The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Creighton
Strong Pitching Helps Akron Split Day Two of Rebel Spring Games
March 06 | Softball
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Akron Zips found themselves on the wrong end of a pitching dual in a, 1-0, loss to Creighton but redeemed themselves with a late-game, 2-1, victory over South Dakota State on Sunday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games.
The Zips won their second weekend series in a row going a combined 3-1 in four games. Overall, Akron improves to 9-10 and is just one game under .500 through 19 games.
"I am very happy to come out of here with three wins. If we can have a little more offensive production, I think we will be successful. Today was a struggle offensively but we came through when we needed to and our defense was huge in game two," said head coach Julie Jones. "Erin (Seiler) had a very good day. She gave us an opportunity to be able to win two games and that's what expect from her and that's what we will see all the way down the road from here on out."
In game one, the two players in the circle owned all eight innings for Creighton and Akron. The Zips senior Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Pa.) pitched all 7.2 innings for Akron in the extra inning game. The righty recorded nine strikeouts, did not register a walk while surrendering seven hits. The Bluejays starter, Sydnee Eck, stifled the Akron lineup with 14 strikeouts and held the Zips to just one hit.
Creighton started the extra inning of free softball with a runner on second and the first batter moved the runner over to third on a groundout to Seiler. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bluejays drove in the winning run with a sharp hit line drive to right field that dropped just in front of the right fielder sophomore Taylor Kirian (New Reigel, Ohio).
Akron picked up a 2-1 win against South Dakota State University in the Zips second game of the afternoon.
After trailing by one run after four innings, the Zips put a run on the board to tie up the game in the fifth. Kirian drove a single up the middle of the infield to lead off the fifth inning and stole second and third. Sophomore Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) dribbled a ball back to the mound, which forced the pitcher to look the runner back. The Jackrabbits hurler threw wide of first base and the ball rolled to the fence allowing Kirian to score at home.
The Zips took the lead with the eventual game-winning run an inning later in the the sixth inning. Junior Savannah Fruin (Delray Beach, Fla.) opened the bottom half of the inning with a double to left field and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, junior Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) drove in the winning run splitting the third basemen and shortstop with a single to left field.
Seiler made the start in game two for the Zips as well. The senior was just as dominate on the mound pitching seven innings, fanned sixed and walked just one. On the day Seiler pitched a combined 14.2 innings, gave up one run on 12 hits, while whiffing 15 hitters to one lone walk.
The Zips finish off the tournament portion of their schedule next weekend, March 12-13, in Washington, D.C., at the George Washington Invitational. At the tournament, Akron would square-off against Canisius, George Washington, and Gardner-Webb.
