Akron Splits Doubleheader With Bowling Green

Saturday, April 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

12-28-2, 2-15

Bowling Green

20-27, 6-12

Akron

Bowling Green

April 27 | 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– Down the final stretch of the 2019 regular season, the Akron softball team picked up another W in the win column after the Zips split a doubleheader with Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon at Meserve Field.

After Akron fell to Bowling Green in a nailbitter, 3-2, in the opening ballgame, the Zips bounced back and picked up a 5-1 victory in the nightcap.

The Zips scored five runs on nine hits en route to its win over Bowling Green. Senior Laura Lakins (Akron, Ohio) went 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored to pace Akron's offensive efforts. Junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) and senior Maddy Clowdus (Eastvale, Calif.) each notched a multi-hit performance going a combined 4-for-6 including two RBI by Clowdus and a run scored by Holzman.

Inside the circle, sophomore Mikayla Newland (Chillicothe, Ohio) pitched her second consecutive complete game. In seven innings of work, Newland allowed just three hits and one run while striking out five and walking seven.

Bowling Green scored the first run of the game two in the first inning before the game was dominated by the Zips.

UA scored three runs in the third and two runs in the fourth to help reap the taste of victory.

With one out in the third, Akron had runners at the corners. The Zips, who are known for their aggressive base running, showed why they are the top base stealing team in the MAC and executed a double steal which included junior Madison Carter (Newnan, Ga.) stealing home.

Then with two outs in the same inning and now the bases loaded, Clowdus smacked a two-RBI single to left field resulting in a 3-1 lead in favor of Akron.

In the ensuing inning, an RBI double off the bat of Lakins and a throwing error on the Falcons catcher added a pair of insurance runs for the Zips.

From that point on, Newland shut the door on Bowling Green to secure the victory.

Game one was a marathon between the Akron and Bowling Green as the contest went into extras before ending in the bottom of the 10^thinning on a walk-off fielder's choice to score the game-winning run.

At the end of seven innings, the Zips and Falcons were all tied up at 2 apiece to head into extra innings.

UA scored the first run of the contest in the top of the first inning to quickly take a 1-0 lead. The Zips had runners on first and second with one out before Holzman lined a sacrifice fly to left field that scored sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio).

The Falcons answered the Zips offense in their first at-bats with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to claim a 2-1 advantage.

Combined, UA and BGSU recorded just one hit in the next three innings as junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) and Meredith Miller of BG went toe-to-toe inside the circle.

Redshirt senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.) knotted the game up at two in the top of the fifth with one swing of the bat down the left field line.

The two pitchers again dialed in from innings six through nine allowing just four hits and no runs.

In the top of the 10^thinning, Akron notched its sixth hit of the contest with a single to left field by junior Samantha Malik (Orlando, Fla.) but she was left stranded on first.

Bowling Green quickly loaded the bases in the bottom half of the 10^thinning before a play at the plate with the bases loaded handed the Falcons the win.

The 2019 softball regular season is scheduled to come to a close on the weekend of May 3-4, as the Zips travel to Oxford, Ohio. Akron is slated for a three-game series against Miami at the Miami Softball Stadium. The Zips and Redhawks will compete in a single contest on May 3, at 3 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, May 5, beginning at 1 p.m.