The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
4-43-1, 3-21
Kent State University
28-21, 14-9
Akron Ends Season With Dominating 15-5 Win Over Kent State
May 06 | Softball
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
KENT, Ohio -- Down to their last game of the season and the end of the year in sight, the Akron softball team ended the year in dominating fashion with an offensive outpour defeating cross-town rival Kent State, 15-5, to conclude the 2018 regular season on Sunday afternoon at the Diamond at Dix.Â
The Zips scored 15 runs against the Golden Flashes, the most they had scored in a single-game all season. Four Zips in the lineup ended the afternoon with a multi-hit performance including redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich) who led all hitters with three hits (3-for-4), drew a walk, scored four runs, and had two RBI. Redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) was the Zips top run producer with a career-high six RBI, a home run, two runs scored, and a walk. Junior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.) and junior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) each added four hits combined, two RBI and two runs scored.Â
In the circle, freshman Kayla Kmett (San Clemente, Calif.) completed her ninth complete game of the campaign, allowed eight hits, five runs (three earned), and struck out five.Â
Early offense for Akron helped the Zips get a jump on the Golden Flashes scoring six runs combined in the first two innings, which was highlighted by a five-run second inning. Senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio) got Akron on the board in the first inning with a single up the middle that scored Jasoce from second base. With the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, Gillespie earned her second RBI of the day drawing a four-pitch walk to bring home Kmett. After sophomore Madison Carter (Newnan, Ga.) scored on a wild pitch from third that increased the Zips lead to 3-0, Rodriguez hit a bases-clearing double to right field and then went on to steal home to hand Akron a 6-0 lead.Â
Jascoe added to Akron's commanding lead (7-0) in the fourth inning with a towering home run to left field, her fourth of the year.Â
The Golden Flashes were held scoreless for the first four innings of the game before finally getting a run across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning.Â
Akron ran away with the game after the Zips scored four runs in back-to-back innings in the sixth and seventh, while Kent State also scored four runs in their half of the sixth.Â
With two outs in the sixth inning and the bases juiced, Rodriguez launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season and first career grand slam in an Akron uniform to left field to give the Zips an 11-1 lead.Â
After the homer in the sixth, Clowdus matched her teammate's dinger with a two-run shot of her own, also her sixth home run of the season. Akron again had the bases loaded in the seventh, this time Jasoce singled through the left side to drive in the 14th run of the ball game and Gillespie hit a sacrifice fly to score run number 15.Â
Kmett faced four batters in the bottom of the seventh but left one runner stranded to secure the victory for the Zips.Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kmett, Kayla (3-22)
L: SBORLINI, Olivia (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Rodriguez, Kimberly 1 ; Lakins, Laura 1 ; Kmett, Kayla 1
HR: Jascoe, Sydney 1 ; Rodriguez, Kimberly 1 ; Clowdus, Maddy 1
RBI: Jascoe, Sydney 2 ; Gillespie, Cassie 3 ; Rodriguez, Kimberly 6 ; Clowdus, Maddy 2
SH: Gambone, Caitlin 1
SF: Gillespie, Cassie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jascoe, Sydney 4 ; Gillespie, Cassie 2 ; Rodriguez, Kimberly 2 ; Crews, Jordan 1 ; Clowdus, Maddy 1 ; Lakins, Laura 1 ; Kmett, Kayla 2 ; Carter, Madison 2
SB: Rodriguez, Kimberly 2
CS: Gambone, Caitlin 1
HBP: Clowdus, Maddy 1 ; Lakins, Laura 1 ; Wulf, Kayla 1
Batting:
2B: CADER, Jen 1
HR: WILLIAMS, Jade 1 ; TAUBE, Alexis 1 ; BRANCIFORT, Hunter 1
RBI: WILLIAMS, Jade 1 ; TAUBE, Alexis 1 ; BRANCIFORT, Hunter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILLIAMS, Jade 1 ; TAUBE, Alexis 1 ; BRANCIFORT, Hunter 2 ; VODAN, Vanessa 1
