The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Blows Out Kent State to Finish 2011 Season
May 21 | Baseball
KENT, Ohio - The University of Akron baseball team took down archrival Kent State in blow out fashion Saturday afternoon to cap the 2011 season at Olga Mural Field. The Zips scored runs in all but three innings to take a 13-4 victory.
Freshman Myles McVeigh was outstanding on the hill, limiting a talented KSU lineup to just one hit over 7.2 shutout innings. McVeigh gave up just a third-inning triple to Evan Campbell and allowed just one other runner to reach second base. He struck out five and retired eight in a row in innings four through seven.
Sam Watkins led the Akron (16-37, 7-20 Mid-American Conference) attack at the plate, as the junior second baseman fell just a triple short of the cycle and drove in a pair. Watkins third-inning solo home run was the sixth of his season and the fourth in his last seven games. Junior Dan Burant and freshman Kurt Gamby also drove in a pair and Sophomore James Sheltrown hit his first home run of the season.
The Zips jumped out to an early lead when senior Brandon White - who scored three times in his final game as a Zip - doubled to begin the second and was driven in by a Samuel Trecaso single. Watkins homer with two-outs in the third doubled the Akron lead.
Akron then put a five-spot on the board in the fourth to break the game open with all five runs coming after KSU starter Dan Slavik had quickly recorded the first two outs in the inning. Gamby singled and Sheltrown drew a two-out walk to begin the rally. Burant then drove in the first of his two RBIs with a single into center. Sheltrown came home when Slavik threw Jared Turocy's swinging bunt into right field. Matt Corpora singled and Watkins doubled to left field to plate two more runs, before White's bases loaded walk finished the scoring in the inning.
Sheltrown added the eighth run of the game with his solo blast in the fifth. Akron then plated three more tallies without recording a hit in the sixth as the Zips drew four straight walks and benefitted from two passed balls and two wild pitches in the frame. Burant also produced a sacrifice fly in the inning.
Gamby finished the Akron scoring when he doubled in White and junior Drew Turocy in the seventh.
