Akron Concludes 2019 Regular Season At Miami

Follow Akron Softball on Facebook and Twitter
Follow Coach Jones on Twitter

Akron vs. Miami
May 3-4 | Oxford, Ohio
Miami Softball Field

Game Information
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: Game One
Watch: Game Two
Watch: Game Three
Akron vs. Miami Notes (PDF)

What's Ahead
It all comes down to two days as the 2019 softball regular season comes to a close. The Akron Zips conclude its 42nd season of competition this upcoming weekend, May 3-4, when the Zips travel to Oxford, Ohio, for a three-game series against Miami (Ohio). After potential inclement rain forced UA and the RedHawks to restructure its original schedule, the three-game series will not play out as a doubleheader on Friday, May 3, starting at 3 p.m., followed by the final contest of the regular season on Saturday, May 4, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

Scouting the RedHawks
Heading into the final weekend of the 2019 regular season, the Miami RedHawks stand alone atop the league standings. Miami is one win away from locking up the MAC Regular Season Champion title for the 2019 campaign, which would be the first regular season championship for the RedHawks in program history. Miami has amassed a 30-14 overall record which includes a 13-4 conference mark. Prior to the start of league play, the RedHawks competed at the USC Upstate Tournament (2-3), UNLV Tournament (4-1), the Lipscomb Tournament (2-2), SIU Tournament (2-1), and hosted the Miami Invitational (2-2). In the opening weekend of conference play, Miami fell twice to Central Michigan. The RedHawks then rattled off three straight wins and five MAC victories in six contests. Following a loss to Kent State on April 12 to hand Miami a 6-4 league ledger, Miami has since won nine consecutive games, including seven MAC match-ups.

Five members of the RedHawks lineup are hitting over .300, including Ashton Slone, Morgan Lott, Johniann Wahl, Kara Leckinger, and Haeley Tran. Slone, a 2018 All-MAC freshman team honoree, paces the offensive efforts of the RedHawks in 2019 including team-highs in batting average (.367), doubles, (14), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.594), and on-base percentage. Additionally, Slone has recorded the second-most hits by a RedHawk (47), 19 runs scored, and five home runs. Another sophomore slugger, Lott, is swinging a hot bat for Miami en route to leading the squad in hits (48), runs scored (27), triples (six), and total bases (81) while chipping in nine doubles, four home runs, and 15 RBI. A veteran in the lineup for Miami, Whal is no stranger to offensive success. As the RedHawks primary first baseman, Wahl is hitting .313/.478/.396 heading into the final weekend of play. In 134 at-bats, Wahl has garnered 42 hits, seven doubles, five home runs, 23 RBI, 16 runs scored, has struckout 18 times and walked 19. A pair of juniors, Leckinger and Tran, round out the final RedHawks hitting above .300 on the season. Leckinger (.305) has tallied 29 hits, four doubles, 16 RBI, and seven runs scored in 95 at-bats, while Tran (.300) owns 45 hits, six doubles, seven RBI, and 25 runs scored.

Miami has a pair of pitchers that have picked combined to pick up 28 of the RedHawks 30 wins of 2019. Courtney Vierstra and Brianna Pratt have each earned 14 wins on the year in 59 appearances and 33 starts. Vierstra owns a team-best and MAC second-best 2.02 ERA, has held the opposing hitters to a .215 average, has given up 112 hits, 46 runs, 40 earned runs, and struck out 208 batters, a conference second-most. In 138.2 innings of work, Vierstra has tossed 12 complete games, three shutouts, three combined shutouts, and tallied four saves. Pratt, who has turned into a freshman phenomenon inside the circle for Miami, owns a 2.96 ERA on 112 hits, and 53 runs (47 earned). Pratt has garnered a 14-6 mark, thrown four complete games, one shutout, struck out 93, and walked 35.

In the NCAA, Lott ranks ninth in triples, 10th in triples per game (6), and 108th in sacrifice hits per game (0.16), while Slone is rated 50th in doubles per game (0.33) and 142nd in on-base percentage. Inside the circle and around the nation, Vierstra is ranked fifth in K's per seven innings (10.5), eighth in saves (5), 97th in EAR (2.17), and 39th in K-to-walk ratio.

