The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Winthrop
Baseball Falls to Winthrop in Doubleheader to Open 2014 Season
February 16 | Baseball
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Box Scores: Game one | Game two
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The University of Akron baseball team lost to Winthrop University in both games of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Winthrop Ballpark to open the 2014 season. UA fell in the first game by a final score of 6-5 in 10 innings, and then 6-2 in the second game of the doubleheader.
"We hung in when we were behind in game one to tie it up, and had some good at bats," head coach Rick Rembielak said. "Wanted to carry that into game two, but we were too sporadic offensively. We made a lot of hard outs, hitting quite a few right at them."
Akron started well in the first inning of the first game of the doubleheader. Redshirt senior James Sheltrown reached on catcher's interference, which was followed by a RBI single from Brady Stewart to take an early 1-0 lead.
Redshirt junior Jon Pusateri made the start on the mound for the Zips' season opener for the second-consecutive season. Pusateri started with a scoreless first inning, but went on to allow three runs in the bottom of the second. He lasted 3.0 innings with four runs allowed and three strikeouts for a no-decision.
Winthrop added one run in both the third and fourth innings, which were tagged to Pusateri and reliever John Valek III, respectively. Valek worked 4.0 innings with one earned run allowed and two strikeouts.
The Zips pushed across two runs in both the fifth and seventh innings to knot the game at five. Redshirt junior Matt LaRocca hit Akron's first home run of the season, a two-run blast, in the fifth inning, which was followed by RBI singles from junior Matt Rembielak and Sheltrown in the seventh.
Despite incurring the loss, redshirt junior Andrew Fanning worked an efficient 2.0 innings with three hits allowed and one unearned run over the eighth and ninth inning.
The Zips also struck first in the second game of the afternoon doubleheader. Freshman James Meeker III, who started at third and earned his first three collegiate hits, notched a RBI single in the first to bring in redshirt junior Joey Havrilak, putting UA up 1-0.
The Winthrop Eagles rallied for three runs in the bottom of the second on Zips starting pitcher Michael Steensen. Steensen pitched a total of 4.0 innings with five earned runs allowed, and was given the loss.
Following Steensen's exit, sophomore JT Brubaker took over on the mound. He allowed one run in the fifth, and then finished with 3.0 innings pitched and three striekouts.
Havrilak brought Akron within four runs with a solo home run to right field, the fifth of his career, in the top of the seventh inning, which brought the game to its final score of 6-2. A native of Washington, Pa., Havrilak finished the day with a team-high three runs scored to go along with a double and a walk.
Overall on the afternoon, the Akron offense recorded 19 hits, two doubles and two walks. Kris Simonton, Stewart, Havrilak and Meeker led the team with three hits each, while LaRocca had a team-high two RBI. Five other Zips had one RBI over the two games.
"Wish we didn't lose a game to weather as we would've liked to get more pitchers in," Rembielak said.
Akron baseball will look ahead to the Blue Devil Classic, which will pit Akron against Saint Louis, LaSalle and Duke next weekend. UA's first matchup is with Saint Louis on Feb. 21 in Durham, N.C., at 7 p.m.
