The University of Akron Athletics
Softball's Conrad and Seiler named MAC East Player and Pitcher of the Week
March 10 | Softball
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- University of Akron sophomores Mackenzie Conrad and Erin Seiler have been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player and Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
This is the first time in her career Conrad has won the league's weekly award, and the third time in Seiler's career she has earned the recognition.
Conrad had a breakout weekend offensively for Akron, leading the Zips to a perfect 6-0 record at the Rebel Spring Games in Winter Haven, Fla. The sophomore garnered a team-leading .867 slugging percentage, posting a pair of multi-hit games and recording her first career home run.
In a win over Bucknell, Conrad was 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. She launched her first home run over the left field wall to give Akron some insurance in the bottom of the fifth inning. Conrad did it all against Saint Peter's, going 2-for-3 and scoring three runs. She drove in Akron's first run of the game in the fourth with a triple, the first of her career.
The LaGrange, Ohio native also picked up a pair of complete-game victories in the circle, allowing just one earned run. In six games, Conrad stepped to the plate 18 times and only struck out once.
Seiler posted a 3-0 record in the circle and recorded her second career save to guide UA during its winning weekend. She threw three complete-game victories, highlighted by a six-inning 8-0 shutout over Temple.
Against the Owls, the sophomore allowed three hits and one walk, striking out six. In the Zips' one-run win over Manhattan, Seiler entered the game midway through the fifth inning and gave up just one hit in 2.2 innings of work to earn the save, striking out three of the nine batters she faced.
Outfielder Nicole Gremillion of Northern Illinois and freshman Rachael Knapp of Central Michigan earned MAC Player and Pitcher of the Week for the West Division.
Akron (9-2) is off to its best start since the 1995 season. The Zips return to the field this weekend for their final non-conference tournament at the Cherry Blossom Classic in Fairfax, Va. UA will play five games in three days, against Binghamton, Colgate and host George Mason.