Series History
The all-time series between Akron and Miami is tight as in the 79 meetings since 1989, the Zips hold a slight advantage over the RedHawks, 40-39. In Mid-American Conference match-ups, UA and Miami are locked in a 36-36 tie. When competing at the Miami Softball Field, the Zips are 20-23.

With A Win Over Miami, Akron Would...

Earn its 14-16th wins of the season.
Earn its 4-6th Mid-American Conference wins of the season.
Capture its 41-43rd win against Miami and its 21-23rd wins in Oxford.
End a two-game losing streak to the RedHawks and a two-game skid at Miami.

Last Time Out
The Miami offense took charge of day two of the three-game series and scored a combined 27 runs to lead to a pair of victories over Akron, 16-5 and 11-3, to claim the series win over the Zips at Lee R. Jackson Field.

In game one of the afternoon, 11 combined runs were scored between Akron and Miami with the advantage going to the RedHawks, 7-4.

After trailing 7-0 after the first half inning, the Zips countered the Miami offensive attack with four runs of their own. The four-run rally all started when redshirt freshman Sydney Jascoe lifted a deep fly ball over the left field fence for a lead-off home run. Four straight singles by senior Cassie Gillespie (Sylvania, Ohio), redshirt junior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada), senior Caitlin Gambone (Canton, Ohio), and junior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) scored two more runs after Gambone's single up the middle and Crews single to left scored Gillespie and Rodriguez. In the next at-bat, Crews created a diversion on the basepath which allowed Gambone to steal home.

2019 Zip Breakdown
Under the guidance of 13th-year head coach, Julie Jones, the Zips are amidst the 42nd season of competition in 2019. Akron returned 11 letterwinners from a season ago and welcomed nine freshmen to the squad, including four transfers and five true freshmen.

Sophomore Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio) has taken a big step in her second season in an Akron uniform. Wulf owns a team second-best .352 average, .938 OPS, .512 slugging percentage, and .426 on-base percentage. Wulf has already surpassed her 2018 stats and recorded new season-highs in hits (44, team-high), runs scored (21), doubles (8), RBI (23), walks (14), which are a team-high, and eight stolen bases. The Zips catcher/3B recorded a 10-game on-base streak (2/22-3/23) spanning over a month.

The Akron outfield has played a large role in the Akron offense through 43 games of the 2019 season. After an injury ended her 2018 season early, junior Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) has made an impact in the Akron lineup. The Zips left fielder is hitting .311 in 43 starts including 32 hits, four doubles, has scored 18 runs and swiped 18 bases. Senior Jordan Crews (Waco, Ga.) has found a home in right field, is hitting .291 with 32 hits, driven in 11 RBI, six doubles, and is 7-for-8 in stolen bases. In her first season in an Akron uniform, junior Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.) roams centerfield for the Zips and fit right into the Akron offense. Mitchiner has posted a .291 average on 39 hits, scored 19 runs, and totaled 47 bases including 16 stolen bases.

Redshirt senior Kimberly Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nevada) and junior Samantha Malik (Orlando, Fla.) are among the top seven hitters in the Akron lineup in 2019. Rodriguez has driven in 24 runs which is tied for second-most in the lineup, scored a team-high 27 runs, and swiped 12 bases as the designated player. Malik, the shortstop for the Zips and junior college transfer, is hitting .246, knocked out 29 hits, five doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI, and scored 17 runs.

Prior to a season-ending injury, redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), led the Akron offensive efforts from the plate. Starting 32 games at third base or behind the plate for the Zips, Jascoe owned a .396/.750/.478 slash line which included 38 hits, nine doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBI, 72 total bases, and was 6-for-6 in stolen bases. The redshirt sophomore earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors in the first week of the season.

