Akron Offense Comes Alive In 7-3 Win Over Miami

Friday, April 27

Akron, Ohio

3 PM

University of Akron

3-39-1, 0

Miami University (OH)

20-22, 0

Miami

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

April 27 | Softball

Box Score

Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron bats came alive in game one of a three-game series with Miami (Ohio), as the Zips tallied 10 hits en route to a commanding 7-3 win over the RedHawks on Friday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Field in Mid-American Conference softball action.

The Zips seven runs in the contests are the most Akron scored in single-game this season which helped Akron to the victory at Lee R. Jackson Field. Six of the nine Zips in the lineup recorded a hit in the game, including junior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.) who went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. Senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) and junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) also garnered multi-hit performances as the two went a combined 4-for-6, while Gillespie drove in a run, scored three times, and walked once.

Freshman Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.) was outstanding inside the circle for Akron and picked up her second win of the season. Kmett tossed her seventh complete game (7.0 innings), gave up three hits, just one earned run (three total), struck out one, walked one, and forced a career-high 14 groundouts.

In the final three-game series of the season at the home of the Akron Zips, Lee R. Jackson Field, Akron wasted no time claiming an early 2-0 lead after the first inning. With runners on second and third, redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) hit deep SAC fly to right field which scored redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerece, Mich.) from third and moved Gillespie over from second. In the next at-bat, senior Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio) grounded out to the shortstop but Gillespie took off for the plate and came home safely from third base.

The Akron offense hit the gas pedal in the bottom of the third inning and continued to be aggressive at the plate which resulted in a four-run inning for the Zips. Again, with runners in scoring position, after a walk by Gillespie and double down the line by Rodriguez, Gambone laced a double down the left field line past the third baseman and into the corner which cleared the bases. Then with two outs and Gambone still standing at second, Clowdus launched a bomb to left-center field that cleared the bases courtesy of her fifth home run of the season.

After three shutout innings by Kmett and the Akron defense, the RedHawks were able to take advantage of a few Zips miscues and got two runs across the plate to cut into the lead, 6-2.

The Zips offense picked up their defense in the following half inning with the second dinger of the contest by Akron, this time off the bat of Gillespie. The Zips senior smoked an opposite-field home run to right center field for her second of the season and fourth of her career.

Miami would manage one more run in the top of the sixth inning to again trim the Zips lead to plus four (7-3), but Kmett and the Zips closed out the contest in the top of the seventh 1-2-3 with the help of a line drive double-play.

Akron and Miami continue the three-game series on Saturday, April 28, with a doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at Lee R. Jackson Field. The day will represent Strike Out Cancer day and senior day for Gillespie and Gambone. The Zips will wear pink to honor all of those affected by breast cancer and a short senior recognition will take place in-between game one and two.