The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Colgate
Softball drops a pair of games on day two of Cherry Blossom Classic
March 15 | Softball
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FAIRFAX, Va. -- The University of Akron softball team dropped both games in its second doubleheader in as many days at the Cherry Blossom Classic. UA fell to Colgate, 6-4, in the morning session, and came up short in a slugfest with host George Mason, 13-7, in game two.
UA (10-5) will close out tournament play with a single game against Binghamton at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Game One: Colgate 6, Akron 4
Akron carried a 4-3 lead into the last inning, but Colgate fought back with three runs in the top of the seventh to sneak by the Zips, 6-4 in game one.
Erin Pond tallied two hits and Jessica Schneider had an RBI double to pace the Zips at the plate.
McKenzi Rhodes belted her first home run of the season, a three run shot in the bottom of the fourth, to give UA the lead. Colgate (4-9) took advantage of a pair of untimely Akron errors in the final frame to plate three runs, and the Zips were unable to rally.
Erin Seiler threw a complete game, allowing just two earn runs and striking out 11, tying her career-high. The sophomore's record moved to 5-1 on the season.
Game Two: George Mason 13, Akron 7
UA's five-run third inning was not enough to combat George Mason's 15 hits in the second game, as the Zips fell 13-7 in the rematch between two teams that met just one day ago.
Schneider was 2-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of runs scored, and Pond posted her fifth multi-hit game of the season.
The Zips started off in a hole when Mason, playing as the visiting team, put up a five-spot in the top of the first. The Patriots eventually took an 8-0 lead in the top of the third inning, scoring three runs with two outs on a pair of singles.
Akron answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five runs of its own. Jessica Reiman stole home and Schneider followed up three batters later with a grand slam to clear the bases, cutting the deficit to three at 8-5.
GMU (6-11) strung together four more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-RBI triple from its first baseman. The Zips tacked on one run in the fifth and another in the sixth, thanks to an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Alyssa Nicholas, but it was not enough to catch the Patriots.
Sara Pearson struck out five and walked two, but allowed eight runs in the loss, moving her record to 2-1. Mackenzie Conrad threw 4.1 innings in relief, also walking just two but giving up four earned runs.
