Lakins' Walk-Off Single Hands Akron First MAC Victory In Doubleheader Split With Buffalo

Tuesday, April 2

Akron, OH

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Buffalo

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Lakins' Walk-Off Single Hands Akron First MAC Victory In Doubleheader Split With Buffalo

April 02 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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Game One: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

AKRON, Ohio– Senior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) big day at the plate including a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning in game one and a three-run home run in the game two, helped lead the Akron softball team to its first Mid-American Conference victory over Buffalo, 4-3, as the Zips split the twinbill to open the three-game series against the Bulls on Tuesday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field.

After splitting the doubleheader with the Bulls, Akron improved to 7-19-2 and included its first league win while Buffalo now stands 6-23-1 and picked up another win in MAC play, 3-3-1. The Zips and Bulls close out its three-game series on Wednesday, April 10, at 2 p.m., in Buffalo, N.Y.

As Akron and Buffalo headed into the bottom half of the seventh inning all squared at three runs, junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) led off the Zips at-bats with a walk and moved over to second on a SAC bunt. With the winning run in scoring position, Akron pinch ran freshman Morgan Cadmus (Tecumseh, Mich.) who swiped third for her sixth stolen base of the season. Now, the winning run stood 60 feet away with Lakins coming to the plate. In the next at-bat, Lakins smacked a long single to fence driving in Cadmus for the winning run.

The Zips tallied seven hits in game one of the afternoon en route to the win. Sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio) went a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk in the ballgame to lead the offensive efforts. Redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), junior Samantha Malik (Orlando, Fla.), senior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.), Holzman, and the contest's hero, Lakins, each posted a hit in the match-up.

Inside the circle, junior Adrian Smith spun a gem inside the circle for Akron and threw her fifth complete game, her second straight. In all 7.0 innings, Smith gave up three runs on six hits, struck out four and walked two. After facing 33 batters, Smith forced 14 flyouts and four groundouts to go with her K's.

Akron got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third inning to jump out to a 1-0 lead. With runners at the corners, Wulf took off for second base. As the Buffalo catcher threw down to second, Jascoe darted for home. The Bulls, who attempted to then throw out Jascoe at the plate, allowed the Zips catcher to score before throwing out Wulf to end the inning, but not before the run counted at home plate.

Buffalo answered back in their next at-bats. The Bulls faced a bases-loaded situation with one out before Alissa Karjel connected on a bases-clearing triple to take its first lead of the day, 3-1.

Holzman followed suit in the ensuing half inning and drove in an RBI with a triple of her own that drove in Crews from first base. Holzman, the tying run, stood at third before scoring when Lakins reached safely on an error by the Bulls pitcher who airmailed her throw to first that allowed Holzman to score on the play.

That run set up the walk-off opportunity for Lakins in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Game two went in favor of the Bulls, 16-6, following UB's big day at the plate.

Despite the result, the Zips still showed plenty of offensive firepower inside the batter's box.

Akron claimed an early 3-0 lead heading into the second inning. In Akron's first five batters, four Zips recorded a hit including a double by Jascoe, RBI double by Wulf, RBI triple courtesy of Lakins, and an RBI single from Crews, while the fifth batter, junior Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.) laid down a sacrifice bunt.

In innings two, three, and four, the Bulls opened up the game scoring four, six, and three runs, respectively, to own a 13-3 lead.

Heading into the bottom of the third inning, trailing by 10, Akron faced their potential final at-bats of the game due to the NCAA run rule. UA needed to score a minimum of three runs to extend the game and with one swing of the bat, Lakins did just that. Jascoe walked to lead off the inning and Crews moved her over with a single to right field. In the next at-bat, Lakins launched a towering three-run home run, her second of the season, to keep the Zips hopes alive.

Buffalo bounced back right away in the top of the sixth inning scoring three more runs to again take a 10-run lead, 16-6.

The Zips offensive magic halted in the fifth inning and Akron went down in order, 1-2-3, to end the contest after six innings of play.

Following four games at home at Lee Jackson Field over the last five days, the Akron softball team returns to the road and is set to begin a four-game road trip. The road swing begins with a three-game series at Toledo on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. The Zips conclude their trip at Buffalo on Wednesday, April 10.