Zips Edge Duquesne in Home Opener, 7-4

March 24 | Baseball

AKRON, Ohio -

Sophomore Sam Watkins went yard not once but twice in his first home game as a Zip as The University of Akron baseball team defeated Duquesne University, 7-4 at Lee Jackson Field before a crowd of 265 in today's home opener.

Watkins finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored to pace the UA lineup while freshman Samuel Trecaso added a pair of RBIs on a single late in today's contest.

Sophomore Scott Foster (2-2) entered in relief for starter Zach Yike to earn the win, throwing four scoreless innings while striking out four to help Akron improve to 11-8 on the year. Yike worked two frames and surrendered a run on two hit before taking a sharp liner off his shin in the no decision.

Reliever John Devine (0-1) suffered today's loss as the Dukes dropped to 3-16 on the season. Outfielder Andrew Heck finished the game 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs to lead the visitors.

Duquesne struck first, plating a run in the second but Akron quickly responded in the home half on Watkins' first home run of the day on a deep shot over the wall in left. Junior Brandon White's sacrifice-fly RBI put Akron in front by a 2-1 margin before two and a half scoreless innings ensued.

Akron added two more in the sixth to stretch the lead and add a little breathing room, going up 4-1 after a leadoff home run from Watkins to an almost identical spot in left. Jared Turocy followed with a one-out double to center before shifting to third on a passed ball before senior Kevin Haas drove the freshman home on a sac-fly RBI to cap the scoring.

Junior Bobby Simone took to the mound in the seventh and held the Dukes scoreless while registering a strikeout before Akron broke the game open with three more runs in the bottom of the stanza. Senior Jake Plata earned his third walk of the game before Brian Kordal sent a single to center and White followed with a bunt single to load the bases. With one out, a Watkins fielder's choice erased Plata at the plate but kept the bases loaded and UA inning alive. With some help from Duquesne's catcher, Akron scored on a passed ball before Trecaso's clutch two-out two-RBI single scored White and Watkins to put Akron ahead, 7-1.

Duquesne got three runs back, scoring one in the eighth against UA reliever Kevin Kumazec and two more in the ninth against Akron closer Drew Turocy.

The Zips head to Kalamazoo, Mich. this weekend, beginning Mid-American Conference play on the road at Western Michigan University. The three-game set will feature a 3 p.m. game on Friday (March 26) and 1 p.m. games Saturday (March 27) and Sunday (March 28). Bill Morgan will have the play-by-play coverage all weekend long on the Akron ISP Network available on www.GoZips.com with a Zips Zone subscription.