Inside the circle, the sister duo of junior Adrian Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) and freshman Amaya Smith (St. Clairsville, Ohio) have started 30 of the Zips 43 games and made a combined 47 appearances. Ad. Smith has tossed a team-high 129 innings of work and owns a 4.50 ERA, tossed 10 complete games, recorded a team-best eight wins, and 102 strikeouts. In five starts and 17 games on the rubber, Am. Smith has given up 59 hits, 44 runs (33 earned), and totaled a 6.30 ERA. Freshman Lexie Petrof (Ligonier, Pa.), has been key for the Zips out of the bullpen making 16 appearances while also earning three starts. In 38.1 innings of work, Petrof has tallied a 7.49 ERA, given up 64 hits, and struck out 19. '

2019 Zips Tidbits

Eight Zips, including Samantha Malik, Macky Mitchiner, Camryn Michallas, Amaya Smith, Lauren Holdsworth, Morgan Cadmus, Adrian Smith, and Lexie Petrof made their Akron debuts at the Blue Hose Invitational.
Five Akron players recorded an OPS of over 1.000 in Akron's first five games, including Sydney Jascoe (1.559), Jessie Holzman (1.115), Kimberly Rodriguez (1.004), and Samantha Malik (1.034).
Sydney Jascoe recorded at least one hit in all five games for the Zips recording a five-game hit streak.
Adrian Smith picked up her first win in her first appearance in an Akron uniform against Morgan State (12-11).
The Zips scored 12 runs in their season opener, which is the most runs scored by an Akron team in a season opener.
For the third time in program history, Akron has ended two games in a draw. No Zips team has finished a season with more than a pair of ties.
In the first five games of the season, Akron stole 18 bases in 22 attempts courtesy of nine different Zips baserunners, including six base runners going a combined 12-for-12.
Adrian Smith struck out a then season-high eight batters against Morgan State in her second victory of the season.
Mikayla Newland and Adrian Smith recorded the Zips first combined shutout of the season (5-0) over the Bears.
Amaya Smith earned her first collegiate victory inside the circle against George Mason.
Sydney Jascoe recorded three RBI against George Mason which were a then career-high in a single-game.
At the Madeira Beach Tournament, Akron recorded 36 hits, eight doubles, two home runs, 20 RBI, scored 36 runs, and went 13-for-17 on stolen bases.
Macky Mitchiner and Kayla Wulf have recorded a team-high 12 multi-hit games.
Kayla Wulf is currently on a team-best five-game hitting streak, while Laura Lakins has the largest active on-base streak at 11 games, a team-high.
The Zips offense has scored a season-high 42 runs in the third inning.
Camryn Michallas owns a 1.000 batting average (5-for-5) with a runner on third and less than two outs.
Kayla Wulf is hitting a team-high .548 with runners in scoring position, .469 with runners on the bases, and .639 when successfully advancing runners.
Sydney Jascoe owns a team-best .538 average when leading off an inning and owns a team-best .362 average with bases empty.
Kimberly Rodirguez has been one of the Zips top hitters in clutch situations. With two outs, Rodriguez owns a team-best 11 RBI, is hitting .279 with two outs, and is 2-for-2 when facing a bases loaded situation.
Adrian Smith records a team-high 5.53 strikeouts per game and averages a team-best 1.6 K's to walk ratio, while Lexie Petrof averages 11.14 flyouts per outing.
Adrian Smith has posted a staff-low 7.65 hits per outing.
Amaya Smith tossed her first career complete game shutout in an 8-0 win over North Carolina A&T.
Freshman Camryn Michallas recorded her first career multi-hit contest against UT Martin going 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Sydney Jascoe and Kimberly Rodriguez hit their fifth and third home runs of the season against Ball State, respectively. It was also the second time the two have homered in the same game this season.
Macky Mitchiner has recorded a team-best 76 straight putouts and is just one of two players in the MAC to hold a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Laura Lakins owns a team-high 235 putouts, while Samantha Malik has recorded a team-high 52 assists.
Sydney Jascoe launched her then team-leading sixth home run of the season, recorded her eighth multi-hit contest and posted her sixth multi-RBI performance against Youngstown State.
Akron scored eight unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth inning against WMU to tie the game up at eight.
The Zips held a lead in game one against WMU for six innings.
In the two games against Western Michigan, the two squads played a nine-inning game, decided game one in the seventh inning, and scored a combined 35 runs in two games.
