The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Travels to Rival for Final #MACtion Weekend Series
May 02 | Softball
AKRON, Ohio – The Akron softball team enters final #MACtion weekend series of the 2024 regular season in Kent, Ohio against their rival Kent State Golden Flashes.
What's Ahead
The Zips and Flashes will have a Mid-American Conference clash this weekend with a double header on Friday (May 3) starting at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday (May 5) at 3 p.m. Fans can follow the action via live stats or by watching on BoxCast.
May 3 vs Ohio | 11 a.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
May 3 vs Ohio | 1:30 p.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
May 5 vs Ohio | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
Scouting Kent State
The Golden Flashes are 25-22 on the season with a 10-14 mark in MAC play, including a midweek split against Central Michigan this week. Macy Irelan and Megan Nuechterlein handle most of the pitching duties for Kent State, throwing 115.0 and 156.2 innings, respectively. Irelan owns the lowest ERA (2.56) with a 7-7 record and six complete games. She allowed 108 hits and 42 earned runs while issuing 102 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .251 batting average. Nuechterlein is 18-11 on the season with 11 complete games with a 3.75 ERA. She allowed 168 hits and 71 earned runs with 100 K's while limiting opponents to a .274 batting average. Offensively, the Flashes are led by Julia Mazanec with a .389 average. She owns a team-high 56 hits with a second-best seven homeruns, 10 doubles and two triples. Mazanec also owns a team-best 39 runs scored and 20 RBI. Bri Despines follows in batting average with a .336 on 50 hits with 11 doubles, two homeruns and one triple. She scored 27 times and drove in 21 RBI. Emily Lippe leads the squad in homeruns (9) and second in RBI (30).
Scouting Akron
Akron won the series against Central Michigan over the weekend, but fell to Ohio in midweek action to improve to 22-28 overall and 10-13 in conference. Meagan Lee is leading the MAC in batting average (.444) and hits (79). Brooke Sivek is one of only three players in the MAC with more than 20 stolen bases with her 25 recorded steals and she is in the top five for walks with 26. Sophia Wygast has hit 11 home runs this season, to place her in 9th place in the conference. In the circle, Macy Walters earned two wins over the weekend against Central Michigan. She leads the Zips with a 3.83 ERA, striking out 71 opponents and allowing the lowest number of hits (123) and runs (79).
Akron Notes
•The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 31 years after joining the league in 1993 from the North Star Conference.
•Under second-year head coach Craig Nicholson, the Zips return 10 players from the 2023 squad and added 12 newcomers to the 2024 roster.
•The 2023 season marks the 48th season of intercollegiate competition for the Akron softball program.
What's Ahead
The Zips and Flashes will have a Mid-American Conference clash this weekend with a double header on Friday (May 3) starting at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday (May 5) at 3 p.m. Fans can follow the action via live stats or by watching on BoxCast.
May 3 vs Ohio | 11 a.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
May 3 vs Ohio | 1:30 p.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
May 5 vs Ohio | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | BoxCast
Scouting Kent State
The Golden Flashes are 25-22 on the season with a 10-14 mark in MAC play, including a midweek split against Central Michigan this week. Macy Irelan and Megan Nuechterlein handle most of the pitching duties for Kent State, throwing 115.0 and 156.2 innings, respectively. Irelan owns the lowest ERA (2.56) with a 7-7 record and six complete games. She allowed 108 hits and 42 earned runs while issuing 102 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .251 batting average. Nuechterlein is 18-11 on the season with 11 complete games with a 3.75 ERA. She allowed 168 hits and 71 earned runs with 100 K's while limiting opponents to a .274 batting average. Offensively, the Flashes are led by Julia Mazanec with a .389 average. She owns a team-high 56 hits with a second-best seven homeruns, 10 doubles and two triples. Mazanec also owns a team-best 39 runs scored and 20 RBI. Bri Despines follows in batting average with a .336 on 50 hits with 11 doubles, two homeruns and one triple. She scored 27 times and drove in 21 RBI. Emily Lippe leads the squad in homeruns (9) and second in RBI (30).
Scouting Akron
Akron won the series against Central Michigan over the weekend, but fell to Ohio in midweek action to improve to 22-28 overall and 10-13 in conference. Meagan Lee is leading the MAC in batting average (.444) and hits (79). Brooke Sivek is one of only three players in the MAC with more than 20 stolen bases with her 25 recorded steals and she is in the top five for walks with 26. Sophia Wygast has hit 11 home runs this season, to place her in 9th place in the conference. In the circle, Macy Walters earned two wins over the weekend against Central Michigan. She leads the Zips with a 3.83 ERA, striking out 71 opponents and allowing the lowest number of hits (123) and runs (79).
Akron Notes
•The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 31 years after joining the league in 1993 from the North Star Conference.
•Under second-year head coach Craig Nicholson, the Zips return 10 players from the 2023 squad and added 12 newcomers to the 2024 roster.
•The 2023 season marks the 48th season of intercollegiate competition for the Akron softball program.
Players Mentioned
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