The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
9-30, 4-14
Eastern Michigan
13-25, 8-10
Big Eighth Inning Propels Akron Past EMU, 15-5
April 21 | Baseball
YPSILANTI, Mich. -Â Four home runs resulting in seven runs in the eighth inning highlighted a 15-5 victory for the Akron baseball team over Eastern Michigan on Sunday to sweep the conference series.
Evan Bottone picked up six RBI, four of which came on a grand slam in the eighth inning. He also went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored twice. Bottone was one of five Zips to record multiple hits against the Eagles, with Max Bowman, Sam Seeker, James Strom and Austin Lafferty all recording multi-hit games.Â
Lafferty led the Zips with a 3-for-5 day that featured three runs, one RBI and one stolen base. Outside of Bottone's six RBI day, both Bowman and Charlie Schebler racked up three RBI each.
Five Zips left the yard on Sunday. Schebler got the scoring started in the first with a two-run blast while Bottone, Bowman, Sprockett and Seeker all bashed in the eighth.
Yassir Kahook (2-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Akron (9-30, 4-14). The right-hander went 1.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits. Emmett Gillies also made an impact on the mound for the Zips, throwing two shutout innings while allowing one hit, with one walk and one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Zips got the scoring started early, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Akron plated two runs when Schebler left the yard with Bottone aboard.
The Zips then held the Eagles scoreless before getting back on the board the very next inning. Akron scored three runs in the frame, buoyed by a two-RBI double from Bowman, which brought the Zip's lead to 5-0.
Eastern Michigan narrowed Akron's lead to 5-4 before the Zips stretched the advantage to 8-4 in the sixth inning.
Akron held the Eagles scoreless before building on their lead in the eighth inning. The Zips left the yard four times in the inning on the way to scoring seven runs, bringing the Akron advantage to 15-4. Eastern Michigan put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Zips still coasted to the 15-5 win.
GAME NOTES
» Lafferty picked up three hits in the game for Akron.
» The Zip's power output was led by Bowman, who compiled two extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Bottone drove in six runs for Akron.
» Every Akron starter reached base safely in the win.
» Akron's highest-scoring inning was the eighth when it pushed seven runs across.
» Akron grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Five Zips had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Akron hitters hit five dingers in the ballgame.
» The Zips out-hit the Eagles at a 14-10 clip.
» Akron went 5-for-9 (.556) with runners in scoring position.
» Akron pitchers faced 39 Eastern Michigan hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 12 fly balls while striking out four.
» Bottone led the Zips at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and six RBI.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips stay on the road as they travel to Youngstown State on Wednesday, April 24 for a 5 p.m. start.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kahook, Yassir (2-1)
L: CHITTUM, Nick (3-6)
Batting:
2B: Bowman, Max 1
HR: Bottone, Evan 1 ; Schebler, Charlie 1 ; Bowman, Max 1 ; Sprockett, Michael 1 ; Seeker, Sam 1
RBI: Bottone, Evan 6 ; Schebler, Charlie 3 ; Bowman, Max 3 ; Sprockett, Michael 1 ; Seeker, Sam 1 ; Lafferty, Austin 1
SF: Bottone, Evan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bottone, Evan 2 ; Schebler, Charlie 2 ; Bowman, Max 1 ; Sprockett, Michael 1 ; Seeker, Sam 2 ; Strom, James 2 ; Lafferty, Austin 3 ; Sackett, Nicky 2
SB: Schebler, Charlie 1 ; Seeker, Sam 1 ; Lafferty, Austin 1 ; Sackett, Nicky 1
HBP: Seeker, Sam 1 ; Hayman, Henry 1 ; Sackett, Nicky 1
Batting:
2B: JOHNSON, Lucas 2
RBI: HUGO, Logan 1 ; JOHNSON, Lucas 1 ; MCRAE, Blake 1 ; SCHROEDLE, Kyle 1 ; VANCE, Cooper 1
SF: HUGO, Logan 1 ; VANCE, Cooper 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HUGO, Logan 2 ; ZUCCARO, Giano 1 ; MCRAE, Blake 1 ; BALL, Nathan 1
SB: HUGO, Logan 1
HBP: KRAFT, Darren 1 ; ZUCCARO, Giano 1
