Akron Softball Begins MAC Play at Northern Illinois

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's softball team begins Mid-American Conference play this weekend traveling to DeKalb, Ill., for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 19, before commencing the Zips' home slate against Robert Morris on Tuesday, March 21 at Lee R. Jackson Field.

WHAT'S AHEAD:
The projected weather forecast has shortened the three-game series between Akron and Northern Illinois to a single doubleheader on Sunday starting at 2 p.m. ET

The Zips then open the home portion of their slate with a 2 p.m. twinbill versus Robert Morris on Tuesday.

March 19 at Northern Illinois (DH Game 1) | 2 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Video
March 19 at Northern Illinois (DH Game 2) | 4 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Live Video
March 21 vs. Robert Morris (DH Game 1) | 2 p.m. | Live Stats
March 21 vs. Robert Morris (DH Game 2) | 4:30 p.m. | Live Stats

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron is in its 47th season of intercollegiate competition in 2023. Under the direction of first-year head coach Craig Nicholson, the Zips returned 18 players from the Zips' 2022 squad and have added six newcomers to the 2023 roster.

Freshman INF Brooke Sivek (Boerne, Texas) leads the offensive exploits for the Zips batting a team-best .391 on the strength of team-high marks in at-bats (69), runs (15), hits (27), stolen bases (6) and total bases (27). Additionally, sophomore INF Alexis Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) owns a team-high 18 RBI.

The pitching duo of freshman Haley Croyle (Hubbard, Ohio) and redshirt senior P Alexa DiFeo (Akron, Ohio) have combined to toss 94.2 innings en route to posting 44 and 32 strikeouts, respectively.

Redshirt junior Jaiden Bryant (Toledo, Ohio) is rated 16th in the NCAA in triples per game (0.17) and 20th in triples (3), while Campbell ranks 19th in sacrifice flies (3). On the mound, DiFeo is 18th in walks allowed per seven innings (0.62) and 29th in strikeout-walk ratio (8.00), while Croyle is 38th in saves (2).

As a team, Akron ranks first in the Mid-American Conference in ERA (2.75), second in strikeouts (84), third in field percentage (.971), fourth in batting average (.288) and hits (148) and fifth in triples (5) and slugging percentage (.363).

Individually, Sivek and sophomore Autumn Bailey (Ashland, Ohio) are sixth and eighth, respectively, in the MAC in batting average at .391 and .375. Sivek is fourth in hits (27) and runs scored (15), while Campbell ranks fourth in RBI (18)

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS:
Northern Illinois enters play against Akron at 9-11 on the year, including 0-0 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 6-5 setback at Lindenwood on Tuesday, March 14. Kelly Walinski owns team-best .340 batting average and paces the Huskies in hits (18) and triples (3), while ranking second in RBI (8), runs (8) and total bases (25) and third in at-bats (53). In the circle, the quartet of Danielle Stewart, Claire Norred, Lily Cassell and Emily Dato have combined to pitch 129.0 innings and maintain 2.75, 3.15, 4.75 and 6.46 ERA's, respectively, en route to striking out 78 batters.

SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS:
Robert Morris comes into play versus Akron at 9-11 on the year, including a 1-1 record in the Horizon League, following a doubleheader split against Detroit on Thursday, March 16. Avery Winchell boasts a team-best .267 batting average. On the mound, the trio of Dana Vatakis, Madison DeVault and Jane Garver maintain 4.01, 4.73 and 6.57 ERA's, respectively, having combined to toss 125.1 innings and strikeout 96 batters.

SERIES HISTORY:
Akron is set to meet Northern Illinois for the 57th and 58th times in program history with the Huskies leading the series with the Zips, 32-23-1. Akron has encountered Robert Morris 30 times previously with the Zips owning a 19-11 series edge.

AKRON NOTES:
• The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 30 years after joining the league in 1993 from the North Star Conference.
• Akron's softball roster in 2023 is compiled of 24 student-athletes from across the United States with seven different states and one Canadian Province represented. The Zips roster consists of 14 players from Ohio, three from California, two from Texas and one each from Indiana, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.
• The 2023 season marks the 47th season of intercollegiate competition for the Akron softball program.

UP NEXT:
Akron continues Mid-American Conference play with a Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge three-games series at Lee R. Jackson Field on Friday and Saturday, March 24-25.

Akron Softball Begins MAC Play at Northern Illinois

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Players Mentioned

Autumn Bailey

Jaiden Bryant

Alexis Campbell

Haley Croyle

Alexa DiFeo

Brooke Sivek

The University of Akron Athletics