Career Day from Dudek Lifts Akron to 4-2 Win over Buffalo

Sunday, March 21

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

3-13, 2-2

Buffalo

4-13, 2-2

Buffalo

Akron

Career Day from Dudek Lifts Akron to 4-2 Win over Buffalo

March 21 | Softball

Box Score

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's softball team wrapped a successful opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play securing a 4-2 victory past Buffalo (4-13, 2-2 MAC) in the series finale at Lee R. Jackson Field on Sunday, March 21, to earn a split of the four-game series with the Bulls.

The Zips (3-13, 2-2 MAC) took an early 2-0 advantage in the affair on the strength of freshman 3B Madison Dudek (Uniontown, Ohio) blasting a 2-0 offering over the wall in left field for her first career home run, a two-run shot, to give Akron a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Buffalo cut the Zips' advantage to one on a one-out RBI single in the top of the third inning.

Senior CF Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.) opened the bottom of the third inning with a lead-off double, before redshirt freshman LF Molly McChesney (Verona, Wis.) drew a walk. A groundout advanced both runners into scoring position where Dudek delivered a successful bunt single down the third-base line to drive in Mitchiner and move McChesney up 60 feet to third base. Redshirt freshman C Laurel DeVoe (North Canton, Ohio) reached on an RBI fielder's choice to plate McChesney with the Zips' fourth run of the game.

Freshman P Olivia Stefanoni (Hudson, Ohio) kept the Bulls off-balance for four innings allowing only one hit, while striking out five en route to earning the victory, before yielding the circle to junior P Olivia Otani (Canton, Ohio), who tossed the final three innings to notch her first save of the season.

Buffalo mounted a threat in its final at-bat as the Bulls collected back-to-back one out singles before loading the bases with a two-out walk. A single to center field plated a second run for Buffalo. A heady defensive play on the hit from Mitchiner, who fired the ball in from center field to redshirt junior 1B Lauren Holdsworth (Howell, Mich.) in the middle of the diamond, who tossed to a charging redshirt freshman 2B Maggie Sons (Dalzell, Ill.) catching the runner between second and third base where Dudek applied the tag to end the game.

Dudek finished the tilt 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored, while McChesney and Mitchiner accounted for the Zips' other two runs scored.

Akron steps out of conference for a pair of mid-week doubleheaders this week as the Zips host Saint Francis and Marshall at Lee R. Jackson Field on Wednesday and Thursday, March 24-24, respectively. First pitch against the Red Flash is slated for 12:30 p.m.