Arrivo’s Extra-Inning Walk-Off Blast to Split DH against Purdue Fort Wayne

Friday, May 20

Akron, Ohio

1 PM

University of Akron

13-41

University of Purdue Ft. Wayne

18-33

Purdue Fort Wayne

AKRON

Arrivo’s Extra-Inning Walk-Off Blast to Split DH against Purdue Fort Wayne

May 20 | Baseball

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Arrivo's Extra-Inning Walk-Off Blast to Split DH against Purdue Fort Wayne

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AKRON, Ohio –Akron Zips outfielder Nick Arrivo (Ann Arbor, Mich.) sent a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a 7-6 walk-off victory in extra innings as Akron baseball split a doubleheader with Purdue Fort Wayne. The Mastodons claimed game one 6-5 on Friday at Skeeles Field.

Arrivo finished the day batting .500 with four hits in eight at-bats, including the walk-off bomb and a triple for two RBI and two runs scored. Michael Sprockett (West Chester, Ohio) led the Zips' offense with an 5-for-8 performance with three doubles and a homerun early in game two and recorded three RBI and two runs scored. Zac Granger (Elmira, N.Y.) followed with three hits for Akron, while Kaito Hara (Houston, Texas), Justin Barr (Pensacola, Fla.), Tate Wargo (Benld, Ill.), Cameron Benson (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and Bryant Shellenbarger (Mount Vernon, Ohio) each had two hits.

Akron opened game two with a 1-0 lead after Wargo and Arrivo led-off with singles and Shellenbarger belted a double. Wargo scored on a Benson fielder's choice and the Mastodons escaped a bases loaded one out situation. Purdue Fort Wayne tied the game in the second, 1-1, but Hara singled to centerfield and Sprockett launched a shot over the right field fence for a 3-1 Akron advantage in the bottom of the inning.

The Zips scored again in the fourth when Hara singled up the middle and a double to right field by Sprockett plated the run. The Mastodons narrowed Akron's lead a half inning later, scoring two runs on three hits, 4-3 Akron. Purdue Fort Wayne added to the momentum, scoring three runs in the sixth inning to claim a 6-4 lead. Akron scored one in the bottom half of the inning as Jerry Reinhart (Batavia, N.Y.) singled and scored on a Mastodon fielding error. The Zips loaded the bases, but only plated the one run, 6-5. In the seventh, Akron tied the game to force extra innings as Benson led-off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Granger to setup Arrivo's late game heroics.

In game one, Purdue Fort Wayne established an early 6-0 lead by the middle of the fifth inning with nine hits, including three homeruns. The Mastodons starting pitcher Rex Stills kept the Zips' offense quite through the first four innings, allowing no hits with one walk and three strikeouts while earning the win.

After a pitching change in the fifth inning, Akron cut the deficit in half, scoring three runs on three hits as Sprockett doubled while Granger and Barr both singled. All three scored for Akron. Sheelenbarger added a single to left field, but Akron did not push any runs across the plate. In the eighth inning Akron pulled within two runs as Wargo was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Arrivo tripled to plate Wargo. Arrivo scored on a Shellenbarger RBI groundout.

Heading into the ninth, Akron trailed 6-5. Barr registered a base hit to right field in the ninth, but did not cross the plate. Akron starting pitcher Taed Heydinger (Bayfield, Colo.) threw the complete game, allowing six runs on 10 hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The final game of the series and the 2022 season is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 at Skeeles Field. First pitch is scheduled for Noon and fans can follow the action via live stats on GoZips.com.