“After being swept by Ohio University over the weekend, the University of Akron men’s baseball team rebounded with a victory over the Malone University Pioneers on Tuesday and a doubleheader sweep of the Duquesne University Dukes on Wednesday. With the three victories, the Zips improved their record to 12-16 overall still 6-9 in the MAC.”
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After being swept by Ohio University over the weekend, the University of Akron men’s baseball team rebounded with a victory over the Malone University Pioneers on Tuesday and a doubleheader sweep of the Duquesne University Dukes on Wednesday.

With the three victories, the Zips improved their record to 12-16 overall still 6-9 in the MAC.

The Pioneers fell to 32-11 overall with the loss and the Dukes fell to 9-30 following the seep.

On Tuesday, the Zips beat the Pioneers 7-4 behind a solid winning effort from freshman left hander Scott Foster.

My curveball worked well today and I located my fastball and got ahead, Foster said. When I’m locating my pitches and getting ahead of the batters I’m at my best.

Foster went six and a third innings giving up four earned runs on eight hits and striking out four.

I think it’s a big deal to work deep in the game, Foster said. I think our pitchers need to get ahead of the batters and go deep into the game because it makes our team feel more at ease when we’re in there.

Foster worked fast and got ahead of the Pioneer hitters.

I think it’s huge to work quickly as a pitcher because its gets our team back in the dugout to hit, Foster said. You want quickest innings and plus our fielders stay awake.

The defense stayed awake for Foster committing no errors behind him and the bullpen.

Chris Bassitt picked up the save for the Zips pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

The Pioneers Derek Smith got the loss going four and a third innings, walking three, and giving up three earned runs on four hits.

Zips’ first baseman Brian Kordal went 2-4 including a two-RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the club offensively.

Designated hitter Kyle Hallett also contributed two RBI to help the Zips win.

In game one of the double header Wednesday against DU, the Zips played an unfamiliar role; they were the visiting team in their home ballpark while the Dukes were the home team.

In a game that was supposed to be finished in Duquesne in late March, the Zips and Dukes began the game in the bottom of the fourth in a 1-1 tie.

The Dukes scored first in the bottom of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Manley that plated Derrik Zeroski and made the score 2-1.

Center fielder Matt Roberts hit a go-ahead two run homerun off of Grant Gillespie in the top of the ninth inning to give the Zips the lead for good.

I was down in the count so I was trying to protect, Roberts said. He just got me to swing over the top of a curveball so I figured he was going to come with it again, he hung it a little bit and I made him pay.

Zips’ third baseman Ryan Frazee followed with a three-run homerun and the Zips went on to beat the Dukes 6-2.

Grant Gillespie got the loss for the Dukes dropping his record to 0-4 on the season.

Right handed pitcher Danny Fawcett recorded his first win of the season for the Zips.

The Zips pounded the Dukes 11-2 in the second game of the doubleheader.

The Dukes’ Brian Bernardo came into the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and got rocked lasting only one inning and giving up six earned runs on seven hits.

James Podgorney pitched a scoreless seventh inning to get the win for the Zips.

The Zips were led offensively by center fielder Matt Roberts who went 3-5 with two runs scored hitting his second homerun of the doubleheader as the Zips rolled to their third straight victory.

The Zips will look to continue to build on their current three-game winning streak when they host the Buffalo University Bulls for a three game series on Friday.

The Bulls come into the three game set with a 15-23 record overall and a 4-8 record in the MAC.

We hope the momentum and the confidence level keeps building and, hopefully, we will be ready on Friday for Buffalo, Zips’ head coach Pat Bangtson said.

The Zips and the Bulls will begin the series Friday at 3 p.m.

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