A Slugfest For The Zips Earns Akron Softball First Win Of 2019

Friday, February 8

Clinton, S.C.

11 AM

University of Akron

1-0

Morgan State

0-1

Akron

Morgan State

A Slugfest For The Zips Earns Akron Softball First Win Of 2019

February 08 | 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. – The 2019 Akron softball campaign is officially underway as the first pitch of the season was thrown at the Blue Hose Invitational where the Zips offense came alive scoring a combined 18 runs on the day to earn its first victory of the season over Morgan State and a draw to tournament host Presbyterian College.

The Zips first victory of the new season came in the first game of the year defeating the Bears, 12-11, in a seven-inning contest that lasted two hours and 40 minutes. Akron then played to a 6-6 draw against the Blue Hose as the umpires called the game due to darkness.

"I saw some grit today in game one along with some great offensive production. This was not exactly the way I would have written it up, but we worked hard to get the win," said head coach Julie Jones. "Adrian came in to rescue Mikayla and Lexie and held strong for the remainder of the game. We fought back in game two as well but ran out of daylight before we could put the finishing touches on the game."

Akron's bats did not show any rust coming off a ninth month hiatus from the diamond recording a combined 27 hits in its first two games of the season. The Zips 27 hits turned into 18 runs.

On the afternoon, five different Akron players recorded at least four hits, including senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.), redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio), junior Samantha Malik (Orlando, Fla.), and junior Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.).

In game one against Morgan State, Akron scored four runs in the second, six in the fourth, and a pair in the seventh, including the game-winning run in the top half of the inning.

Mitchiner, Jascoe, and Malik each recorded three hits in the game and went a combined 9-for-13 from the plate. Six different Zips drove in at least one RBI with Rodriguez, Jascoe, Wulf, and Malik bringing home a team-best two RBI each.

Inside the circle, junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) picked up her first career victory in her first career appearance in an Akron uniform out of the bullpen. Smith tossed 5.2 inning, gave up four hits, struck out four, and walked a pair.

The Zips scored their first runs of the season in the second inning of the game. Akron reached base safely in five straight at-bats, which included an RBI double by Malik, RBI single from senior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.), and an RBI single off the bat of Rodriguez. With the bases loaded, Wulf capped off the inning with an RBI walk.

Heading into the top of the fourth inning, the Zips trailed 11-4, but not for long. The fourth inning was a scoring frenzy for the Akron offense as the Zips posted a game-high six runs which were highlighted by six hits and four different Zips driving in an RBI.

Down to what could have been the final half inning of the game, Akron still remained behind the Bears, 11-10. Again, the Zips continued to be aggressive at the plate and it paid off. Crews led off the inning with a single through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio). Mitchiner tallied her third hit of the game with a single up the middle which allowed Crews to advance to third. Rodriguez stepped to the plate and delivered the tying run with an RBI sac fly to centerfield. While Crews tagged up and scored, the speedy Mitchiner advanced all the way to third. With two outs, Jascoe punched home the eventual game-winning score with a single to left field.

Akron's offense carried over into its second game of the day on the strength of 11 hits, this time against Presbyterian College.

In the first inning, Mitchiner led off the contest with a walk and advanced to second on a SAC bunt. Then back-to-back singles courtesy of Jascoe and Wulf handed the Zips a 2-0 lead.

After the Blue Hose immediately answered back and tied the game up at two in the bottom half of the first, Akron again put two runs on the scoreboard in the top half of the third inning. The Zips opened the inning with three consecutive singles with the final base hit by Wulf scoring Rodriguez from third.

Freshman Camryn Michallas (Huntington, W. Va.) later tallied her first career RBI in the inning and Akron regained the lead, 4-2.

Again, Presbyterian College bounced back and claimed a 6-4 lead over the Zips following a four-run bottom half of the third inning.

The Blue Hose did not hold onto their lead for very long as Akron quickly answered back to tie the game at six. Following a lead-off double from Holzman, Rodriguez lifted an RBI double to centerfield to bring Akron back within one run. Two batters later, Rodriguez crossed the play with the tying run after Wulf singled to right.

At the conclusion of the fifth inning and the ballgame tied at six-all, the umpires called the game due to darkness resulting in a 6-6 draw between the Zips and Blue Hose.

Akron returns to action at the Blue Hose Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 9, at 12:30 p.m. when the Zips face-off against East Tennessee State.

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MAC Tournament: Akron Falls to Ball State in Opening Game

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Next Event

East Tennessee State

L, 2-9

Feb 9 (Sat)

12:30 PM

Box Score Recap Box Score (PDF)Preview

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Smith, Adrian (1-0)

L: HAWKINS, E. (0-1)

Akron

Batting:

2B: Jascoe, Sydney 1 ; Malik, Samantha 1

RBI: Rodriguez, Kimberly 2 ; Jascoe, Sydney 2 ; Wulf, Kayla 2 ; Malik, Samantha 2 ; Clowdus, Maddy 1 ; Lakins, Laura 1

SH: Rodriguez, Kimberly 1 ; Carter, Madison 1 ; Holzman, Jessie 1

SF: Rodriguez, Kimberly 1 ; Lakins, Laura 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Mitchiner, Macky 2 ; Rodriguez, Kimberly 1 ; Bruton, Sabria 1 ; Wulf, Kayla 1 ; Holdsworth, Lauren 1 ; Michallas, Camryn 1 ; Malik, Samantha 2 ; Crews, Jordan 1 ; Carter, Madison 1 ; Holzman, Jessie 1