Saturday’s Scoreboard
Akron 11, Winthrop 3
Akron 9, Samford 10
Ohio 2, Furman 10
Kent State 8, Howard 1
Western Michigan 0, Arizona 12
Western Michigan 9, Arizona State 7
Miami 2, Western Illinois 1
Miami 7, IUPUI 3
Northern Illinois 1, Wisconsin 8
Northern Illinois 3, FAU 4
Toledo 1, Creighton 24
Toledo 5, Incarnate Word 1
Ball State 16, Prarie View 9
Ball State 0, McNeese 8
Buffalo 8, Grambling State 7
Buffalo 0, Southeastern Louisiana 4
Stories Courtesy Of MAC Sports Information
Akron 11, Winthrop 3
Akron 9, Samford 10
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The long ball powered the Akron softball team to its first victory of the 2020 season as three home runs helped defeat Winthrop, 11-3, on day two of the Samford tournament at the Samford Softball Field.
The Zips picked up their first win as they powered past Winthrop, 11-3, and scored 11 unanswered runs from the third inning on in a shortened six-inning contest. The W signified Meaggan Pettipiece's first victory as head coach of the Zips program.
Junior Kayla Wulf (Maumee, Ohio), redshirt junior Sydney Jascoe (Commerce, Mich.), freshmen Bailey Drapola (Brookfield, Ohio) and senior Macky Mitchiner (Riverside, Calif.) each recorded a multi-hit game going a combined 9-for-17, five RBI, seven runs scored, a double, and two home runs.
The trio of Jascoe, Wulf, and freshman Laurel Devoe (North Canton, Ohio) all homered in the sixth and helped lead the Zips to a game-high five runs in the inning.
Ohio 2, Furman 10
Box Score
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Ohio softball team (0-3) continued play at the 2020 Buzz Classic on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 8), falling to Furman (1-0), 10-2 in five innings.
After a three-hour delay to the start the game, Ohio recorded the first hit in top of the first inning when freshman Molly Troutman (Gahanna, Ohio) reached on a single to center field. However, Troutman was caught stealing later in the inning, sending the game to the bottom of the frame with the game still scoreless. Furman struck in the top of the first inning, taking a 3-0 lead on a three-run homerun by Riley Ludlam.
The Bobcats responded in the top of the second inning, when with one out freshman Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.) registered her first career hit, a double to right center. Then moments later, freshman Sophia Bernard (Canton, Ohio) hit her first career homerun over the center field wall, cutting the Ohio deficit to 3-2.
Kent State 8, Howard 1
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ATHENS, Ga. – Following a five-hour snow delay in the top of the first inning Saturday morning, juniors Brenna Brownfield and Madyson Cole launched two-run home runs as Kent State scored five in its first trip to the plate and went on to defeat Howard, 8-1, in a shortened Red & Black Showcase Day 2 schedule.
First pitch between the Golden Flashes (2-1) and Bison was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. After just three batters and Howard scoring an unearned run on two walks and an error, play was suspended due to snowfall.
The teams were able to return to the field at 4 p.m. to resume the game. Redshirt sophomore ace Andrea Scali recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame and finally send Kent State to the plate.
For the second day in a row, sophomore Sabrina Kerschner started the first inning with an extra-base hit, this time a triple down the left field line. The speedy Kerschner then slid under a tag attempt at the plate on a sac bunt by junior Kennadie Goth to tie the game. Brenna Brownfield then stepped to the plate and hit her second homer of the season to give the Flashes the lead for good.
Western Michigan 0, Arizona 12
Western Michigan 9, Arizona State 7
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TEMPE, Ariz. – The Western Michigan softball team earned a split at the Kajikawa Classic on Saturday, bouncing back from a 12-0 loss in five innings to No. 5 Arizona to defeat No. 22 Arizona State 9-7 in the nightcap.
The victory over the Sun Devils marked the Broncos' first versus a ranked foe since May 1, 2018, and their first against ASU since 1994. WMU now has three ranked wins since the start of the 2018 campaign.
On Saturday, the Bronco offense was led by Mackenzie Swinehart's three runs batted in, two scored and two hits, including her first career home run, versus the Sun Devils. Junior Sydney Stefanick put up three hits against Arizona State and tallied her first homer of the campaign. Senior Kaylen Glenfield chipped in with two hits and a run scored as eight Broncos crossed home versus Arizona State. Earlier in the day, seniors Emma Nuyen and Samantha Pico each collected a hit against the fifth-ranked Wildcats.
Stefanick picked up the win in the circle against Arizona State, going the full seven innings and yielding seven runs off eight hits to go along with five strikeouts, three walks and one hit batter.
Miami 2, Western Illinois 1
Miami 7, IUPUI 3
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ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Miami University softball team won both of its games on Saturday at the Rambler Rumble. The RedHawks beat Western Michigan by a 2-1 margin in 10 innings before winning against IUPUI by a 7-3 margin in the night game.
Northern Illinois 1, Wisconsin 8
Northern Illinois 3, FAU 4
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BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University softball team suffered a pair of setbacks on the second day of play at the FAU First Pitch Classic at FAU Stadium Saturday.
The Huskies (1-3) fell to Wisconsin, 8-1, in the first game of the day and were unable to come from behind against the host Owls of FAU, falling, 4-3, in the nightcap.
"The team is doing some really great things collective as a whole," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We just need to clean up around the edges. We fought back tonight [against FAU] and had a chance to win in the seventh."
Trailing by a run headed into the top of the seventh, Kara Apato gave the Huskies a spark when she reached on a one-out single. She was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Amberly Rodriguez. Unfortunately, Katie Keller flied out to right to end the rally and the game.
Toledo 1, Creighton 24
Toledo 5, Incarnate Word 1
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Toledo softball team rallied for four runs in the seventh inning to defeat Incarnate Word, 5-1, to earn a split day two of the H.E.B. Classic on Saturday. The Rockets fell to Creighton in the opening game of the day, only to later come back and provide and exciting win against the host school in the evening contest.
Ball State 16, Prarie View 9
Ball State 0, McNeese 8
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LAKE CHARLES, La. - - Sophomore second baseman Amaia Daniel opened the game with a home run to help the Ball State softball team begin the second day of the season with a 16-9 victory over Prairie View A&M Saturday afternoon at Cowgirl Diamond.
Overall, the Cardinals (1-3) pounded out a season-high 17 hits and tallied a season-best 16 runs in picking up their first win of the young season.
In addition to Daniel's blast to open the game, senior designated player Janae Hogg tagged her first of the season, and the 30th of her career, to drive in a pair of runs in the second inning.
Junior right fielder Kendall Fields led the team with four RBIs, including a two-run triple in the second. However, the hottest bat of the contest went to senior Haley Dominique who finished the game 5-for-6, with five runs scored and a pair of RBIs.
Buffalo 8, Grambling State 7
Buffalo 0, Southeastern Louisiana 4
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Hammond, LA – The University at Buffalo softball team defeated Grambling State 8-7 in walkoff fashion in game one of the day before falling to Southeastern Louisiana 4-0 in game two.
After escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, the Bulls would score the first runs of the game in the bottom of the inning as, in an attempt to pick off Jenelle Martinez, Rikelle Miller threw the ball down the right field line into the corner, allowing Anna Aguon and Martinez to score to give the Bulls an early 2-0 lead.
Grambling State would have an immediate answer in the top of the second as they scored a pair of runs on an RBI single to tie the game 2-2 and would add another run in the top of the third before breaking through for three runs on three hits and two UB errors to take a 6-2 lead in the top of the fifth.
