The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
11-8, 1-0
Northern Illinois
9-12, 0-1
Akron Earns Doubleheader Split in MAC Opener at Northern Illinois
March 19 | Softball
DEKALB, Ill. – The University of Akron softball team earned a doubleheader split in the Zips' Mid-American Conference opener at Northern Illinois on Sunday, March 19.
Akron registered a come-from-behind 12-9 triumph in eight innings in game one before the Huskies collected a 4-2 decision in the nightcap.
"It was a tough day to play softball, but I thought we really competed in game one and came back late," Akron head coach Craig Nicholson commented. "A couple of mistakes cost us in game two and we got a little unlucky at the plate. Today was a decent start for us and now we get ready for a big week at home."
Tied at nine after seven innings in the opener, a one-out throwing error enabled the Zips to clear the bases with redshirt junior Jaiden Bryant (Hilliard, Ohio), sophomore Autumn Bailey (Ashland, Ohio) and freshman Brooke Sivek (Boerne, Texas) coming across with what proved to be the game-winning runs.
Bryant led Akron at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. She fell a home run shy of completing the cycle. Adding two hits apiece were redshirt junior Molly McChesney (Verona, Wis.), sophomore Alexis Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) and redshirt junior Laurel DeVoe (North Canton, Ohio). Adding two RBI each was DeVoe and redshirt junior Tiffany Stevens (Toledo, Ohio).
Redshirt seniors Alexa DiFeo (Akron, Ohio) and Olivia Otani (Canton, Ohio) combined to strike out eight Northern Illinois batters.
In the second game, the Huskies broke open a scoreless contest with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and held on to post a 4-2 win.
A one-out two RBI double from Stevens in the top of the sixth inning accounted for the Zips' runs in the affair. Akron had chances to plate the tying runs in its final two at-bats but were stymied by the Huskies.
Six different Zips collected a hit in the game freshman P Haley Croyle (Hubbard, Ohio) struck out seven in her conference debut.
UP NEXT:
Akron hosts Robert Morris in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Lee R. Jackson Field in its home opener on Tuesday, March 21.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Otani, Olivia (2-4)
L: CASSELL (1-5)
Batting:
2B: Sivek, Brooke 1 ; McChesney, Molly 1 ; Bryant, Jaiden 1 ; DeVoe, Laurel 1
3B: Bryant, Jaiden 1 ; Stevens, Tiffany 1
RBI: Bryant, Jaiden 3 ; DeVoe, Laurel 2 ; Stevens, Tiffany 2 ; Macintosh-Houlder, Kalli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sivek, Brooke 2 ; McChesney, Molly 1 ; Lee, Meagan 1 ; Campbell, Alexis 2 ; Bryant, Jaiden 1 ; DeVoe, Laurel 1 ; Scheller, Abigail 1 ; Bailey, Autumn 1 ; Stevens, Tiffany 2
SB: Lee, Meagan 1
HBP: DeVoe, Laurel 1 ; Stevens, Tiffany 1
Batting:
2B: QUICK 1
RBI: SHUMAKER 1 ; JAMES 1 ; WALINSKI 2 ; OSTROWSKI 1 ; CRUTHERS 1 ; QUICK 1
SH: MALLINDER 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SHUMAKER 2 ; WALINSKI 1 ; OSTROWSKI 1 ; PECHMAN 1 ; CRUTHERS 1 ; QUICK 1 ; RODRIGUEZ 2
SB: SHUMAKER 1 ; PECHMAN 1 ; CRUTHERS 1
CS: JAMES 1 ; CRUTHERS 1
HBP: WALINSKI 1
