The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Northern Illinois
Softball launches four home runs in doubleheader split with Northern Illinois
May 02 | Softball
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Game One Final Stats | Game One Final Stats (PDF)
Game Two Final Stats | Game Two Final Stats (PDF) | Season Stats
AKRON, Ohio -- Freshman Savannah Fruin held up the bottom of Akron's lineup with a 4-for-6 effort for the day, including her first career home run, as part of the Zips' doubleheader split with Northern Illinois on Friday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Field.
Akron shut out NIU in decisive fashion in game one with a final score of 2-0, but a six-run inning from the Huskies in game two caused UA to falter in a 9-4 loss. With the result, Akron moved to 25-14 overall and 10-6 in the MAC, while NIU's record stands at 22-28 and 9-11 in the conference.
The Zips have now officially clinched a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament next week at Firestone Stadium. Though the seeding has yet to be decided by the results through the rest of this weekend, it will be UA's first trip to the league tournament since the 2009 season.
Four different Zips hit one out of the park against the Northern Illinois pitching staff. Three of the four longballs came in the second game, but all three were solo shots and were unable to cover enough ground to fuel an Akron comeback.
The Zips begin their final series of the regular season on Saturday when they host Western Michigan at 2 p.m. UA's lone senior Jessica Schneider will be honored prior to the first pitch for her accomplishments in an Akron uniform over the past two seasons.
Game One: Akron 2, Northern Illinois 0
Akron totaled nine hits, but Schneider's solo home run to lead off the fourth inning would prove to be the winning run as the Zips shut down the Huskies in game one.
The senior's homer was her fifth of the season and her second in as many games.
Akron's defense rode the strength of Erin Seiler's eight strikeouts in the circle. The sophomore recorded her 21st complete game in 26 starts, and her sixth shutout of the season.
UA added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Shawna Mailloux ripped a two-out single to left field to score Erin Pond from second base.
Fruin, getting the start in right field for the second-straight series, was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate against NIU starter Jessica Sturm.
Game Two: Northern Illinois 9, Akron 4
The Zips carried a 3-1 advantage into the fifth inning, but Northern Illinois came storming back with a six run explosion that Akron did not have an answer for.
After Northern snuck an unearned run across in the top of the first, UA came back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on a home run from Mailloux and a Husky error.
Both teams were relatively quiet for the next several innings, as the Zips worked to adjust their game to the offspeed weapon of NIU starting pitcher Rebecca Rupard. Fruin found her stroke in the bottom of the fourth when she launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left center field. Her first career home run gave Akron a 3-1 advantage after four complete innings.
NIU knotted the score at three in the top of the fifth, scoring its two runs on a pair of walks and a pair of singles before recording an out. With the bases loaded, Northern's Sturm belted a grand slam to break the game open and put NIU up 7-3.
Sara Pearson came in to relieve Seiler in the circle, but the Zips were unable to close the gap. Seiler was tagged with the loss, putting her record at 18-7 overall.
Taryn Allmon homered in the sixth inning to gain one back before an RBI triple from NIU's Emily Naegele put the game out of reach.
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