The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio
Seiler Deals as Zips Top Bobcats 4-3
April 15 | Softball
Follow Akron softball on Facebook and Twitter
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – Zips ace senior Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Ohio) deals in the circle, the Akron offense strings together three runs in the sixth inning for a 4-0 lead, and the Zips avoid a seventh inning comeback to take game one of a three-game series, 4-3, over Ohio on Friday afternoon.
"Erin (Seiler) was great today for us keeping the Ohio offense out of the game and she pitched out of a jam in the seventh when she needed to," said head coach Julie Jones. "We were able to string together a couple runs in the sixth and they turned out to be huge for us. We have two more big games tomorrow and will come out ready to play.
Akron has now won three in a row and improve to 22-17-1 and 6-4-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while Ohio falls to 24-15 and 6-6 in MAC play.
The two top pitchers in the MAC, Seiler and Savannah Jo Dorsey, were matched up in the circle for game one of the weekend series. The game was a pitching dual between the two aces until the sixth inning.
Seiler picked up the W for the Zips, her 19th of the year, after tossing her 24th complete game. In seven innings of work, the righty gave up three runs on five hits while handing out six strikeouts. Seiler held the Bobcats scoreless and gave up just two hits through six innings. The MAC strikeout leader, Dorsey, pitched 5.2 innings, surrendering four runs on two hits with three walks, but struck out 10 Akron batters.
After shutting down the Zips bats in the first 2.2 innings striking out six of the first seven Zips batters faced, junior Savannah Fruin (Delray Beach, Fla.) touched them all after connecting on a laser line drive shot out to left-center field for her ninth home run of the season.
The Zips did their damage in the sixth to push their lead to four runs with heads up base running following a wild pitch by Ohio's Dorsey. With two outs, the Zips loaded the bases after junior Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio) walked, junior Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) doubled down the right field line, and sophomore Taylor Kirian (New Reigel, Ohio) drew a walk. During sophomore Caitlin Gambone's (Canton, Ohio) at-bat, Dorsey threw a pitch passed the catcher and Nicholas broke for home to score. Ohio attempted a play at the plate but the catcher's throw to Dorsey, who was covering home plate, rolled off her glove and went all the way to the pithing circle. Childress came around all the way from second to score.
A pitch hit Gambone after the Zips scored two for her eighth HBP of the year. During the next at-bat, the Akron third baseman broke for second and swiped her eighth stolen base. The Bobcats catcher throw bounced out into the outfield allowing Gambone to advance to third and Kirian crossed the plate for the fourth Akron run.
Ohio trailed 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning but managed to score three runs but fell short of a late-game comeback.
Akron and Ohio continue tomorrow, April 16, at Ohio Softball field for games two and three of the weekend series in Athens, Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with game two following 30 minutes after the conclusion of the initial contest.
