The University of Akron Athletics
UA Rally Falls Short in MAC Opener
March 26 | Baseball
The UA baseball team mounted a pair of late comebacks but Western Michigan withstood both advances as the Zips fell 3-2 against the Broncos in the Mid-American Conference opener on a frigid day at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.
Akron drops to 11-9 on the year and 0-1 in conference play while the win improves the home club to 4-15 overall and 1-0 in the MAC.
Alex Loftin (3-3) took the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) on eight hits. The sophomore fanned six batters in seven innings pitched. Casey Webber (1-0) also went seven innings and surrendered four hits to earn the win while reliever Derek Mosher registered the save in an inning and two thirds pitched.
The home squad wasted little time jumping ahead in today's matchup, scoring one unearned run in the first on a pair of hits and an Akron error before adding two more in the second to take the 3-0 advantage.
The Zips who finished with eight hits, one shy of Western Michigan, struggled to string them together, collecting three across the first five frames. Akron broke up the shut out in the eighth against WMU's relief man Casey Hall. Sam Watkins and Sam Trecaso led off with back-to-back singles before a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt courtesy of Jason Corzine moved both runners into scoring position. Kevin Haas' RBI-single through the right side scored Watkins and left runners at the corner for Akron however a bang-bang 4-6-3 double play killed the rally with the home team ahead, 3-1.
Sophomore Scott Foster did his part, keeping Western off the scoreboard in the eighth allowing just one hit while striking out two, enabling Akron to get back to business in the ninth. The action began when Brian Kordal drew a one-out walk before moving to second on a passed ball. With two away, John Turk brought the Zips within one (3-2) as his RBI-single to left center plated Kordal but Mosher would get the final batter to foul out, ending the contest still in favor of the home club, 3-2.
Haas and Turk collected two hits and a RBI each while Trecaso was 2-for-3 with his second double on the season.
Akron and Western Michigan resume play tomorrow with first pitch at Robert J. Bobb Stadium slated for 1 p.m. ET. Bill Morgan will have the call on the Akron ISP Network. The broadcast and live stats can be found on www.GoZips.com.
