The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Eastern Michigan
Softball edges Eastern Michigan in MAC opener, 2-1
March 29 | Softball
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Akron used a solo home run from Alyssa Nicholas and some heads-up baserunning to edge Eastern Michigan, 2-1, in its Mid-American Conference opener Saturday afternoon.
Due to field conditions at EMU, the game was played at the University of Michigan's Alumni Field.
UA improved to 14-6 overall and 1-0 in the MAC with the result, while Eastern fell to 8-20 and 0-3.
Erin Seiler (8-2) went the distance in the circle for the Zips, picking up the victory as she scattered five hits without allowing an earned run in seven innings of work.
After a short first two innings, Nicholas led off the third with her second home run in a week to give the Zips an early 1-0 lead. The lead would not hold for long, just until the bottom of the fourth when the Eagles gained a run on an Akron outfield error.
Jessica Reiman drew a walk from a full count to start the fifth inning, and Savannah Fruin entered to pinch run. Fruin moved to second on a McKenzi Rhodes sacrifice bunt, and eventually advanced to third on a wild pitch but was left stranded.
The Zips snuck the winning run across in the top of the sixth inning, after Erin Pond roped a lead off single to right center field. Chelsea Wildey moved Pond to second base on a sacrifice bunt, and Jessica Schneider's single was enough to get her to third.
Schneider was caught stealing with Kellie Roudabush at the plate, but Roudabush worked the at-bat for a walk to put runners on the corners. Pond and Roudabush executed a successful double steal with two outs to plate Pond and capture the 2-1 advantage.
Seiler retired the last six-straight batters she faced to end the game.
Akron and EMU will face off again on Sunday in a single game at 1 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor.
