The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Bowling Green
Softball's Comeback Bid Against Bowling Green Falls Short
April 01 | Softball
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron softball team posted three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as part of its comeback rally, but couldn't find the equalizing score and lost 7-6 to Bowling Green in a Mid-American Conference matchup on Sunday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Softball Field.
Down 7-3, Akron (11-18-1, 0-4 MAC) scored its three sixth-inning runs off of five hits. With one out and two runners on, Crystal Hernandez singled to left to score Kellie Roudabush and move Cassie Gleisner to third. Iesha Mountain came in to pinch run for Hernandez and promptly stole second. Keelia Nestor, the Zips' next batter, walked on before Brittany Maurer singled to right to help score Gleisner and Mountain.
An attempted double steal by UA went bad as Nestor was tagged out at home to provide the second out as Maurer moved on to second, but the Zips' rally stayed alive as Alex Helfrich singled to the pitcher and brought Maurer to third. Alissa Birkhimer struck out swinging to close out the frame and Akron's scoring for the day.
In the bottom of the seventh, Allison Dorr singled to center field, but Roudabush and Gleisner struck out swinging, and Taryn Allmon grounded out to second base to end the game.
Bowling Green (18-11, 3-1 MAC) took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to an Andrea Arney grand slam to left field. The Falcons' first three batters of the game reached base, bringing on an early Akron pitching change. After swapping out Lisa Lash with Maurer in the circle, Maurer gave up the homer to the first batter she faced.
The Zips made it 4-1 in the bottom of the second when Roudabush stole home, but the Falcons scored a pair in the top of the third to push their advantage to 6-1. UA posted single runs in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning to begin its comeback, and Bowling Green put up the one run that would prove to be the difference maker in the top of the six.
Akron used three pitchers throughout the day. Lash, who went 1.1 innings and appeared in the circle on two occasions, was credited with the loss to drop her record to 1-2 this year, while Maurer went 2.0 innings and Kinis Tellep 3.2 innings. Tellep came in during the top of the fourth and was solid during the Zips' comeback bid, allowing just one run while striking out five and walking two.
Dorr, Nestor and Roudabush led UA with two hits apiece, while Maurer was credited with two RBI. The Zips finished the game with 12 hits.
Arney led BGSU with two hits and five RBI as the Falcons' seven runs came off of seven hits.
Akron will step away from the MAC schedule on Tuesday when it plays host to Niagara in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. ET. All Zips softball home games are free of charge. Fans unable to attend can follow a free live webcast and live statistics on GoZips.com.
The Zips resume league play on Friday in Oxford, Ohio with a doubleheader at Miami (Ohio). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.
