in March, Oakland's first sweep in league play since 2013. Oakland and Youngstown State had a three-game series cancelled earlier this season due to weather. The Penguins hold a 11-9 advantage all-time against the two teams.
SCOUTING NKU AND YSU
The Norse have three players hitting over .300 led by Logan Spurlin batting .342 with a team-best six home runs and 28 RBIs, while Will Haueter is batting .303 with 12 doubles. On the mound, NKU is led Tyler Miller with a 3-2 record and a 4.78 ERA in 43.1 innings of work.
The Penguins are led offensively by Andrew Kendrick who is hitting .283 with a team-high three home runs and five doubles. The YSU pitching staff is led by Joe King and Jeremy Quinlan who hold a 4.23 and 4.79 ERA, respectively, as both have started nine games this season.
HORIZON LEAGUE RANKINGS
The Oakland pitching staff has the second best ERA in the Horizon League at 4.07 and has allowed the fewest runs, earned runs, hits and walks in the league. RHP Joe Buchalski and RHP Tyler Palm each rank in the top-10 in the HL in ERA and opposing batting average, while Buchalski also ranks eighth in strikeouts. Nate Green has five saves this season, the second-most in the Horizon League.
Offensively, SS Mike Brosseau is solidifying himself as one of the best hitters in the conference as he leads the Horizon League with seven home runs. He also ranks in the top-10 in the HL in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and runs scored. INF/OF Zach Sterry has 10 doubles and is ranked 62nd in the NCAA in doubles per game
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Ian Yetsko was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League team at second base after earning all-Horizon League second team honors last season. He finished the season ranked 20th in the NCAA in doubles and eighth in doubles per game. Yetsko also hit .295 with a team-high 28 RBIs and 30 runs.
Tyler Pagano earned a spot on the College Sports Madness Preseason all-league first team after hitting .307 with 22 RBIs and 21 runs scored last season. Mike Brosseau earned a second team selection along with Yetsko on the Madness Preseason list after leading the team with seven home runs and .470 slugging percentage.
COACH MOOSE AT THE HELM
Head coach John Musachio enters his ninth season as the head coach and 11th overall with the program. He became the all-time winningest coach in program history last season and currently sits at 160 for his career. He was named The Summit League Coach of the Year in 2013. He has had four players drafted under his tenure, Jake Paulson in the 27th round and Jake Morton in the 29th round in 2014, Hayden Fox in the 21st round in 2012 and Shane McCatty in the 34th round in 2009.
FRIDAY GAME 1 PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- RHP Joe Buchalski
NKU -- RHP Tyler Miller
FRIDAY GAME 2 PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- RHP Jake Lee
NKU -- RHP Justin Watts
SATURDAY GAME 1 PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- TBD
YSU -- TBD
SATURDAY GAME 2 PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- TBD
YSU -- TBD
#WEARtheBEAR
