The University of Akron Athletics
Baseball Topped by Duquesne, 12-6
May 09 | Baseball
Twelve unanswered runs spelled defeat for the University of
Akron baseball team as visiting Duquesne handed the Zips a 12-6
loss Wednesday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field.
Behind a four-run third inning, the Zips (20-20) jumped out to a
5-0 lead after three frames, but couldn't keep the Dukes' bats
quiet as Duquesne (19-25) avenged an earlier loss to UA with six
runs in the fourth, four runs in the seventh and two more in the
eighth.
Freshman Kevin Haas (North Olmstead, Ohio/St. Ignatius)
stayed hot with three hits for Akron in four at-bats, including a
pair of RBI, while junior Scott Gunn (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de
Sales) and senior Charlie Lenhard (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington)
added two knocks apiece.
UA starter Zach Yike (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont)
fell to 2-3 on the season while Nick Jones (1-0) picked up the win
for the Dukes.
Akron took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a double by Lenhard
that sailed down the left-field line and banged hard off the wall
to bring home Brett Savage (Massillon, Ohio/Perry), who singled
to start the frame.
The Zips opened sent eight batters to the plate in the third inning
in scoring four times, highlighted by a two-run single by Haas.
Gunn led off with a walk and took second on a walk to Kurt
Davidson (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover).
After a fielder's choice left runners on the corners with one out,
a passed ball plated the first Zips' first score of the inning. Doug
McNulty (Homer City, Pa./Homer-Center) followed with a liner
off the foot of the pitcher for a single and then stole second
base. McNulty leads Akron with nine swipes on the year.
Brian Kordal (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) followed
by lining a 1-0 offering back up the middle to plate Lenhard and
after a soft fly ball to left, Haas punched a base hit through the
right side to give Akron a 5-0 advantage.
But the Dukes charged back with a six-run fourth inning, sparked by
a bases-loaded double by Aaron Janusey, to take a one-run lead and
added four more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
Matt Roberts (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus), who entered
the game as a defensive replacement, recorded a sacrifice fly for
Akron in the ninth to close out the scoring.
The Zips will next host arch rival Kent State in a three-game
series at Lee Jackson Field starting Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. The
two East Division foes will battle Saturday and Sunday starting at
1 p.m.
ZIPS NOTEBOOK: Haas swiped his seventh base of the
season in the third inning. He has been caught just one time this
spring ... reliever Jake Plata (Parma, Ohio/Padua Franciscan)
threw a perfect inning in the fifth and Kevin
Kumazec (Euclid, Ohio/St. Ignatius) followed with a scoreless
frame in the sixth ... senior Pat Gliha
(Euclid, Ohio/Villa Angela-St. Joseph) made the 71st appearance of
his career in the seventh. He has made more pitching appearances
than any Akron player in the history of the program ... Duquesne
and Akron combined to use 11 pitchers and 37 players overall in the
non-conference contest.
