The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Stage Comeback For Split at Pittsburgh
March 28 | Softball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A bases-loaded walk in the top of the
eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Zips defeated
Pittsburgh, 4-3 in game two of a doubleheader at Trees Field in
Pittsburgh, Pa. The Panthers came away with a 3-2 win in the first
game, putting the Zips at 8-11 on the season.
With the game tied at three in the top of the eighth, Carrese Moody (Galloway,
Ohio/Hilliard Darby) and Cali Stratton
(Liberty, Mo./Liberty) led off with singles to put two on with no
outs. A fielder's choice from Katrina Moffett
(Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) loaded the bases, but Pittsburgh pitcher
Kaitlyn Schuster got Jaclyn Spirtos
(Medina, Ohio/Highland) to strike out and Paige Smith (Hudson,
Ohio/Hudson) to pop up. That set the stage for Jennifer Stottlemyer
(Mesquite, Texas/Poteet) who took the base-on-balls to score Moody
for the game-winning run.
Trailing by a run, the Zips tied things up in the fifth inning when
an error by the Panthers allowed Krista Hansen
(Arlington, Wash./Arlington) to score. Akron added two more runs in
the top of the seventh to take a 3-1 lead when Krista Hanson (Katy,
Texas/Katy) singled to left field, scoring Spirtos. Lisa
McLean (Canton, Ohio/Perry) later singled to center field to
bring home Stottlemyer.
Pittsburgh answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom
half of the inning to force extra frames. Freshman Lindsay Bodeker
(Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West) came on in relief of starter Sara
Tervo (Manchester, Mich./Clinton) and picked up the win,
pitching 1 1/3 innings
In game one, Akron took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning,
with a two-out rally started by Stratton's single. After a walk to
Spirtos, Moffett smashed a single to center field, scoring
Stratton.
Stratton's bat gave Akron a 2-0 lead in the third as she poked the
ball through the right side, scoring McLean who had reach on a hit
and stole second base.
Bodeker had a no-hitter through four innings before Samantha Card
led off the fifth with a double. The Zips' advantage was cut to one
as she came around to score on Heather Connor's single up the
middle.
An Akron error allowed Joey Scarf to reach base in the sixth, and
Sheena Hellon plated the game-tying run with a single one batter
later. Alex Shoemaker's double to center scored Hellon, giving the
Panthers a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh inning.
The Zips got a base runner on in the top of the seventh with
McLean's hit, but Stratton hit into a double play to end the game.
Moffett (2-2) was one of three Akron players with a pair of hits,
along with McLean (2-4) and Stratton (2-4). Bodeker (4-7) pitched
all six innings for Akron, allowing three runs on four hits, while
striking out five.
Akron is back in action this Friday as it takes on the Miami
RedHawks in its home and Mid-American Conference opener at Lee
Jackson Field. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1
p.m.
