The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Baseball Beats Buffalo, 7-1
April 24 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio
– The UA baseball team extended its winning streak to
four games, beating the Buffalo Bulls, 7-1 in front of 389 fans on
a beautiful day at Lee Jackson Field this afternoon.
The win improves Akron to 13-26 overall (7-9 MAC), with the loss
Buffalo drops to 15-24 overall (3-12 MAC).
Freshman pitcher Andrew Brown (2-3) went the distance making his
first Mid-American Conference game as a starter a memorable one.
The freshman pitched all nine innings for the Zips to earn the
complete game win, and was impeccable across eight innings after
allowing the lone run in the first, scattering 11 hits and tallying
six strikeouts on the day. Buffalo starter Pierre Miville-Deschenes
fell to 4-4 on the year with the loss, surrendering six earned on
nine hits with three strikeouts.
Junior Kyle Hallett led the UA lineup with a 2-for-4 day, knocking his first career triple while registering three RBIs and scoring once. Senior Matt Roberts was also 2-for-3 with a walk and pair of runs scored.
Buffalo plated the first run of the game atop the first inning but
wouldn't do much else today as the Zips responded immediately in
the home half, tallying a pair of scores to take a 2-1
lead.
The Zips got things started when junior Kevin Haas led off the frame with a walk. Roberts followed with a sharp single through the right side before Brian Kordal moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Hallett would clear the bases with a two-RBI single up the middle to plate both runners for the Akron lead.
With Brown holding the Bulls scoreless, the Zips got back to work in the bottom of the second, plating two more runs for a 4-1 lead. Ryan Frazee led off the inning with a base knock to left field before senior Brett Savage, one of three Zips to go 2-for-4 today, drove Frazee in on his third triple of the season. A RBI-groundout from senior Phil Bednar would score Savage for the second run of the frame.
Akron would tack on another in the third thanks to another UA triple, with Hallett doing the damage this time. Kordal, who also finished with a pair of hits on the afternoon, led off with a single to left before scoring easily on Hallett's triple to left center, giving the Zips a 5-1 advantage.
The Zips added insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings. Roberts, who leads the team in the hit-by-pitch category with 10 on the year, was hit by Buffalo's starter to open the fifth. Kordal then deposited a single in left before Hallett advanced both runners after smashing a ball at the first baseman which was flipped to the second baseman then pitcher who recorded the out at first in a bang-bang play. Sophomore Brandon White then hit an infield single to drive Roberts in, putting Akron up 6-1.
The Bulls threatened in the
sixth inning but heads up defense by Brown and the Zips kept
Buffalo off the scoreboard. After allowing back-to-back UB singles,
Brown recorded the first out by throwing the
lead runner out at third to keep the Bulls at bay with a fielder's
choice. The very next play, Brown helped himself out of the jam
even further by picking the runner off at second for the second out
of the frame. A solid defensive play from Bednar followed as the
senior made an impressive diving stop to prevent a likely single up
the middle. Bednar would flip the ball onto Haas at second to
retire the side as Akron escaped the inning without harm.
The Zips now 8-3 at Lee Jackson Field look to continue building on
a four-game win streak as they face the Bulls tomorrow in a 1 pm
matchup. The game will be broadcast on the Akron ISP Network with
Bill Morgan's call on www.GoZips.com where live stats will
also be available for tomorrow's game.
