Akron Softball Splits On Day Two Of Madeira Beach Tournament

Saturday, February 16

Madeira Beach, Fla.

4:30 PM

University of Akron

4-2-2

Holy Cross

1-3

Akron

Holy Cross

Photo by: Mike Slade

Akron Softball Splits On Day Two Of Madeira Beach Tournament

February 16 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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Game One vs. Holy Cross: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two vs. Quinnipiac: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. -- The Akron softball team split day two of the Madeira Beach Tournament defeating Holy Cross, 6-0, for its third shutout of the season before falling to Quinnipiac, 11-2, in the nightcap on Saturday night.

The Zips improve to 4-3-2 on the season with the victory over the Crusaders and loss to the Bobcats.

Junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) recorded her second shutout in as many days, this time with the help of her teammate, freshman Amaya Smith (St. Clairsville), as the duo tossed a combined shutout against Holy Cross. Adrian Smith tossed a clean five innings of work, gave up just two hits, and struck out four. Amaya Smith, Adrian's younger sister, closed the books with two innings, gave up just one hit, and struck out a pair.

Offensively, the Zips posted eight hits from the plate, including a team-best 2-for-3 performance from redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.) including her second home run of the season. Six other Zips notched a hit in the win against the Crusaders.

Akron did its damage in the first three innings of the ball game scoring a combined five runs to take an early lead.

In the first inning, redshirt senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.) scored on a passed ball for the first run of the contest.

Junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) reached base safely on a Holy Cross error in the top of the second inning which allowed senior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) to come around and score for run number two.

The Zips offense scored a game-high three runs in the third inning and began to put the game out of reach as the Crusaders struggled to get anything going offensively themselves.

Rodriguez scored her second run of the game on the base path as the senior used heads up base running to take third base on a wild pitch and immediately score on an inherent throw by the Holy Cross catcher. Akron then strung together back-to-back doubles off the bats of sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio) and junior Samantha Malik (Orlando, Fla.) which scored the second run of the inning and fourth of the game. Malik eventually scored the Zips third run of the game on a double steal.

Akron tallied an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning courtesy of Jascoe's second dinger of the year before Amaya Smith shut the door on the Crusaders in the bottom of the seventh inning earning the Zips the victory.

The Zips were right back on the field following its first contests after a 30-minute break. However, Akron did not have much success against the Bobcats.

After each team scored one run in the second inning, respectively, Quinnipiac outscored Akron 10-to-1 ,including seven in the top of the seventh inning.

Akron's two runs in the ball game came in the second inning when Wulf darted home on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly thanks to Rodriguez in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Zips close out play at the Madeira Beach Tournament tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 17, at 11:30 a.m. against George Mason.