Softball Heads To Georgia For Mercer Black And Orange Challenge

Friday, February 23

Macon, GA

5 PM

University of Akron

Mercer University

Softball Heads To Georgia For Mercer Black And Orange Challenge

February 22 | Softball

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Mercer Black and Orange Challenge Game Notes

Black and Orange Challenge
Feb. 23-25
Macon, Ga. | Sikes Field

Feb. 23 vs. Mercer | 5 p.m.
Feb. 23 vs. Radford | 7:15 p.m.
Feb. 24 vs. Drexel | 11:45 a.m.
Feb. 24 vs. Eastern Kentucky | 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 vs Drexel | 11 a.m.

Game Information
Live Stats: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
The Zips continue its tour of the southern states as Akron heads to Macon, Ga., for week three of the 2018 season. The Zips are scheduled to compete at the Mercer Black and Orange Challenge on Feb. 23-25, which consists of five games including contests against Mercer (Feb. 23), Radford (Feb. 23), Drexel (Feb. 24-25), and Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 24).

Scouting The Bears
The host of the Black and Orange Challenge, Mercer University, stands 8-2 in the Bears first 10 games of the season and have won four of their last five ballgames including wins over Michigan State (2-1) and Georgetown (8-4). Laurenne Sanchez is the Bear's top offensive player posting a .452 average at the plate (14-of-31), scored 14 runs, and swiped three bases. As a pitching staff, four pitchers have picked up two wins each and have tallied a combined 2.99 ERA, given up 26 hits, 18 runs, and posted 46 strikeouts.

Scouting The Highlanders
Following the opening two weekends of the 2018 season, Radford has garnered a 6-3 record through nine games and went a perfect 4-0 in its first four contests. In nine starts, Marissa Gagliano has tallied a .444 batting average knocking out 12 hits in 27 at-bats. Gagliano has recorded a double, one home run, three RBI, and five runs scored. Abby Morrow owns a 4-1 record inside the circle for the Highlanders in six starts and seven appearances. Morrow has posted a low 1.41 ERA in 38.1 innings of work, surrendered eight runs on 24 hits.

Scouting The Dragons
Drexel is scheduled to open the 2018 season at the Black and Orange Challenge this weekend. In 2017, the Dragons completed the season with a 19-30 overall record while finishing 4-16 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Drexel's leading returner, Linda Rush, was named to the Fast Pitch News Preseason All-American Second Team after she hit .414 and posted a .850 slugging percentage as a freshman, while leading the team in hits (55), home runs (14), RBI (50), double (16), runs (31), and total bases (113).

Scouting The Colonels
Eastern Kentucky enters the weekend with a 5-3 record after splitting four games last time out at the Charleston Southern Tournament defeating NC Central (3-0) and Valparaiso (16-3) while falling to Valpo (2-7) and host Charleston Southern (0-8). In 24 at-bats, Zoe Mihalicz has recorded 10 hits, three RBI, and scored four runs to lead the Eastern Kentucky offense. In six appearances and three starts, Tori Peterson has picked up three wins on the season while posting a 1.25 earned run average, given up 23 hits, 10 runs, struck out six and walked eight.

Series History
Akron and Mercer are meeting for the third time in program history with the Zips taking the first two match-ups from the Bears and own a 2-0 all-time record.

When Radford and Akron step on the field on Feb. 23, the Zips and Highlanders will square off for the sixth time in the history of the two programs. Akron owns a 4-1 record all-time against Radford.

Akron and Drexel met for the first time in 1988 have faced off twice in the past 30 years with the Zips taking a 2-0 advantage all-time against the Dragons.

The Zips and Colonels will go head-to-head for the sixth time in the all-time series this weekend and Akron will look for its second win since the first meeting in 1996 as EKU holds a 4-1 record over the Zips.

2018 Zip Breakdown
Under the guidance of 12th-year head coach, Julie Jones, the Zips enter the 42nd season of competition in 2018 after ending the 2017 season in the Mid-American Conference tournament for the fourth straight year and a 27-30 overall record. In 2018, Akron returns eight letterwinners from a season ago and welcomes seven newcomers to the squad, including four transfers and three freshmen.

Through nine games, redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio), and junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) pace the Akron offense posting a combined .300 average (18-of-62 and seven RBI. Jascoe is the Zips top offensive player posting a .348 average in nine starts while also posting a team-high .348 slugging percentage. In six starts and eight appearances, Gillespie is 4-for-14, brought in one RBI, and is 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. Lakins, who has started all nine contests at first base or the designated player, is hitting .261 courtesy of six hits, a double, and a team-high four RBI.

Inside the circle, freshmen Mikayla Newland (Chillicothe, Ohio), Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.), and senior Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) have tossed a combined 57.1 innings, own a 4.88 earned run average, and have recorded 25 strikeouts in 239 at-bats. Newland stands 1-4 on the rubber for the Zips in five starts, has posted a team-low 3.46 ERA, struck out 18 batters, and has pitched four complete games, including a 1-0 complete game shutout victory. Kmett (0-3) and Vertz (0-1) have pitched a combined 25 innings and have given up 29 runs on 42 hits.

Jones named Gillespie and Lakins team captains for the 2018 season.

Up Next
Following a weekend off, the Zips are back in action on March 10-11 when Akron travels to Richmond, Ky. to take part in the Eastern Kentucky Invitational. The Zips will square off with St. Louis, Western Carolina, and host, Eastern Kentucky.