The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Bucknell
Softball finishes perfect weekend with victories over Bucknell and Saint Peter's
March 09 | Softball
Follow Akron Softball on Twitter and Facebook
Final Stats vs. Bucknell | Final Stats (PDF) vs. Bucknell
Final Stats vs. Saint Peter's | Final Stats (PDF) vs. Saint Peter's | Season Stats
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The University of Akron put the finishing touches on a perfect weekend on Sunday afternoon, picking up victories over Bucknell, 7-5, and Saint Peter's, 10-1.
UA returns home from the Rebel Spring Games with a 6-0 mark and a 9-2 overall record, marking its best start since the 1995 season.
The Zips are scheduled to play their final non-conference tournament March 14-16, when they travel to Fairfax, Va. for the Cherry Blossom Classic. Akron will play a pair of doubleheaders, taking on Binghamton, Colgate and host George Mason.
Game One: Akron 7, Bucknell 5
Mackenzie Conrad launched her first career home run and Shawna Mailloux went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to carry Akron past Bucknell, 7-5.
The Zips used a monster five-run first inning to build a comfortable cushion for the rest of the game. After Bucknell's second baseman issued a leadoff solo shot to start the game, Chelsea Wildey drilled a one-out single to left to bring home Mailloux and tie the score at one.
Jessica Schneider took a 2-2 count for a double, putting two runners in scoring position. The senior eventually scored on a passed ball with two down to give Akron the lead, but the Zips weren't done. Taryn Allmon came up with a two-RBI single and McKenzi Rhodes followed suit with an RBI double, all with two outs, giving UA a 5-1 edge by the end of the first frame.
Akron put up one run in the fourth and another in the fifth, courtesy of a Wildey sacrifice fly and Conrad's home run over the left field wall.
Bucknell scattered four runs over the last four innings but was ultimately unable to catch the Zips.
Erin Seiler went the distance in the circle for Akron and improved her record to 4-0.
Game Two: Akron 10, Saint Peter's 1
Akron took the Saint Peter's pitching staff for 11 hits and combined for eight runs over the last two innings to handily win game two, 10-1.
Mailloux, Conrad and Allmon had two hits apiece for the Zips, while Jessica Reiman and Savannah Fruin each posted three RBI.
UA struck first in the top of the fourth inning, when Schneider drew a leadoff walk and moved over to second on a Kellie Roudabush sacrifice bunt. Sara Pearson entered to run for Schneider, stole third base, and scored on a triple off the bat of Conrad. Reiman would ground out, but it was enough to bring Conrad home and give Akron a 2-0 lead.
Saint Peter's scored what would be its only run in the bottom of the fourth on an Akron error.
The Zips blew the game open with four runs in each of the last two innings, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Savannah Fruin in the sixth. Reiman and Mailloux each collected an RBI single in Akron's late game scoring frenzy.
Conrad (3-2) retired the side in order in the bottom half of the seventh inning to close the book on SPU. The sophomore threw a complete game, giving up six hits without allowing a walk.
