Bowling Green Earns Sweep Over Akron

Saturday, April 21

Akron, Ohio

1 PM

University of Akron

2-36-1, 0

Bowling Green

23-19, 0

Bowling Green

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

April 21 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Video Highlights | Photo Gallery

AKRON, Ohio – Redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) launched a towering two-run home run to left field in game two in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it was not enough to complete the comeback effort as Bowling Green dropped Akron, 5-1 and 7-5, on Saturday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Field.

The twinbill on Saturday completed the three-game series between the Zips and Falcons. Despite an attempt at late game heroics in all three contests, Bowling Green completed the three-game sweep over Akron.

The story of the weekend for the Zips was runners left on base. Combined in the three-game series, Akron left a total of 16 runners on the basepath and could not capitalize on their opportunity at the plate.

The first inning was also an issue for the Zips, as Bowling Green came out of the gates looking to attack and get ahead as they scored nine runs combined in the first inning through three games.

In game one of the afternoon, the Falcons scored two in the first inning and two in the top of the fourth to claim a 4-0 lead.

Akron needed to make some noise at the plate to keep in themselves in the game and they succeeded in the bottom of the fourth. With one out in the inning, junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) was at the plate and Rodriguez stood on third. Lakins looked for the sign and dug into the batter's box. As the pitch was thrown, Rodriguez stormed home and Lakins perfectly executed a bunt for the old-fashioned suicide squeeze to score the run for the Zips.

After Bowling Green added an insurance run in the sixth, Akron had the bases loaded in the bottom half of the inning but would strand all three runners before going 1-2-3 in the seventh to end the game.

The Zips were limited to just two hits by Rodriguez and junior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) in the contest.

Freshman Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.) pitched a complete game, her fifth of the season. In 7.0 innings, the Zips righty gave up seven hits, five runs, only three were earned, and struck out two. Kmett recorded a season-high 11 groundball outs and at one point set down seven straight courtesy of the ground ball.

The Falcons again blitzed the Zips in the top of the first inning in the second tilt of the day with three runs. BGSU went on to claim a 7-0 lead after 2.5 innings by way of putting four runs on the board in the top of the third.

Akron countered BG with a big inning of their own in the bottom half of the third. The Zips did their damage with one out and strung together three-straight hits. Redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.) hit a double to right center and senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) followed with an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Rodriguez connected on the Zips third hit of the inning with a single of her own through the left side, which was preceded by a double steal. During Gillespie's steal to third, the Falcons catcher airmailed the throw into the outfield and Gillespie quickly scampered home and was called safe due to an obstruction call on the catcher. Akron again perfectly executed the suicide squeeze play with senior Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) at the plate scoring Rodriguez.

In the next three innings, Akron recorded just three hits, left two runners on the base path, and still trailed 7-3 heading into their final at-bat.

Akron was down to the final inning of regulation and needed to score four runs to tie and five to end it. Jascoe again doubled to lead-off the inning and after moving to third on Gillespie's groundout, she scored when Rodriguez smacked her team-leading fifth home run. Akron hit back-to-back singles following the dinger, but BG completed a 6-4-3 game-ending double play to end the contest.

The Zips out-hit the Falcons in the contest 10-to-8 and four Zips had a multi-hit performance including, Jascoe, Rodriguez, Gambone, and junior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.) who ripped two doubles into the outfield gaps.

Senior Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) made the start for Akron while Kmett closed the game in the final five innings. Combined the two pitchers gave up eight hits, seven runs, six earned, and struck out four.

Akron closes out the non-conference portion of the 2018 season on Wednesday, April 25, when the Zips travel to Dayton, Ohio for a doubleheader with the Dayton Flyers starting at 2 p.m. at UD Softball Stadium.