The University of Akron Athletics
Friday, March 8
Clarksville, Tenn.
4 PM
University of Akron
vs
Rhode Island
Softball Heads to Tennessee for Cathi Maynard Invitational
March 07 | Softball
AKRON, Ohio – The Akron softball teams heads to Greenville, S.C. to play in the Cathi Maynard Invitational on Friday, March 8 – Sunday, March 10 to face host Austin Peay, Rhode Island, and Bradley.
WHAT'S AHEAD
The Zips start Friday with a doubleheader against Rhode Island at 11 a.m. and host Austin Peay at 1:30 p.m. Akron will then face Bradley at 10:30 a.m. and Austin Peay at 1 p.m. on Saturday before closing the weekend with Rhode Island at 10:30 a.m. and Bradley at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All games will be played at Cathi Maynard Park in Clarksville, Tennessee.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
March 8
Rhode Island | Stats
Austin Peay | Stats | ESPN+
March 9
Bradley | Stats
Austin Peay | Stats | ESPN+
March 10
Rhode Island | Stats
Bradley | Stats
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Against Rhode Island
Akron Leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Akron 5 – Rhode Island 0 (February 7, 2015, Patricia Wilson, Fla.)
Against Austin Peay
Series Tied 1-1
First Meeting: Akron win (1988)
Last Meeting: Austin Peay 7 – Akron 1 (March 4, 2023, Akron, Ohio)
Against Bradley
Bradley Leads 4-1
First Meeting: Akron win (1991)
Last Meeting: Bradley 14 – Akron 5 (March 13, 2022, Nashville, Tennessee)
SCOUTING REPORT
Rhode Island
Rhode Island enters this weekend with a 1-10 record so far in the 2024 campaign. Their most recent game was a 1-0 loss to Florida Atlantic in 8 innings. Freshman pitcher Avery Vale-Cruz (0-3) was outstanding despite taking the loss. She pitched her first complete game, allowing no earned runs while scattering six hits and a pair of walks. She also struck out a pair. Graduate Student Cassie Swenson brought her total of sacrifice bunts to 19 in her career, putting he in a tie for fifth place in program history.
Austin Peay
Austin Peay is coming off a mid-week win over Lipscomb on March 6 to improve their season record to 9-9. Samantha Miener has not given up an earned run in her last 20 and two-thirds innings pitched. Her save moved her into a tie for fifth place all-time in career saves, with four. Kylie Campbell has now recorded a hit in five straight games. The shutout versus the Bisons was the fifth overall on the season for the Govs and the fourth that has been a combined shutout. Austin Peay improves to 8-1 on the season in games where they score at least four runs.
Bradley
Bradley returns to Tennessee with a 5-9 season record after going 2-2 in last weekend's MTSU Invitational where they recorded wins over Detroit Mercy (8-2) and Army (7-1). The Braves' offense exploded for 11 hits, with a lights out performance from Sydney Kennedy, who recorded six strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched. The Braves capitalized on five extra-base hits, resulting in seven runs. Bradley grabbed an early lead in the first inning with an Abbott Badgley double. The Braves then went on to score seven unanswered runs until the top of the seventh when Army scored. Tori Meyer, Abbott Badgley, Ashley Breeding, and Kierston McCoy all notched doubles in the 7-1 victory.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips are coming off three straight wins at the Furman Tournament in South Carolina last weekend, defeating Furman twice (6-5 and 4-3) and earning a 6-4 win over South Dakota. Meagan Lee is leading Akron hitting .357 with 15 hits and Sophia Wygast has 11 hits and 11 RBI on the season. Haley Croyle has pitched 35.1 innings with a 2.18 ERA and has struck out 17 opponents while Cailey Joyce has a 4.20 ERA and has struck out 13 of the 125 batters she has faced in her 30 innings of work.
ON DECK
The Zips will travel to Youngstown State for a traditional doubleheader on Tuesday March 12. First pitch is at 3 p.m.
WHAT'S AHEAD
The Zips start Friday with a doubleheader against Rhode Island at 11 a.m. and host Austin Peay at 1:30 p.m. Akron will then face Bradley at 10:30 a.m. and Austin Peay at 1 p.m. on Saturday before closing the weekend with Rhode Island at 10:30 a.m. and Bradley at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All games will be played at Cathi Maynard Park in Clarksville, Tennessee.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
March 8
Rhode Island | Stats
Austin Peay | Stats | ESPN+
March 9
Bradley | Stats
Austin Peay | Stats | ESPN+
March 10
Rhode Island | Stats
Bradley | Stats
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
Against Rhode Island
Akron Leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Akron 5 – Rhode Island 0 (February 7, 2015, Patricia Wilson, Fla.)
Against Austin Peay
Series Tied 1-1
First Meeting: Akron win (1988)
Last Meeting: Austin Peay 7 – Akron 1 (March 4, 2023, Akron, Ohio)
Against Bradley
Bradley Leads 4-1
First Meeting: Akron win (1991)
Last Meeting: Bradley 14 – Akron 5 (March 13, 2022, Nashville, Tennessee)
SCOUTING REPORT
Rhode Island
Rhode Island enters this weekend with a 1-10 record so far in the 2024 campaign. Their most recent game was a 1-0 loss to Florida Atlantic in 8 innings. Freshman pitcher Avery Vale-Cruz (0-3) was outstanding despite taking the loss. She pitched her first complete game, allowing no earned runs while scattering six hits and a pair of walks. She also struck out a pair. Graduate Student Cassie Swenson brought her total of sacrifice bunts to 19 in her career, putting he in a tie for fifth place in program history.
Austin Peay
Austin Peay is coming off a mid-week win over Lipscomb on March 6 to improve their season record to 9-9. Samantha Miener has not given up an earned run in her last 20 and two-thirds innings pitched. Her save moved her into a tie for fifth place all-time in career saves, with four. Kylie Campbell has now recorded a hit in five straight games. The shutout versus the Bisons was the fifth overall on the season for the Govs and the fourth that has been a combined shutout. Austin Peay improves to 8-1 on the season in games where they score at least four runs.
Bradley
Bradley returns to Tennessee with a 5-9 season record after going 2-2 in last weekend's MTSU Invitational where they recorded wins over Detroit Mercy (8-2) and Army (7-1). The Braves' offense exploded for 11 hits, with a lights out performance from Sydney Kennedy, who recorded six strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched. The Braves capitalized on five extra-base hits, resulting in seven runs. Bradley grabbed an early lead in the first inning with an Abbott Badgley double. The Braves then went on to score seven unanswered runs until the top of the seventh when Army scored. Tori Meyer, Abbott Badgley, Ashley Breeding, and Kierston McCoy all notched doubles in the 7-1 victory.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips are coming off three straight wins at the Furman Tournament in South Carolina last weekend, defeating Furman twice (6-5 and 4-3) and earning a 6-4 win over South Dakota. Meagan Lee is leading Akron hitting .357 with 15 hits and Sophia Wygast has 11 hits and 11 RBI on the season. Haley Croyle has pitched 35.1 innings with a 2.18 ERA and has struck out 17 opponents while Cailey Joyce has a 4.20 ERA and has struck out 13 of the 125 batters she has faced in her 30 innings of work.
ON DECK
The Zips will travel to Youngstown State for a traditional doubleheader on Tuesday March 12. First pitch is at 3 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Softball
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/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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