Buffalo Takes Two From Akron

Tuesday, April 3

Buffalo, NY

11 AM

University of Akron

1-27-1, 0

University at Buffalo

12-17, 0

Akron

Buffalo

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

April 03 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- On a cold and gloomy day in Buffalo, N.Y., Akron softball was defeated by Buffalo 16-1 and 7-4 at Nan Harvey Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Zips tallied 12 hits combined on the afternoon with five hits in game one and seven in game two. Freshman Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio) went 2-for-6, had two RBI, and hit her second home run of the season. Senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) chipped in three hits going 3-for-6, scored a run, and drew a walk, which improved her batting average to .281.

Inside the circle, senior Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) and freshman Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.) pitched in both contests and struck out 10 total batters, forced nine fly outs and 10 groundouts.

Buffalo scored 11 runs in the first three innings en route to an eventual 16-1 game one win over Akron.

The Zips got on the board and cut the deficit back down to six runs when junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) smacked an RBI double into the right-centerfield gap scoring redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) from third. Lakins drove in her team-leading 10th RBI of the season for the Zips.

Game two was a back-and-forth battle between the Zips and Bulls before Buffalo managed three runs in the final two innings of play while Akron was limited to two hits to end the contest.

Gillespie scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning to give the Zips an early 1-0 lead. The Akron senior reached safely on an error by the Bulls shortstop, advanced to third on a double by senior Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio), and then scored on a throwing error by the Bulls catcher trying to pick Gillespie off at third.

However, Buffalo immediately fired back by doubling the Zips run total in the bottom half of the first inning to take over the lead, 2-1.

After the Bulls increased its lead to plus-three (4-1), Akron hung a 3 spot on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning to knot the game back up at four-all. After junior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.) reached base safely on an error by Buffalo to led off the inning, Wulf lifted her second home run of the season to right field to cut the deficit to one run. The Akron offense continued to be helped out by the Bulls as their third error of the game allowed junior Sabria Bruton (Palmetto, Fla.) to reach safely and later score the tying run thanks to an RBI double down the left field line off the bat of redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.).

The game did not remain tied for long as two runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth inning by Buffalo allowed the Bulls to retake the lead for the eventual 7-4 win. Akron was limited to two hits in the final two innings of play and left both of the runners on base to end the contest.

After the doubleheader against Buffalo, the Zips and Bulls are scheduled to complete the three-game series on Wednesday, April 11, at Lee R. Jackson Field on the campus of The University of Akron.

Akron will return to action this upcoming weekend, April 6-7, as the Zips continue their road trip and head to Kalamazoo, Mich. to take on Western Michigan. The Zips and Broncos are slated for a three-game series starting on Friday (April 6) at 3 p.m., followed by a twinbill on Saturday (April 7) at 1 p.m.