Akron and Dayton Go Toe-to-Toe But Zips Fall In Twinbill

Wednesday, April 25

Dayton, OH

2 PM

University of Akron

2-35-1

University of Dayton

24-20

Akron

Dayton

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron and Dayton Go Toe-to-Toe But Zips Fall In Twinbill

April 25 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

DAYTON, Ohio – Akron and Dayton went toe-to-toe in a doubleheader at the UD Softball Field that was dominated inside the circle by both squads, but the Flyers were able to edge the Zips, 1-0 and 3-2, in the twinbill on Wednesday afternoon to close out the non-conference season.

Both contests went wire-to-wire as Akron and Dayton only scored a combined six runs with 14 hits in the doubleheader.

In game one, Dayton was able to take advantage of an Akron error to score the only run of the game in the third inning.

Besides the bottom half of the third inning, the game was decided on the rubber by Akron's Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.) and Dayton's Manda Cash. Kmett, a freshman for the Zips, tossed her sixth complete game of the season, gave up three hits, struck out three, and the run for the Flyers was unearned. Cash was able to shut down the Zips offense limiting Akron to two hits.

Redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) and junior Sabria Bruton (Palmetto, Fla.) tallied the two hits for Akron.

The bats played a bigger role in game two for both Akron and Dayton, but the Flyers were able to edge the Zips, 3-2.

Akron took an early 2-0 lead after two innings of play. In the second inning, Rodriguez was hit by a pitch in the first, stole second, advanced to third on an error by Dayton, and later scored courtesy of a double-steal. In the next inning, junior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) doubled to lead-off the inning, moved to third on a SAC bunt, and scored on a bang-bang play at the plate as junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) reached on a fielder's choice with a grounder back to the pitcher.

Dayton scored three unanswered runs from the third inning on including the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Pitching on both sides was once again impressive, this time by Akron's Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) and a pair of pitchers on the Flyer's pitching staff. Vertz threw her second complete game of 2018, gave up seven hits, three runs, forced 13 groundouts, and one K.

The final three-game Mid-American Conference series at Lee R. Jackson Field to close out the home portion of the 2018 schedule is set for April 27-28 against Miami.