The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Softball Hosts Cleveland State in Home Finale on Tuesday
April 27 | Softball
GAMENOTES IN PDF
DH vs. Cleveland State (25-20, 8-6 MAC)
Lee R. Jackson Field • Akron, Ohio
Tuesday, April 28 • 3 p.m.
Webstream: GoZips.com
Live Stats: GoZips.com
THIS WEEK
Akron softball closes out regular-season home play with Cleveland State on Tuesday, April 28, at 3 p.m. at Lee R. Jackson Field.
The home games will be streamed live on GoZips.com with Bill Morgan on play-by-play and Scott Scalf with color analysis. Live stats will also be available on GoZips.com.
Akron returns 11 letterwinners, including five starters, from a year ago. The Zips welcome six true freshmen.
The Akron Zips, under ninth-year head coach Julie Jones, stand 20-24 overall and 7-10 in MAC play after dropping four MAC games at home over the weekend.
After 44 contests, freshman OF Taylor Kirian (New Riegel, Ohio) is the Zips' top hitter, batting .333 with 10 hits, six doubles, and six RBI in 21 games. Sophomore 3B Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio) follows at .301. She has a team-best 40 hits, five doubles, a team-best six home runs, and a team-best 30 RBI in 44 starts.
In the circle, 2014 MAC Pitcher of the Year Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Ohio) stands 20-16 after 235.1 innings of action. She's struck out a MAC-best and season record 277 batters and walked 57 while throwing 31 complete games, including six shutouts. Freshman Paige McMenemy (Westerville, Ohio) has made 11 appearances (0-3 overall), throwing 26.2 innings. She has 18 strikeouts and 12 walks. Senior Sara Pearson (Somerville, Ohio) has appeared in 11 games (0-5 overall). She has 31 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32.0 innings of action.
SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
The Vikings, under first-year head coach Becky Norris, stand 21-20 overall and 6-9 in Horizon League play. Senior IF Cynthia Woodard is the top hitter at .447 with 63 hits, 13 doubles, 22 home runs, and 44 RBI in 43 starts. Junior C Erica McNew follows (.433) with 45 hits, three doubles, a triple, and 34 RBI in 40 starts. In the circle, junior RHP Susan Knight (10-9 overall) has pitched 125.0 innings and has a 3.14 ERA. She's struck out 63 and walked 36.
Akron holds a 37-5-2 series advantage over Cleveland State since 1980. In their last meeting in 2013, the Zips swept CSU, 3-2 and 5-4 in Cleveland.
DID YOU KNOW ...
Akron head coach Julie Jones served as Cleveland State's head coach for 10 seasons prior to taking over as the Zips' mentor.
During the 2006 campaign, she led the Vikings to a 38-15 mark and an appearance in the Horizon League tournament semifinals. Jones departed as CSU's winningest coach in the history of the athletics department.
UP NEXT
The Zips travel to Ohio single MAC games on Saturday, May 2, at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 1 p.m.
