The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Stuns No. 26 Kent State, 8-4 in Extra-Inning Affair
May 08 | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Akron and No. 26 Kent State made the series opener a real thriller as Akron plated a run atop the ninth and held the Golden Flashes scoreless to send the affair to extra innings. The Zips would then rattle off four runs in the top of the 11th and prevail with the 8-4 win over the Golden Flashes at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium this afternoon.
With today's win, the Zips extend their winning streak to three games and improve to 17-30 overall with a 10-12 mark in the Mid-American Conference. Kent State drops to 35-13 and 14-7 in MAC play after suffering their second straight loss to Akron. More importantly, the Zips snap a two-game skid in extra-inning affairs on the season while handing Kent State, who has won four extra-inning contests on the year, their first loss in extra frames.
Senior Frank Turocy (4-5) who topped the Golden Flashes in last year's series opener against Kent at Lee Jackson (15-7), registered today's win in 6.1 solid innings of work out of the UA bullpen. Turocy surrendered just four hits and recorded a pair of strikeouts without allowing a run this afternoon to earn the win. Justin Gill (2-2) suffered the loss also working out of the bullpen for Kent in two thirds of an inning after allowing four earned runs on one hit with a pair of walks. Redshirt freshman Chris Bassitt (1-2) picked up his sixth save on the season, closing out the 11th with a pair of strikeouts in two thirds of an inning pitched to lock up the Akron win.
Akron tallied just six hits in today's game and was led by senior Phil Bednar who notched a key two-RBI single in the 11th inning.
The Golden Flashes took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first after the lead off batter reached on a walk and was erased at second on a fielder's choice. The next runner moved to second then third on consecutive balks by UA starter Andrew Brown before eventually scoring on a bunt single. With a pair of batters on, Jason Patton blasted a three-run homer over the left field wall, giving Kent the early 4-0 advantage.
Kent State starter Brad Stillings walked the bases loaded in the
top of the second however Akron failed to capitalize as a strikeout
and double play ended the UA inning, stranding a pair of batters to
end the inning.
Akron chipped away at the Kent State lead in the fourth inning after failing to do so in the top of the second, scoring a pair of runs to bring the game within two, 4-2. Junior designated hitter Jake Plata opened the frame with a walk before fellow junior Brian Kordal hit his 11th double on the year with a gap shot in right center, scoring Plata all the way from first for the first run. Sophomore left fielder Brandon White executed a sacrifice bunt to move Kordal over to third and junior catcher John Turk was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third. Senior third baseman Ryan Frazee drove a pitch through the right side for a base knock, plating Kordal for the second UA run of the inning.
With Brown holding the Golden Flashes scoreless across the next three innings, senior Matt Roberts brought the Zips even closer, drilling a solo shot to left center for the third Akron run of a game and his eighth homer of the season, brining the Zips within one run, 4-3.
Kent led off the home half of the fifth with a single before Brown hit the next batter to put runners on first and second, bringing his day to a close as Turocy took the mound for the Zips. Turocy worked out the jam as he induced a pop up and 4-6-3 double play ball to end the inning. Brown lasted four innings, surrendering four earned runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts in the no decision today.
Following two more scoreless frames, the Zips were retired in order to open the eighth inning as the Golden Flashes began the home half of the inning on a disputed single to Frazee at third. The third baseman made an impressive snag in the 5-6 hole before throwing onto Kordal at first however the first base umpire ruled that Kordal's foot was off the bag, giving Kent a leadoff single. The next batter singled to left to put a pair of runners on before Turocy tossed 4-6-3 double play ball as the lead runner advanced to third. On the very next play, shortstop Kevin Haas made an impressive stop behind second base to retire the final out, fielding the groundball behind the bag at second to toss the runner out at first as the score remained 4-3.
Akron evened things up in the top of the ninth with no one out as White smashed his second homer in as many games with a shot to left center (his eighth this season) to knot the game up at four runs apiece. The home run would chase reliever Jon Pokorny from the game as Andrew Chafin entered in relief for the Golden Flashes. Chafin got to work immediately, inducing a groundout and pair of strikeouts to close out the top half of the ninth with the game tied at 4-4.
A UA error enabled the lead off man for Kent to reach base before a sacrifice bunt moved the runner over to second but no runs would come of it as Turocy induced a pop up to record the second out then hurled a strikeout to keep the game tied and send Akron to the tenth inning and third extra inning affair this season.
The top of the tenth was an interesting one, after Chafin retired
the first two UA batters before leaving the game down 2-0 in the
count due to a minor injury as reliever Justin Gill entered the
game for Kent State. Gill would induce a pop out on his first pitch
thrown to retire the side.
In the bottom of the 10th, Akron lived to see another inning after
a two-out shot deep to left center dropped in for a double. After
intentionally walking the next batter, Turocy and the Zips evaded
further danger as the next Flash popped up to Frazee in foul
territory to end the inning.
Akron used small ball and capitalized on Kent State mishaps to take the lead atop the 11th inning as Plata led off the frame with a single up the middle. Pinch runner Nick Solitario would advance to second base on a passed ball before Kordal drew a walk to put runners on first and second. White laid down the sacrifice bunt to move both runners and register the first Akron out of the inning. Turk was intentionally walked to load the bases when a wild pitch enabled Solitario to score from third as Turk and Kordal advanced to second and third respectively, putting Akron ahead for the first time, 5-4. Frazee would load the bases once more on a fielder's choice, inducing yet another Kent State pitching change. Lefty David Starn took to the hill for Kent but was unsuccessful in retiring an out, walking senior Brett Savage for the easy RBI as the Zips extended the lead to 6-4. A clutch two-RBI single from Bednar followed and was enough to put Akron ahead, 8-4 as the Zips matched their run-tally on the day in an inning of work.
The Golden Flashes threatened in the bottom of the 11th after the leadoff man reached on a walk by Turocy. Following a strikeout, the following batter smacked a double into left to put both runners in scoring position with just one away. Bassitt would take to the mound in relief of an outstanding Turocy and immediately sat the next batter down on strikes for the second out of the inning. After walking the bases loaded, Bassitt got the final Flash to strike out swinging, securing the save and win for Akron today.
Despite out-hitting the Zips 10-6, the Golden Flashes issued 10 walks and stranded 11 runners this afternoon while Akron issued just six walks and stranded seven in the series opener.
Akron and Kent State return to action tomorrow afternoon with a 1
pm start at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium. Live stats
for the game can be found at www.GoZips.com.
