The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Bowling Green
Zips Softball Splits with BG
April 23 | Softball
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Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)
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AKRON, Ohio – The Akron softball team cruised by Bowling Green, 5-0, in game one of the double-header action with a complete team effort on both sides of the ball but struggled to find their rhythm in game two en route to splitting the day falling, 9-5, Saturday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field.
After splitting with the Falcons, the Zips now stand at 26-19-1 and 8-6-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while BG owns a 17-28 record overall and picked up their fifth in the MAC, 5-11.
Game one saw the Zips play as a complete unit offensively and defensively. The team totaled 12 combined hits and four Akron players, junior Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio), sophomore Taylor Kirian (New Riegel, Ohio), freshman Lilli Piper (Norton, Ohio) and sophomore Kayla Schlosser (Erie, Pa.), recorded multi-hit performances led by Schlosser who went a perfect 3-for-3.
Senior Erin Seiler (Bowling Green, Ohio) was spectacular in the circle for the Zips tossing a complete game shutout over the Falcons. Seiler surrendered five hits but held BG scoreless while striking out six on 110 pitches.
Freshman Gabrielle Fredericks (New Philadelphia, Ohio) got the Zips on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a two RBI double to left field scoring sophomore Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) who was hit by a pitch and Lena Richards (Camas, Wash.) who pinch ran after sophomore Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) walked.
The Zips first baseman, Gillespie, added another run for Akron one inning later with a deep fly ball to right center field. Piper put her head down and scored all the way from first base after reaching on a fielder's choice.
Akron increased their advantage to 4-0 in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Piper led off the inning with a single, Fredericks followed with a single two batters later and Schlosser reached first on a bunt single. With the bases loaded, junior Savannah Fruin sent a deep fly ball to center field allowing Piper to tag up from second and score her second run of the contest.
Kirian brought home an insurance run for the Zips in the sixth inning to give Akron a 5-0 lead. Junior Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) posted a infield single and the BG pitcher threw the ball over the first baseman's heads in an attempt to make a play allowing Childress to move over to third. Kirian then singled up the middle for a RBI single.
Although the Zips managed to knock out 12 hits and score five runs, it was not enough to sweep the Falcons in game two of the twinbill.
Bowling Green struck first in the contest with an RBI double in the top of the second inning. In the bottom half, Akron countered the Falcon run with one of their own. Kirian doubled to left center field and moved to third on a sac bunt. Piper then reached on an error by the BG first baseman while Kirian strolled home for the run.
The Falcons came back in the next inning to reclaim their lead in the top of the third. BG posted four consecutive singles with two outs and scored twice for a 3-1 lead.
BG opened the game up in the top of the fifth and increase its advantage to five runs, 6-1. After some miscommunication in the infield and couple fielders choices that did not result in an out, the Falcons recorded two RBI groundouts and a RBI single for their three scores.
The Zips did not go away and continued to fight to bring the deficit back to three in the bottom of the sixth. Gambone doubled to left center scoring Kirian from second and Gillespie singled scoring Gambone from third.
The Falcons continued to have the hot bats in the game adding three more insurance runs in the seventh inning to really pull away from the Zips.
Akron gave it one last shot to comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning but the deficit was too large. The Zips scored two in the inning but that is all they would get, ending the game, 9-5.
Seiler made the start in the cirlce for the second game in a row for the Zips and pitched three innings of work and gave up three runs on seven hits. Sophomore Paige McMenemy (Westerville, Ohio) was the first pitcher to ome out of the bulpen for Akron and threw 1.2 innings, and gave up three runs on two hits. Freshman Kelly Hysong (Canton, Ohio) pitched in the sixth and seventh inning, gave up three runs on three hits and strcuk out three and sophomore Nicole Best (Broadview Heights, Ohio) closed the books on the game with .1 innings of work.
The Zips and Falcons will face-off tomorrow, Sunday, April 24, in the rubber match of the three-game weekend series at Lee Jackson field. Tomorrows contest is a make-up game for yesterdays rain cancellation. First pitch is set for noon.
