The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Gardner-Webb
Zips Sweeps Day Two of Alabama State Tournament
February 27 | Softball
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Akron softball swept day two of the Alabama State Tournament against Gardner-Webb, 5-1, and Alabama State, 6-5 in extra innings, behind the strength of 20 combined hits and solid pitching in the circle.
"I am very happy with today's outcome, we hit the ball well, and Erin (Seiler) pitched well. Being able to bring her in the game when we pitch the whole staff, I know we are going to win," said head coach Julie Jones. "Overall we are getting better and that's what we need to continue to do to get where we want to go."
The Zips improve to 5-9 on the season with today's two victories and have won three in a row.
In a pitching dual between the Akron's senior Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Ohio) and Gardner-Webb's Devyn Terry, the Zips got the best of the Bulldogs pitcher in the top of the seventh inning putting four runs on the board breaking a 1-1 deadlock tie.
Akron did their damage with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. After two singles to left field from junior Savannah Fruin (Delray Beach, Fla.) and junior Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio), freshman Kelly Hysong (Canton, Ohio) roped a single to left-center and Fruin came around third to score after running on the crack of the bat.
Junior Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) cleared the bases one pitch later with a single up the middle scoring both Nicholas and Hysong. The Zips did not stop there as sophomore Taylor Kirian (New Riegel, Ohio) ripped a double into the gap in left-center field allowing Childress to score all the way from first.
Seiler (5-5) struck out two and forced a fly ball to centerfield to secure the victory for the Zips. The righty pitched her sixth complete game and second of the weekend. The Zips ace fanned an impressive 12 Bulldog batters while walking just one.
Gardner-Webb recorded just four hits in the contest and scored their lone run on a solo home run in the second inning.
The game between Akron and host Alabama State headed into extra innings due to a seventh inning comeback by the Zips to tie up the game. In the top of the eighth inning, Childress moved Hysong over to third with a sacrifice bunt and freshman Gabrielle Fredericks (New Philadelphia, Ohio) pulled a single through the right side of the infield to bring home the eventual game-winning run.
Akron jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the the second and third inning. Childress was hit by the first pitch of the second inning and moved over on a SAC bunt. Fredericks reached on an error to put runners at the corners. Sophomore Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) ripped a double into left-center field that cleared the bases. In the top of the third, Fruin went yard nailing a solo shot to right-center for her second home run of the day and third of the year.
Alabama State would tie up the game and later take the lead in the fifth inning, 5-3, off an RBI double and RBI single.
Trailing by two runs and down to their last three outs, Akron tied up the game at five in the top of the seventh inning and later forced extra innings. Fruin and sophomore Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) hit a pair of infield singles and Nicholas brought the runners around from first and second crushing a double to right-center field that rolled all the way to the fence.
Akron wraps-up the Alabama State Tournament tomorrow, Feb. 28, at 9 a.m. CT, as the Zips square off against Howard.
