Akron Primed to Open 2021 Campaign at Delaware State

Friday, February 26

Dover, De.

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Delaware State

Akron Primed to Open 2021 Campaign at Delaware State

February 25 | Softball

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's softball squad under the direction of second-year head coach Meaggan Pettipiece is set to opens its 2021 campaign this weekend in Dover, Del., as the Zips compete against Delaware State and St. John's.

Akron will face the Hornets in a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 26, at 12 and 2 p.m. The Zips open up second-day action on Saturday, Feb. 27, squaring off versus St. John's at 10 a.m. before rematch with Delaware State at 2 p.m.

Dover, Del. | Delaware State Softball Field

Feb. 26 at Delaware State | 12 p.m. | Live Stats
Feb. 26 at Delaware State | 2 p.m. | Live Stats
Feb. 27 vs. St. John's | 10 a.m. | Live Stats
Feb. 27 at Delaware State | 2 p.m. | Live Stats

WHAT'S AHEAD:
The University of Akron softball squad is set to open its 2021 campaign this weekend as the Zips travel to Dover, Del., to compete against Delaware State and St. John's. Akron is scheduled to face the Hornets in a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 26, at 12 and 2 p.m. The Zips open up second-day action on Saturday, Feb. 27, squaring off versus St. John's at 10 a.m. before rematch with Delaware State at 2 p.m.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron enters its 44th season of intercollegiate competition in 2021. Under the direction of second-year head coach Meaggan Pettipiece, the Zips return 16 players from the Zips' 2020 squad and have added 12 newcomers to the 2021 roster.

After being named head coach in July 2019, Pettipiece led Akron to a 6-19 ledger in an abbreviated campaign a season ago.

The Zips return four of their top-six hitters from a year ago in redshirt freshman OF Tiffany Stevens (Toledo, Ohio), redshirt junior INF Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.) and seniors INF/OF Jessie Holzman (Medina, Ohio) and OF Madison Carter (Newnan, Ga.).

Stevens in Akron's top-returning hitter after batting .315 a season ago, with 17 hits in 54 at-bats, with eight RBI, six runs scored, five doubles and a pair of home runs. She boasted a .519 slugging percentage and .373 on-base mark.

Jascoe batted .300 en route to belting a team-high seven home runs, while also leading the Zips in RBI (21), and runs scored (16), while ranking second in hits (21) and total bases (46). Her .657 slugging and .388 on-base percentages are tops among returners this season.

Holzman finished the season with a .297 average recording 11 hits in 37 at-bats, four extra-base hits, while scoring eight runs and plating eight RBI.

Carter registered a .286 average on the strength of 12 hits in 42 at-bats, including three extra-base hits, and finished the campaign with eight runs scored and four RBI.

Jascoe was one of two returning Zips to start all 25 games in 2020, while senior OF Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.), who posted 12 hits, including five for extra bases, while ranking second on the squad with 11 RBI, started all 23 games in which she played.

Inside the circle, redshirt sophomore Lexie Petrof (Ligonier, Pa.) appeared in 16 games for the Zips, including 10 starts, going 55.1 innings and striking out 19 to maintain a 5.44 ERA. Redshirt junior Alexa DiFeo (Akron, Ohio) made five starts as part of nine overall appearances on the mound for the Zips, fanning 10 in 18.2 innings of work en route to owning a 5.25 ERA. Additionally, redshirt sophomore Lauren Frigyes (Paris, Ohio) worked 12.2 innings of relief, in which she struck out six and tallied a 10.50 ERA.

Joining the Zips roster in 2020 are 12 newcomers; freshmen UTIL Anna Aquino (Medina, Ohio), INF Carley Auten (Pickerington, Ohio), INF Madison Dudek (Uniontown, Ohio), INF Hannah Gartrell (York, Pa.), OF Kalli Macintosh-Houlder (Mississauga, Ontario), junior P Olivia Otani (Canton, Ohio), sophomores C Katelyn Reynolds (Cincinnati, Ohio) and C Teagan Rice (Louisville, Ohio) and freshmen UTIL Jillian Riegert (Worthington, Ohio), P Olivia Stefanoni (Hudson, Ohio), INF Atlantis Taufa (Fullerton, Calif.) and P Sheridon Wilber (Rock Creek, Ohio).

SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE:
Delaware State registered a 1-19 record a season ago. The Hornets return their leading three batters to their line-up in 2021 led by senior C/INF Alaena Selden, who batted .327 with 18 hits in 55 at-bats a season ago. She is joined by seniors UTIL Hannah Crumlish and UTIL Caitlin Meyer, who registered .296 and .293 averages, respectively, in 2020. Meyer belted a team-high three home runs, while senior INF Jade King drove in a team-best seven RBI. Delaware State also will benefit from the return of its top pitcher in senior RHP Brianna Baker, who twirled a 6.50 ERA in 56.0 innings of work, striking out 17, while surrendering only 10 walks.

SCOUTING ST. JOHN'S:
St. John's recorded an 8-15 ledger a year ago. The Red Storm will be sparked by the return of their top-three hitters from 2020 in sophomore UTIL Amy Mallah, senior INF Kaitlin Mattera and senior OF Kalei Sorensen batted .286, .281 and .278, respectively. Senior UTIL Gretchen Bowie blasted a team-high five home runs and drove in a team-best 15 RBI. In the circle, the Red Storm will be led by sophomore P Erin Brown, who tossed 61.2 innings, respectively, en route to posting a 2.95 ERA with 34 strikeouts.

SERIES HISTORY:
Akron is set to meet Delaware State for first time in program history.

The Zips will square off against St. John's for the 14th time in program history with Akron leading the all-time series 12-1. The two teams met three times during the 2013 campaign with the Zips winning two of the three games.

AKRON NOTES:
• The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 27 years after joining the league in 1993 from the North Star Conference.
• Akron's softball roster in 2021 is compiled of 28 student-athletes from all across the United States with eight different states and one Canadian Province represented. The Zips roster consists of 16 players from Ohio, three from Michigan, two from California and Pennsylvania, one from Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ontario and Wisconsin.
• The 2020 season marks the 44th season of intercollegiate competition for the Akron softball program.

UP NEXT:
Akron is scheduled to return to action with a doubleheader at Marshall on March 3.