Akron Hosts Rival Kent State in Wagon Wheel Showdown Series

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's softball team continues Mid-American Conference play this weekend hosting rival Kent State in a three-game Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge showdown at Lee R. Jackson Field.

WHAT'S AHEAD:
The two teams are slated to open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, March 24 starting at 1 p.m. before concluding with a single contest at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25.

March 24 vs. Kent State (DH Game 1) | 1 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
March 24 vs. Kent State (DH Game 2) | 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
March 25 vs. Kent State | 2 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron enters action against Kent State with a 13-9 ledger on the campaign, including a 1-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference under the direction of first-year head coach Craig Nicholson. In their 47th season of intercollegiate competition in 2023, the Zips returned 18 players from the Zips' 2022 squad and added six newcomers to the 2023 roster.

Freshman INF Brooke Sivek (Boerne, Texas) leads the offensive exploits for the Zips batting a team-best .381 on the strength of team-high marks in at-bats (84), runs (19), hits (32), stolen bases (8), while ranking second in total bases (33). Additionally, sophomore INF Alexis Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) owns a team-high 21 RBI.

The pitching duo of freshman Haley Croyle (Hubbard, Ohio) and redshirt senior P Alexa DiFeo (Akron, Ohio) have combined to toss 115.2 innings en route to posting 52 and 44 strikeouts, respectively.

Redshirt junior Jaiden Bryant (Hilliard, Ohio) is rated eighth in the NCAA in triples per game (0.18) and ninth in triples (4), while Campbell ranks 10th in sacrifice flies (4). On the mound, DiFeo is 31st in walks allowed per seven innings (0.85) and 40th in strikeout-walk ratio (6.29) and Croyle is 30th in hits allowed per seven innings (4.08) and 42nd in saves (2).

As a team, Akron ranks first in the Mid-American Conference in at-bats (669), hits (198) and ERA (2.96), second in doubles (37) and triples (98), third in batting average (.296), runs (114), strikeouts (118), total bases (262) and fielding percentage (.966) and fourth in RBI (91) and in slugging percentage (.392).

Individually, Sivek is second in the MAC in hits (34), third in runs scored (21), seventh in batting average at .378, while Campbell ranks second in RBI (21).

SCOUTING KENT STATE:
Kent State enters play against Akron at 6-16 on the year, including a 1-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference, following a 4-3 setback at Ohio State on Wednesday, March 22. Bri Despines owns team-best .328 batting average and headlines the Golden Flashes' offense in hits (20), runs (10) and doubles (5), while ranking second in at-bats (61), RBI (11) and total bases (28). In the circle, the duo of Anilese Kelly and Macy Irelan have combined to pitch 116.1 innings and maintain 4.79 and 5.25 ERA's, respectively, en route to striking out 83 batters.

SERIES HISTORY:
Akron is set to meet Kent State for the 125th, 126th and 127th times in program history with the Golden Flashes leading the series with the Zips, 77-46-1.

CRYSTAL CLINIC ORTHOPAEDIC CENTER WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE:
Akron battles Kent State as part of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge during its games on Friday and Saturday, March 24-25. The 14-sport rivalry series between Akron and Kent State is based on a time-honored competition for an historic wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. The Golden Flashes lead the current series this year, 7.5-0.5, through 12 events.

Since the 2011-12 academic year, the rivalry was broadened to include 14 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings. To learn more about the rivalry and follow the results and standings, visit: www.WagonWheelChallenge.com

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 hosting a three-games series versus Ohio at Lee R. Jackson Field on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28-29.

Akron Hosts Rival Kent State in Wagon Wheel Showdown Series

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Players Mentioned

Jaiden Bryant

Alexis Campbell

Haley Croyle

Alexa DiFeo

Brooke Sivek

The University of Akron Athletics