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Kansas
Zips Close Out Play at Lead Off Classic with 6-0 Loss to Kansas
February 12 | Softball
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DELAND, Fla. – The Akron Zips softball team fell to Kansas, 6-0, in the final day of action at the Lead Off Classic on Sunday morning.
The Zips' (1-4) offense was halted by a dominant performance by Kansas' (5-0) starting pitcher Sarah Miller.
"Obviously, we aren't please with the weekend," head coach Julie Jones said. "We scored 20 runs in the first four games, which is good, but our pitching has to get better. We need to play faster on defense. We saw a lot of good things, and some things we need to work on. Hopefully we can work on that and be back next week."
The Jayhawks, who beat the Zips 2-1 in the first game of the tourney, scored two runs in the bottom of the first off of a two- run homer hit to center by Taylor Dodson. A three-run homer from Brittani Reid gave the Jayhawks a 5-0-advantage in the bottom of the second inning.
Miller (2-0) pitched a complete game shutout against the Zips and limited Akron to just six hits.
The Zips had an opportunity to score and cut the deficit in the fifth inning, but could not bring in the runners from scoring position. Senior C Alyssa Nicholas (Cortland, Ohio) singled and senior 2B Anna Tarpley (Jacksonville, Fla.) followed with a double of her own, but the runners were stranded on first and third.
Sophomore RHP Kelly Hysong (Beach City, Ohio) started the game, but only lasted one inning after allowing three runs on four hits. She took the loss (0-2). Junior RHP Nicole Best (Broadview Heights, Ohio) came in the top of the second, and was replaced by freshman RHP Lexie Handley (Mogadore, Ohio) after seven batters. Handley pitched the final four innings, striking out one and walking three.
Kansas added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning to push the lead to 6-0 on a sacrifice fly out to left field.
On the weekend, redshirt junior CF Ashley Sims (Brooksville, Fla.) led the Zips at the plate. She batted .533 and had seven runs, eight hits, and eight stolen bases. Senior SS Carley Childress (Belknap, Ill.) followed (.455) with an RBI, five hits, and a run.
Sims and Fruin were named to the Lead Off Classic All-Tournament Team.
In the circle, Hysong (4.94 ERA) went 0-2, throwing 11.1 innings, fanning five, and walking five. Handley (5.73 ERA) saw the most action, pitching 14.2 innings. She went 1-2, striking gout 14 and walking 11.
Akron returns to action next weekend at the Alabama State Tournament in Montgomery, Ala., on Feb. 17-19. The Zips will face Tennessee-Martin, Fort Wayne, and host Alabama State during the three-day tourney.
