The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
University of Toledo
Akron Hosts Toledo In MAC and Home Opener
March 23 | Softball
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Akron vs Toledo Game Notes
Akron vs. Toledo
March 24-25
Akron, Ohio | Lee R. Jackson Field
March 24 vs. Toledo | 2 p.m.
March 24 vs. Toledo | 4 p.m.
March 25 vs. Toledo | 1 p.m.
Game Information
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
What's Ahead
The Akron softball team concluded tournament play portion of the 2018 regular season and turns the page to the 2018 Mid-American Conference season as the Zips are scheduled to open league play this weekend, March 24-25. On top of beginning conference play, this weekend marks the 2018 home opener at Lee R. Jackson field on the campus of The University of Akron. Akron will step on its home field for the first time in a three-game series against visiting Toledo. After being canceled on Friday, March 23, the Zips and Rockets will now square off in doubleheader action on Saturday (March 24) starting at 2 p.m. and meet again on Sunday (March 25) at 1 p.m. to close out the weekend.Â
Scouting The Rockets
Through 26 games, Toledo owns a 14-12 record as the Rockets head into Mid-American Conference action this weekend against the Zips. The Rockets won eight of its first 11 contests of the season including winning five straight combined between the WKU Hilltopper Classic and the Tennessee Invitational. Toledo last competed at the Eagle Classic to close out tournament play and went 2-1 defeating East Tennessee (8-5), Morehead State (4-0), and lost to Oakland (2-6).
Four members of the Rockets offense are averaging a batting average over .300 including Bekah Yenrick (.345), Bailey Curry (.313), Katie Cozy (.310), and Kylie Norwood (.307). Curry, the Rockets power hitter, is hitting 26-for-83 from the plate and has recorded a team-high 21 RBI, 11 walks, and seven home runs, which are tied for the second-most in the MAC. In 24 games and 19 starts, Cozy has tallied 18 hits, a team-best four doubles, one triple, and a home run for the Rockets, while Norwood owns a team-high 27 hits and 16 runs scored.Â
Heather Webb and Kailey Minarchick have combined for all 14 of Toledo's wins inside the circle in 2018. Webb has compiled an 8-5 record in 15 appearances and 11 starts on the rubber. In 68.2 innings of work, Webb has pitched four complete games, posted one shutout, given up 53 hits and 22 runs (20 earned) to record a team-low 2.04 ERA. Minarchick (6-4) has seen 67.1 innings of action, owns a 3.22 earned run average, surrendered 31 earned runs on 74 hits and has struck out 33 opponents.Â
Series HistoryÂ
Akron and Toledo have created a historic past since the first meeting between the two programs in 1987. The Zips and Rockets have met on the diamond 65 times while Akron owns a 36-29 overall all-time record against Toledo. The Zips also have the advantage against the Rockets when playing at home, 15-13.Â
The Zips have seen recent success against the Rockets. Since 2003, Akron owns a 16-6 record against Toledo as well as a 6-3 home record.Â
2018 Zip BreakdownÂ
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 seven letterwinners from a season ago and welcomes seven newcomers to the squad, including four transfers and three freshmen.Â
Through 22 games, redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada), junior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.), and senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) pace the Akron offense posting a combined .284 average (55-of-194) and 16 RBI. Along with her .314 batting average, Clowdus has garnered a team-high .600 slugging percentage and three home runs to pace the Zips offense. Jascoe is the Zips leader in the hits category posting 19 hits in 61 at-bats (.311 average) in 22 starts while also posting a team second-best six RBI. In 21 starts at first base, Gillespie is hitting .279 with 12 hits in 43 at-bats while defensively, the senior leads the squad defensively with a .982 fielding percentage, 107 putouts, and four assists. Rodriguez is averaging .260 from the dish and owns a .383 on-base percentage while the speedster has scored a team-high seven runs, totaled 22 bases, and is 10-for-13 in stolen base attempts.Â
Inside the circle, freshmen Mikayla Newland (Chillicothe, Ohio), Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.), and senior Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) have tossed a combined 130.0 innings, own a 6.57 earned run average and have recorded 59 strikeouts. Newland stands 1-8 on the rubber for the Zips in 10 starts, has posted a 6.14 ERA, struck out 27 batters, and has pitched five complete games, including a 1-0 complete game shutout victory. Kmett (0-6) and Vertz (0-6) have pitched a combined 81.0 innings, given up 96 runs on 122 hits.
Jones named Gillespie and Lakins team captains for the 2018 season.
Zips Tidbits
- Maddy Clowdus currently on a five-game hit streak and Cassie Gillespie has hit safely in four consecutive games, while Caitlin Gambone owns a team-best six-game hit streak this season (2/17-2/24).Â
- Rodriguez reached base safely in eight straight contests. (2/23-3/17)
- Sydney Jascoe leads the Zips with five multi-hit performances.Â
- Jessie Holzman tallied a season-high three RBI in a contest and Cassie Gillespie and Laura Lakins have each garnered a two-RBI performance.Â
- Sydney Jascoe is hitting .333 with the bases empty, .250 with runners on the base path, and .300 with runners in scoring position.Â
- With two outs, Cassie Gillespie and Maddy Clowdus are each hitting .500 and are a combined 13-of-26.
- Kooper Vertz and Kayla Kmett are fly ball pitchers each forcing 9.4Â fly ball outs per contests, while Mikayla Newland utilizes the ground ball out recording 9.4 per ballgame.Â
Up Next
Akron takes a short break in league play and is scheduled to host Niagara University for a midweek non-conference showdown on Tuesday, March 27 in a twinbill starting at 3 p.m. The Zips then return to MACtion for its second Mid-American Conference series of the year against Ball State on March 30-31.
