Akron Blanks Morgan State For Win #2, Ties East Tennessee State, 6-6

Sunday, February 10

Clinton, S.C.

10 AM

University of Akron

Morgan State U

Photo by: Mike Slade

Akron Blanks Morgan State For Win #2, Ties East Tennessee State, 6-6

February 10 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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Game One vs. Morgan State: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two vs. Presbyterian College: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

CLINTON, S.C.– Day three of the Blue Hose Invitational and the first weekend of softball is in the books after the Akron softball team downed Morgan State, 5-0, and ended in a 6-6 draw against East Tennessee State at the PC Softball Complex on Sunday afternoon.

Facing the Bears and Buccaneers for the second time each in the past three days, the Zips swept Morgan State during the Invitational while Akron played to their second draw of the weekend, this time against ETSU. After day three, the Zips stand 2-1-2 overall.

In game one, the Akron offense recorded nine hits and scored five runs spread throughout the first, second, third, and sixth inning. Senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.), redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio), and junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) each tallied two hits in the ball game going a combined 8-for-14.

On the rubber, the duo of junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) and sophomore Mikayla Newland (Chillicothe, Ohio) pitched a gem as the two combined to shutout the Bears. Smith, who made her second start of the season for Akron tossed six shutout innings, surrendered only three hits, and struck out a career-high eight Morgan State hitters. Newland entered the contest in the seventh inning and shut the door setting down the three Bears hitters she faced, 1-2-3.

Akron's first run of the day came courtesy of a Morgan State throwing error. Jascoe stood at second base after singling to lead off the inning and moving over a base on a single by Wulf. A wild pitch by the Bears pitcher moved each runner over and Jascoe then came around to score on a bad throw by the catcher.

In the second inning, Rodriguez picked up her fourth RBI of the campaign with a single through the left side of the infield that scored Holzman who earlier singled.

Jascoe lifted a high fly ball to left the field that landed beyond the fence for her first home run of the season, the fifth of her career, and scored the third run of the ballgame.

The Zips added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning to cap off the victory courtesy off a sacrifice fly from the bat of Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.) and the Bears third error of the contest.

Game two against the Buccaneers went back-and-forth offensively before the game was ended in a 6-6 tie due to time restrictions with the Zips travel schedule.

Just like in game one, Akron struck first on the scoreboard thanks to an error by ETSU that scored Mitchiner following her lead-off double.

Akron trailed 5-1 heading into the third inning and started inching its way back into the contest. This time, the Zips hung two runs on the board after a bases-loaded RBI walk to Wulf and a fielder's choice play, again with the bases loaded, that scored Mitchiner to cross home plate.

The Zips claimed their first lead of the contest in the top of the fifth inning. A walk and two singles loaded the base for Akron with one out. Freshman Camryn Michallas (Huntington, W. Va.) stepped to the plate and ripped a fly ball into the outfield that was caught, but deep enough to bring home Jascoe from third for a sacrifice fly. In the next at-bat, senior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) laced a two-out, two-RBI single back up the middle for the 6-5 advantage.

ETSU knotted up the game at six in the bottom of the sixth inning which earned the Buccaneers a tied with the Zips.

The Akron softball team continues tournament play in the first half of the season in weekend number two of the 2019 season as the Zips travel to Madeira Beach, Fla., to compete in the Madeira Beach Tournament hosted by Powerline Softball. Akron is scheduled for five contests against five different opponents including, Drexel, Belmont, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, and George Mason. The Madeira Beach Tournament takes place on Feb. 15-17.