The University of Akron Athletics
Zips To Face Bowling Green in MAC Tournament
May 09 | Softball
No. 6 Seed Akron
vs.
No. 3 Seed Bowling Green
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Midland, Mich.
Stadium: Currie Stadium
About the Zips...
- Akron is making its first appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament since the 2002 season.
- That year the Zips advanced to the championship game, falling to Central Michigan.
- The Zips finished third in the East Division with a 13-9 record.
- Akron enters the tournament on a bit of a skid in league play, having dropped five of its last six MAC contests.
- Junior outfielder Carrese Moody leads Akron in overall (.292) and MAC (.329) batting average. She also has a team-best .373 on-base percentage in league play.
- Senior Megan MacKenzie is 14-15 overall with a 1.99 ERA. In MAC action she posted a 6-6 record with a 1.60 ERA. She struck out 80 batters while walking just nine in 14 MAC appearances.
- Freshman Julie Boyes is getting it done at the plate and in
the circle for the Zips. She is 12-8 with a 2.23 ERA, including 7-3
in MAC games. She is also second on the team in batting with a .255
overall average (.284 in MAC games). Her eight doubles ranks second
on the team, while her two home runs is tied for the top spot.
- As a team Akron is batting .223 with a 2.13 ERA.
About the Falcons...
- Third-seeded Bowling Green finished second in the East Division with a 16-6 record and have won five of their last six entering the tournament.
- Gina Rango is batting. 390 in 53 starts with a team-high 67 hits, 14 doubles and 32 runs batted in. She also has 10 home runs to her credit. In MAC play her average jumps to .432 with 32 hits and just four strikeouts. She ranks second in the MAC in batting.
- Liz Vrabel is 16-10 in the circle with a 1.61 ERA. She has 173 2/3 innings under her belt, striking out 181 and walking 55.
- The Falcons are batting .263 as a team, good for third in the league.
Series History...
- Bowling Green leads the series 36-20-1.
- The two teams split in their meeting this season, with Akron taking the first game of a doubleheader, 3-1, and BGSU winning the second game, 3-0 (4/7/06 at Bowling Green).
- This is the second time the two teams have met in the MAC Tournament. In the only other meeting in 2000, the Falcons were 2-0 winners over the Zips.
Akron Makes First Appearance in Tournament Since 2002
Season...
Now in her second season as head coach, Julie Wright has brought Akron back to the forefront of MAC softball with its first appearance in the league tournament since the 2002 season. The Zips posted a 13-9 MAC mark this season, good for third place in the East Division and the sixth overall seed.
In Akron's last appearance in the MAC Tournament, it was the No. 2 seed and advanced to the championship game before falling to Central Michigan, 6-0. This is just the sixth MAC Tournament appearance in school history.
Youth Is Served...
With the Zips hit by the injury bug early in the season, it was up to the freshman class to step up and make an impact, and that is exactly what they did.
Four freshman started at least 47 games, including Cali Stratton (RF), Lisa McLean (CF) and Jamie Stanclift (2B) who started all 49 games. Julie Boyes saw action in 47 contests, split between pitcher and designated player.
Boyes is tops among the newcomers in batting (.255) and leads the team in RBIs (25), while Stratton leads all freshmen with 36 hits. In the field, McLean has been stellar with no errors in 41 chances for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Senior Leadership...
As the youngsters get acclimated to collegiate softball, it has
been the leadership of the seniors that has helped guide them along
the way. Seniors Megan MacKenzie, Sara Zilles, Amy Pedro and Rachel
Kraus have been key to the development of the program. MacKenzie,
Zilles and Pedro have all been full-time starters on the field, and
although an injury has kept her from playing this year, Kraus has
played a large role in the dugout.
