The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Nips Panthers, 3-2
May 09 | Baseball
Ty Moorhead (Shreve/Triway) raced home from third with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and pitcher Justin Lucas (Sharpsville, Pa.) made it stand up in the ninth as the Akron Zips defeated Pittsburgh, 3-2, in a nonconference baseball game at Lee Jackson Field.
Moorhead, a senior outfielder, led off the bottom of the eighth with a bunt single. Center fielder Steve Bowers (West Middlesex, Pa.) sacrificed Moorhead to second and the Zip base runner continued on to third when the base was left uncovered. Pittsburgh first baseman Brant Colamarino�s ill-advised throw to third sailed high and enabled Moorhead to scurry home with what proved to be the winning run.
The Zips snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 13-33 overall. The Panthers dropped their seventh straight game and slipped to 16-25. Akron will host Bowling Green for a four-game Mid-American Conference series beginning Friday.
Lucas, a sophomore righthander, earned the mound win with 3.2 innings of scoreless relief and upped his record to 2-7. He came on in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out to retire shortstop Bryan Spamer on a line out double play. Greg Paul went the distance for Pittsburgh and was the hardluck loser, falling to 1-1.
The Panthers opened the scoring in the top of the second when second baseman Scott Folmar doubled with two out. Center fielder Eric Ackerman singled him home. The Zips pulled even in the fourth when shortstop Clarke White (Bethel Park, Pa.) lined to Ackerman and Bowers tagged and scored.
Pittsburgh regained the lead in the fifth when designated hitter
Brad Rea hit a sacrifice fly to plate right fielder Darrin Lenhart,
who had doubled with one out. Akron drew even in the sixth when
catcher Sean Manfredonia (Independence) crushed a solo home run to
left field, his seventh round-tripper of the season.
|
|
