The University of Akron Athletics
Offense Powers Blue Past Gold in Game One of Fall Series
October 05 | Baseball
The blue squad's offense tallied an impressive 13 runs as they downed the Gold (Grey) team, 13-3 in game one of the Fall World Series at Lee Jackson Field this afternoon.
Junior Benjamin Danziger picked up the win for the blue squad and allowed just one earned run on a pair of hits, striking out six on the day.
Sophomore Drew Turocy made his return to the mound after sitting out last season due to Tommy John surgery. Turocy took the loss in game one, surrendering five runs on seven hits with a strikeout on the day.
Freshman Sam Watkins led the Blue attack, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three-RBI tally on the day. Fellow freshman Bryan White assisted with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate, driving in a pair of RBIs while juniors Kevin Haas and Jason Corzine each contributed a pair of RBIs.
The visiting blue team got the action underway by rattling off four runs atop the first inning. Haas tripled to right field before scoring on a Watkins single up the middle. Junior Jake Plata followed with a RBI-single to easily score Haas from third. Then White's two-RBI single drove in Plata and junior Kyle Hallett, who reached on a walk for the final runs of the inning to put Blue ahead, 4-0.
The Blue squad resumed the offensive attack atop the second when White drove in Watkins to extend the lead to 5-0. Blue tacked on two more runs in the top of the third thanks to the long ball. Scott Foster took the hill in relief and successfully retired a batter before surrendering a single to freshman Jared Turocy. With two away, Watkins deposited Foster's first offering over the wall in leftfield to put the Blue squad up, 7-0.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Blue opened the game up with a six-run tally atop the fifth inning facing junior Bobby Simone. Highlights from the frame included singles from freshman James Sheltrown and Turocy, a two-RBI single courtesy of Haas and a RBI single from Plata.
The Gold squad manufactured a run in the home half of the fifth, adjusting the score, 13-1 in Blue's favor. With two away, junior Lawrence Penn reached on the third baseman's error before freshman Samuel Trecaso singled to left. Senior Nick Solitario followed with a RBI-single to right, plating Penn but was thrown out, advancing to second.
Freshman Matt Mika took over pitching duties for the Gold squad in the fifth and turned in an impressive performance, holding the Blue squad scoreless in three frames of work while retiring the side in order in the sixth. Mika surrendered a pair of hits to open the seventh before getting the next batter to fly out and inducing a 4-3 double play to end the inning.
Facing sophomore reliever Robert Huffman, Gold scratched across of pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Brady Stewart singled to center and freshman Tyler Begun was hit by a pitch to put a pair on. The ensuing batter, Penn was also hit by Huffman to load the bases before Trecaso hit a deep Sacrifice fly to right, scoring Stewart. A passed ball would enable Begun to score however Huffman would settle in, getting the next two batters to ground out to close out the contest.
Solitario and Trecaso each notched a hit and a RBI today while junior John Turk and Stewart each added hits for the Gold squad.
The Blue and Gold squads return to action at Lee Jackson Field tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6th at approximately 2:15 pm with sophomores Alex Loftin and Andrew Brown tentatively scheduled to pitch. Wednesday will serve as an off day for both squads.
