The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Niagara
Zips Softball Sweeps Niagara Behind Strong Pitching Performances
April 19 | Softball
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Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two) | Video Highlights
AKRON, Ohio – The Akron Zips finished off a season sweep of the Niagara Purple Eagles Tuesday afternoon after two wins, 2-0 and 8-0, courtesy of outstanding pitching by senior Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Ohio) and sophomore Paige McMenemy (Westerville, Ohio).
Akron improved its record to 25-18-1 with the pair of W's. The 25 wins matches' last season's total win mark with nine games left to play. Niagara falls to 4-28 on the year. Akron swept the season series with Niagara, 3-0. The Zips first beat the Purple Eagles back on February 20, by a score of 5-0. Akron has now won three games in a row and six of their last seven.
Seiler and McMenemy baffled the Purple Eagles as each recorded a complete game shutout. The complete game shut out was the first of McMenemy's career and 26th of the season for Seiler. The Zips ace pitched seven innings of work giving up just two hits, struck out five, and walked one. The sophomore tossed six strong innings in the second contest giving up four hits, struck out two and walked three.
The Zips scored early in game one with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Junior centerfielder Savannah Fruin (Delray Beach, Fla.) led off the game with a single up the middle of the infield, advanced to second on a groundout, and stole third. With two outs, sophomore Taylor Kirian (New Riegel, Ohio) reached safely by an error on the third baseman allowing Fruin to score from third.
In the third inning Akron added another run in the bottom half of the inning. Junior Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio) singled out to left field and swiped second base for her 17th stolen base of the year. In the next at-bat, junior Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) singled down the left field line and Nicholas came around to score from second.
From there on out, the game was all Seiler's keeping Niagara hitless for the next three innings.
The Akron bats came alive in game two as the Zips totaled 17 hits for eight runs in a six-inning game. Kirian and freshman Gabrielle Fredericks (New Philadelphia, Ohio) each went 3-for-4 in the game. Kirian posted three RBI's and was a home run shy of the cycle, while Fredericks drove home the two game-winning runs.
Identical to game one, Akron scored early in the second contest putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Following a double by Nicholas and a walk by Childress, Kirian nailed a long fly ball off the left field fence and she slide into third for a two-run triple. Two batters later, Kirian scored from third on a wild pitch for Akron's third run.
Back-to-back doubles by Childress and Kirian in the fourth inning added another run for the Zips and Kirian's third RBI of the contest.
Akron added a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning to give McMenemy a 6-0 lead to work with. With two outs, Fruin doubled to left center field. In the next at-bat, Nicholas popped up to the first baseman but she dropped the ball in play and Fruin scored from second after taking off on contact with two outs. After Nicholas stole her second base of the day and stood on second, Childress brought her around to score on a RBI single to right field.
The Zips ended this game an inning early courtesy of the run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) singled to lead off the inning, freshman Lilli Pipper (Norton, Ohio) recorded her first career hit with a single to left field, and sophomore Cassie Gillespie moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Fredericks stepped into the box and hit a walk-off two RBI single to right field.
The Zips return to Lee Jackson Field this weekend, April 22-23, for a three-game series with the Bowling Green Falcons. Akron and BGSU play one game, Friday, April 22, starting at 3 p.m. and play two on Saturday, April 23. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
