A center circle dual ensued in the first game of Akron’s doubleheader against Niagara on Thursday. Zips’ senior pitcher Alex Riedeman (8-6) pitched six innings, struck out six, allowed no free passes and only gave up a single run in the sixth inning. However, her efforts were not enough as the Zips managed just four hits against Purple Eagles pitcher Julie DiMatteo and failed to remove the goose egg from the scoreboard.
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A center circle dual ensued in the first game of Akron’s doubleheader against Niagara on Thursday. Zips’ senior pitcher Alex Riedeman (8-6) pitched six innings, struck out six, allowed no free passes and only gave up a single run in the sixth inning. However, her efforts were not enough as the Zips managed just four hits against Purple Eagles pitcher Julie DiMatteo and failed to remove the goose egg from the scoreboard.
Alex Feltes had half of Akron’s hits, going 2-for-3, during the 1-0 loss to Niagara.
In the late game, the Purple Eagles built an early 7-1 lead after just two innings en route to a 7-3 thumping. The lone Zips’ run came through playing small ball in the top of the second inning. Olivia Hegedus and and Sarah Earley each reached base on back-to-back infield singles to third base. A Cassie Gleisner sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third. Sarah Stromack then reached base on an error, allowing Hegedus to reach home and cut the Niagara lead to 2-1.
After the second inning meltdown, Zip Andrea Arney pitched 4.1 innings in relief, allowing just four hits and surrendering a single run.
Despite the loss, Feltes remained unfazed by the Purples Eagles’ pitching. The Zips’ leading hitter blasted her third round-tripper of the season over the mighty Niagara walls in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 7-2. Akron managed to generate one more run in the seventh inning when Earley singled to center field and advanced to second on an error, which allowed pinch runner Felicia Houtz to cross the plate.
The next host opponent for Akron was Ohio. Saturday’s contest was suspended in the bottom of the fourth inning after the Zips and Bobcats played to a 1-1 tie. Akron’s only run came on a solo home run by Alissa Birkhimer, which ties her with Hegedus for a team-high eight dingers this season.
The game resumed Sunday morning and Birkhimer picked up right where she left off, singling in Katie Gross to re-tie the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Gross reached base on a fielder’s choice and stole second base, before safely making it home on Birkhimer’s hit to left center.
We did battle back; every time they scored, we scored, and I was happy with that, Zips Head Coach Julie Jones said following the series.
The two teams remained locked at 2-2 after the seventh and ventured into extra innings. Even with the weather suspension, Riedeman hurled all 7.2 innings, but Ohio managed a two-out walk-off single against her in the bottom of the eighth to capture the conference win.
In the second contest, the Zips found themselves in a 2-0 hole before they rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Feltes was hit by a pitch to reach first, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Birkhimer, who finished 5-for-8 in the series, singled in Feltes for her team-leading 22nd RBI of the season. Three batters later, Earley cracked a double to center field that scored the pinch-running Houtz and pitcher Heather Bauer to give Akron their first lead of the series.
Bauer pitched 4.1 innings, striking out four and allowing three runs, before being pulled for Riedeman. Ohio managed to crack the Akron ace for three runs before she could get the final two outs in the sixth inning, leaving the Zips down 6-3, the final score.
That put us under for good, Jones said of Akron’s sixth-inning meltdown. Today’s losses were very disappointing. I thought we had an opportunity to win both games.
The Zips will return home on Tuesday to face Robert Morris in a doubleheader at Lee Jackson Field before departing on a six-game road trip that will feature Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Youngstown State.
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