The University of Akron Athletics
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Drexel
Akron Softball Continues Tournament Play At Madeira Beach Tournament
February 14 | Softball
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Madeira Beach Tournament Game Notes (PDF)
Madeira Beach Tournament
Feb. 15-17
Madeira Beach, Fla.
February 15 vs. Drexel | 9 a.m.
February 15 vs. Belmont | 11:30 a.m.
February 16 vs. Holy Cross | 4:30 p.m.
February 16 vs. Quinnipiac | 7 p.m
February 17 vs. George Mason | 11:30 a.m.
Game Information
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
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What's Ahead
The Akron softball team continues tournament play in the first half of the season in weekend number two of the 2019 campaign 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.
Scouting the Dragons
Drexel softball opens the 2019 season at the upcoming Madeira Beach Tournament. The Dragons head into a new season after posting a 21-29 record in 2018 including a Colonial Athletic Association record of 3-18.Â
The Dragons roster consists of 10 letterwinners from last season, with all 10 returners starting at least 29 games, including three pitchers who made appearances in 25 contests. Drexel's top returner to the 2019 lineup is Kristi DiMeo who was named to the Fast Pitch News Preseason All-American First team. In her freshman season, DiMeo averaged .399 at the plate, recorded an .845 slugging percentage, and lead the Dragons in doubles (18), home runs (16), RBI (57), and total bases (125).Â
Scouting the Bruins
Belmont, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, looks to begin its 2019 season at the Madeira Beach Tournament. A year ago, the Bruins finished their 2018 campaign 25-25 overall including a 6-16 ledger during league play.
The Bruins have a trio of sluggers returning to the lineup that led the team in multiple offensive categories in 2018, including Baylee Cook (.275, 5 doubles, 11 RBI), Bailey Simms (.259, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 10 RBI), and Chelsea Thomas (4 HR).Â
Inside the circle, Belmont has veteran leadership in junior Brooklin Lee. In 2018, Lee recorded a 14-12 record, earned a 1.77 ERA, tossed 181.2 innings, struck out 215 batters, and posted nine shutouts.Â
Scouting the Crusaders
Holy Cross returns to action on the diamond for the first time in 2019 at the Madeira Beach Tournament. The Crusaders are coming off a season that saw a 12-33 overall record and a 5-13 mark inside the Patriot League. Holy Cross' lineup is made up of 16 players including four seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen.Â
Jackie Brewster, a preseason All-Patriot League selection, returns for her senior season in a Crusader uniform. Brewster recorded a .362 average in 2018 which also included 26 runs, 14 doubles, 17 RBI, and a .452 on-base percentage.Â
On the rubber, Alexandra Held is the top returning pitcher for the Crusaders. Held appeared in 25 contests, made 13 starts, tossed 112 innings, posted a 4-11 record, and a 3.56 earned run average.Â
Scouting the Bobcats
A new era of Quinnipiac is set to begin as head coach Hillary Barrow and the Bobcats are set to throw their first pitch of the 2019 season at the Madeira Beach Tournament. A year ago, Quinnipiac softball finished the 2018 season with a 22-29 overall record, including a 9-11 ledger in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.Â
Senior outfielder Erin Larsen was named to the preseason All-MAAC squad prior to the start of the 2019 campaign. Larsen was the top slugger in the Bobcats lineup in 2018 averaging .345 at the plate, posted 48 hits, scored 30 runs, and tallied 20 extra base hits.Â
Scouting the Patriots
George Mason opened the 2019 season last weekend at the Friends of Jaclyn tournament in Orlando, Fla., and faced off against tough competition in Ohio State, Ole Miss, and UCF landing the Patriots a 0-3 record.Â
Jess Curbeira led George Mason at the plate in the opening weekend of softball and posted a .429 batting average, knocked out a team-best three hits, two doubles, five total bases, and an OPS of 1.214. Four other Patriots notched one hit in George Mason's three contests.Â
The Patriots used three pitchers inside the circle against the likes of the Buckeyes, Rebels, and the Knights. George Mason's pitching staff ended the weekend with an 8.14 ERA, gave up 33 hits, 22 runs (19 earned), struck out 14 and walked eight.Â
Series History
The Zips take on Drexel for the fifth time in program history. Since the first meeting in 1988, Akron owns a 2-1-1 all-time series record over the Dragons. Â
Akron and Belmont are meeting for just the second time in school history and the first time since 2008. The Bruins hold a 1-0 edge over the Zips after defeating Akron, 1-4.Â
In two meetings, the Zips are a perfect 2-0 when squaring off against Holy Cross on the diamond. Akron defeated the Crusaders, 6-0, in 2012 and 9-5 in 2013.Â
For the third time in program history, Akron will take the field in competition against Quinnipiac since the first meeting in 1986. The Zips are 2-0 versus the Bobcats.Â
Akron and George Mason have a rich history between the two softball programs having competed against each other 12 times since 1988. In those 12 meetings, the Zips own a 9-3 all-time record against the Patriots.
