Zips Conclude Spring Games With Win Over Marist

March 17 | Softball

Kissimmee, Fla.

- After falling 9-1 to Maryland in the first game of the day, the Zips softball team concluded the Rebel Spring Games Wednesday on a solid note taking a 6-3 victory over Marist.

Finishing the tournament 5-3, Akron was led offensively by junior Alex Feltes who batted a .455 with ten hits. On the mound, junior Heather Bauer went 4-0 with a 2.75 earned run average. Bauer also went 8-for-8 in stolen bases and grabbed five hits.

Against Marist, senior Krista Hansen led off with a base hit but it was the Red Foxes who scored first with a home run over the center field fence in the first inning (0-1).

The Zips would take the lead they never relinquished in the fourth when freshman Alissa Birkhimer led off with a right field single. Advancing on a sacrifice bunt, runners would land on the corners when Bauer laid down a bunt single. A base hit into center field by freshman Cassie Gleisner drove both runners home for the 2-1 lead. Akron added a third run when sophomore Alex Helfrich beat out a bunt single and Gleisner came home when no one was covering the bases (3-1). A similar play by sophomore Sarah Earley would score Helfrich when Earley beat out a play advancing to second on the throw that allowed Helfrich to score (4-1).

Akron got its first home run of the season from Birkhimer when she belted one over the center field fence in the fifth fto build the lead (5-1). Bauer helped adding another after a fielder's choice ball landed her at first. Two stolen bases pushed her to third and a dropped foul ball hit by junior Sarah Stromack let Bauer cross home plate (6-1).

Marist threatened in the sixth inning when, with one out, the Red Foxes loaded the bases off a walk, hit batter and single. A follow-up base hit would bring Marist within four (6-2) and with the bases still loaded bring in junior Alex Riedeman to pitch. Another hit lined into center kept the bases loaded (6-3) but a follow-up looking strikeout by Riedeman and runners interference in foul territory got UA out of the inning. In the win, Riedeman picked up her first save as a Zip.

In the first contest versus Maryland, the Terps scored after the lead-off hitter got on with a base hit in the second. Sophomore Andrea Arney would strike out the next two batters but a double would push both into scoring position. A follow-up hit would load the bases and a double to center field cleared the bags (0-3). An Akron fielding error allowed the runner from second to score for the fourth and final run of the inning.

Maryland added five more runs in the fifth off of two hits and three errors. After the batter was walked a single put runners at second and third and a double would drive in the fifth run. A fielder's choice ball throw to the plate would score the sixth run leaving runners at the corners and a Akron error drove the runner at third home (1-7). Two fielding errors put runs eight and nine on the board.

Akron's only offense came in the fourth when Hansen led off with a single. Advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Feltes, Akron's lone run came when Birkhimer laid down a double to left field.

Akron will open up at home on Tuesday, March 23, when the Zips welcome neighboring Youngstown State for a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. UA will play one final spring season tournament at the Winthrop Eagle Bash (March 27-28) before beginning conference play at home against Ohio (April 3).