The Akron offense had five players in the lineup that tallied a multi-hit performance in game two including, Wulf, Jascoe, Rodriguez, Crews, and Mitchiner. The Zips top performer of the contest was Wulf who went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
In game two against the Broncos, five players recorded an extra-base hit, eight notched a stolen base, and two tallied a sacrifice hit.
Adrian Smith tossed her fifth complete game of the season while picking up her fifth win in an Akron uniform.
Laura Lakins drove in a team-best five RBI combined in the doubleheader against Buffalo that included a walk-off RBI single to give the Zips a 4-3 win and a three-run home run, her second of the season.
Kayla Wulf went a perfect 2-for-2 and a walk in the Zips win against the Bulls.
Akron needs 30 stolen bases to set a new program record for most stolen bases in a season. The current record is 140 that was set in 2017.
Adrian Smith threw three-straight complete games (20 innings) to raise her CG season total to six against Toledo.
In game two against the Rockets, Akron recorded 13 hits, third-most in a single game in 2019 and eight Zips posted a hit in the match-up.
Sydney Jascoe recorded five RBI in the Zips 11-5 win over UT which are a career-best in a single game.
Freshman Lexie Petrof earned her first collegiate win inside the circle for Akron. After entering the game out of the bullpen, Petrof tossed 5 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits while striking out a pair
Sydney Jascoe hit two home runs in a single contest for the first time in her career against Toledo.
Sydney Jascoe has hit at least one home run in the last three games, including her two home run contest, and has connected on a home run in four of the last five match-ups.
Macky Mitchiner went a perfect 3-for-3 in the series finale against Buffalo.
Heading into the two-game series against Niagara, five active Zips are hitting above .250 and three active players including Wulf, Holzman, and Crews are hitting over. 300.
Kayla Wulf went 3-for-4 with one run scored, a home run and two RBI in game one against the Bobcats.
Laura Lakins in home runs in back-to-back games against Ohio giving her four on the season and her career.
Adrian Smith tossed back-to-back complete-game shutouts for the first time in her Akron career against Niagara.
In game one against the Purple Eagles, Ad. Smith flirted with perfection into the seventh inning until Niagara recorded its first base runner with a base hit.
After setting a new single-game strikeout high with nine against Niagara in game one, Ad. Smith bested herself in game two punching out 10 Purple Eagle batters.
Samantha Malik hit her fourth home run of the season which was the winning run of the game against Niagara.
Mikayla Newland recorded a career-high eight strikeouts in a single game against Kent State.
The Zips scored four runs in the sixth inning against the Golden Flashes, their only runs of the weekend, courtesy of an RBI single by Kayla Wulf, a two-RBI double to right center field from Jordan Crews, and an RBI double to straightaway center by Lauren Holdsworth.
Akron swept its second series of the year after defeating Robert Morris, 5-3 and 12-3.
The Zips starting pitchers (Adrian Smith and Mikayla Newland) tossed back-to-back complete games for the second time this season. The only other time was against Niagara where Smith three both games.
Mikayla Newland threw her first CG of the 2019 season and picked up her first win against the Colonials.
Akron's 20 combined hits against Robert Morris are the second-most against one team in 2019. The Zips totaled 26 hits versus Buffalo.
Maddy Clowdus turned in her best day at the plate in 2019 against Robert Morris with three hits, one RBI, and two runs scored.
Kimberly Rodriguez and Macky Mitchiner combined to drive in six of Akron's 12 runs against RMU in game two with three RBI each.
Lauren Holdsworth notched her first multi-hit contest in an Akron uniform and went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Mikayla Newland picked up her second straight win after tossing her second consecutive complete game against Bowling Green.
In the Zips win over the Falcons, Laura Lakins went a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
Game one between Akron and Bowling Green went into extra innings. It was just the second extra-inning game for the Zips in 2019.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Morgan Cadmus

Maddy Clowdus

Jordan Crews

Caitlin Gambone

Cassie Gillespie

Lauren Holdsworth

Jessie Holzman

Sydney Jascoe

Laura Lakins

Samantha Malik

Camryn Michallas

Macky Mitchiner

Mikayla Newland

Lexie Petrof

Kimberly Rodriguez

Adrian Smith

Amaya Smith

Kayla Wulf

The University of Akron Athletics