First Weekend, First Accolade
In the first weekend of softball in the 2019 season, redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.) earned the first Mid-American Conference Player of the Week accolade of the campaign and first of her career.Â
At the Blue Hose Invitational hosted by Presbyterian college, Jascoe tallied a slash line of .625/.875/.684 while also posting a 1.559 OPS in the Zips five games this past weekend. Akron's third baseman knocked out 10 hits, one double, one home run, four RBI, totaled 14 bases, scored four runs, walked twice and swiped two bases (2-for-2).Â
Jascoe did not go without a hit in any of the Zips five games going 3-for-4, 2-for-3, 1-for-2, 2-for-4, and 2-for-3, respectively. Jascoe drove in a weekend-high two RBI in game one vs. Morgan State, scored a weekend-high two runs in game two vs. Morgan State, which included her first home run of the season, and a weekend-high three hits against the Bears. In total, Jascoe was responsible for seven of the Zips 31 runs scored.Â
In the field defensively, Jascoe was perfect at the hot corner which included 10 assists, 12 putouts, and one double play.
A Grand Opening
Akron scored 12 runs in the 2019 season opener against Morgan State to lead to the Zips first win of the season. The 12 runs scored is the most ever scored in a season opener in program history. The victory also signified the 26th season-opener win in program history.Â
2019 Zips Tidbits
- Eight Zips, including Samantha Malik, Macky Mitchiner, Camryn Michallas, Amaya Smith, Lauren Holdsworth, Morgan Cadmus, Adrian Smith, and Lexie Petrof made their Akron debuts at the Blue Host Invitational.Â
- Five Akron players recorded an OPS of over 1.000 in Akron's first five games, including Sydney Jascoe (1.559), Jessie Holzman (1.115), Kimberly Rodriguez (1.004), and Samantha Malik (1.034).Â
- Sydney Jascoe recorded at least one hit in all five games for the Zips recording a five game hit streak.Â
- Adrian Smith picked up her first win in her first appearance in an Akron uniform against Morgan State (12-11).Â
- The Zips scored 12 runs in their season opener, which is the most runs scored by an Akron team in a season opener.Â
- For the third time in program history, Akron has ended two games in a draw. No Zips team has finished a season with more than a pair of ties.Â
- In the first five games of the season, Akron stole 18 bases in 22 attempts courtesy of nine different Zips baserunners, including six base runners going a combined 12-for-12.Â
- Adrian Smith struck out a season-high eight batters against Morgan State in her second victory of the season.
- Mikayla Newland and Adrian Smith recorded the Zips first combined shutout of the season (5-0) over the Bears.
Where They Ranked In The MAC (2019 Statistics (2/14)
- Batting Average: Sydney Jascoe - first (.625)
- Batting Average: Jessie Holzman - fifth (.500)
- Batting Average: Kimberly Rodriguez - seventh (.467)
- Batting Average: Kayla Wulf - seventh (.467)
- Batting Average: Samantha Malik - 11th (.438)
- Slugging Percentage: Sydney Jascoe - third (.875)
- Slugging Percentage: Samantha Malik - ninth (.563)
- Slugging Percentage: Kimberly Rodriguez - 12th (.533)
- On-Base Percentage: Sydney Jascoe - first (.684)
- On-Base Percentage: Jessie Holzman - third (.615)
- On-Base Percentage: Kayla Wulf - 10th (.529)
- Runs Scored: Jessie Holzman - third (5)
- Runs Scored: Macky Mitchiner - third (5)
- Runs Scored: Sydney Jascoe - first (4)
- Runs Scored: Kimberly Rodriguez - 12th (4)
- Hits: Sydney Jascoe - second (10)
- Hits: Samantha Malik - sixth (7)
- Hits: Kimberly Rodriguez - sixth (7)
- Hits: Kayla Wulf - sixth (7)
- RBI: Kayla Wulf - fourth (6)
- RBI: Kimberly Rodriguez - ninth (4)
- RBI: Sydney Jascoe - ninth (4)
- Doubles: Samantha Malik - second (2)
- Total Bases: Sydney Jascoe - second (14)
- Total Bases: Samantha Malik - ninth (9)
- Total Bases: Kimberly Rodriguez - 12h (8)
- Innings Pitched: Adrian Smith - first (21.0)
- Batters Struck Out - Adrian Smith - second (19)
Up Next
For the second year in a row, the Akron softball team will travel to Mercer, Ga., to take part in the Mercer Tournament hosted by the Mercer Bears. During the three day tournament (Feb. 22-24), the Zips will square off against Indiana, Mercer, Loyola (Chi.), and North Carolina A&T. First pitch for the Zips at the Mercer tournament is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 22.
