Akron's Comeback Falls Short in 9-4 Loss To Ohio

Friday, April 12

Akron, OH

3:00 PM

University of Akron

8-23-2, 2-10

Ohio

26-16, 7-6

Ohio

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron's Comeback Falls Short in 9-4 Loss To Ohio

April 12 | Softball

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AKRON, Ohio– After being held scoreless in the first four innings of Friday afternoon's contest against Ohio, the Zips offense tacked on four unanswered runs from the fifth inning on but it was not enough to defeat the Bobcats as Ohio walked away with a game-one 9-4 win at Lee Jackson Field.

Ohio did its damage in the first 4.5 innings which included a seven-run fifth inning that handed the Bobcats a 9-0 advantage. Despite scoring four runs in the last three innings of the contest, the Zips comeback effort against the Bobcats fell short.

From the plate, Akron out-hit Ohio, 8-to-7, but the Bobcats seven hits produced nine RBI while the Zips left six base runners on the base path. Sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio) and senior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) made up five of the eight Akron base hits and went a combined 5-for-7, including two RBI and two runs scored by Wulf. Additionally, redshirt senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.), senior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio), and sophomore Lauren Holdsworth (Howell, Mich.) all tallied a base knock in the ballgame.

Junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) made her 19^thstart in the circle for Akron, pitched five innings, and gave up five runs on five hits. Sophomore Mikayla Newland (Chillicothe, Ohio) entered the game with two outs in the fifth inning and was lights out in 2.1 innings of action. The righty held the Bobcats hitless while striking out three.

The contest was a battle inside the circle for the first four innings of play despite the small 2-0 lead in favor of the Bobcats.

Ohio broke open the game in the top half of the fifth inning by scoring seven runs and batting around its lineup.

Akron looking at a nine-run deficit, got to work and gained some offensive momentum of their own. In what could have been the final inning of the contest, turned out to be the most productive for the Zips offense. Wulf drove in Akron's first run of the game and inning with an RBI double to right-center field and came around to score on an error on the Bobcats shortstop following an infield single by Rodriguez.

The Zips added to its run totals in the sixth and seventh innings with solo home runs off the bats of Lakins in the sixth and Wulf in the seventh, respectively.

Akron and Ohio return to action on the diamond tomorrow afternoon, April 13, with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.