May 3, 2016 ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland baseball team will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. on Wednesday to face in-state foe Western Michigan with first pitch set for 3 p.m. from Hyames Field.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Grizzlies are coming off a weekend series against Wright State where they dropped two out of three games. Oakland did secure a 3-0 win on Sunday versus the Raiders as Tyler Palm became the first Oakland pitcher since 2014 to throw a complete game shutout and Mike Brosseau blasted his Horizon League-leading ninth home run of the season.
SERIES
The Golden Grizzlies are 7-7 all-time against the Broncos with Oakland winning the last meeting, 8-6, in 2015 in Rochester, Mich.
SCOUTING WMU
The Broncos, who have won their last two Mid-American Conference series' over Eastern Michigan and Toledo, come into this game at 13-26 overall and 5-4 at home this season. The offense is led by the bat of junior Grant Miller, who leads the team in batting average (.312), hits (49) RBI (24) and is tied for second in doubles (7). Sophomore Evan Nelson is batting .304 and leads the team with three home runs while junior Nick Vogelmeier is batting .289 and leads the team with 24 drawn walks.
HORIZON LEAGUE RANKINGS
The Oakland pitching staff has the second best ERA in the Horizon League at 4.15 and has allowed the fewest earned runs and hits in the league. RHP Joe Buchalski ranks inside the top-10 in the Horizon League in ERA, opposing batting average, hits allowed, and strikeouts with 54. Nate Green has six saves this season, tied for the most in the Horizon League and has the most in league play with four.
Offensively, SS Mike Brosseau is solidifying himself as one of the best hitters in the conference as he leads the Horizon League with nine home runs and a .591 slugging percentage. He also ranks in the top-10 in the HL in batting average, on-base percentage and runs scored. Brosseau ranks 41st in the NCAA in home runs per game. INF/OF Zach Sterry has 12 doubles and is ranked 66th 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 165 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.
WEDNESDAY PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- RHP Nick Parr
WMU -- TBA
#WEARtheBEAR
