The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio
Baseball Drops 9-8 Contest to Ohio at Jackson Field
May 12 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio – A comeback effort by the Akron baseball team fell one run short for the second straight game on Saturday, as Ohio won a 9-8 thriller at Lee R. Jackson Baseball Field.
Akron (17-34, 10-13 Mid-American Conference) scored six runs in the eighth and ninth innings to cut a seven-run deficit down to one and had the tying run on third with one out in the ninth. Bryan White would try to score on a wild pitch by Ohio closer Brett Barber, but catcher Cody Gaertner recovered to make the flip to Barber in time to tag White. Jared Turocy then smashed a one-hopper off the glove of Barber who retrieved the ball and made an underhand flip to first to end the game.
Freshman Pat Dyer gave a strong relief effort on the hill for Akron, allowing just one unearned run in five innings. Senior starter Scott Foster (3-5) took the loss after giving up six earned runs in four innings. Sophomore Darius Washington tallied a pair of hits and drove in two for Akron. Senior Dan Burant also had a pair of hits and scored twice.
Jason Moulton (5-3) pitched 5.1 innings and allowed two runs to grab the win for Ohio (25-25, 14-9). Gaertner drove in three to lead the Bobcats at the plate.
The Bobcats benefited from two Akron errors in the top of the first, building a 3-0 lead. Matt Rembielak and Sam Watkins both booted groundballs in the inning, while Jensen Painter and Gaertner both drove in runs for OU. Jake Madsen's infield single in the top of the second brought in OU's fourth run of the game.
Washington put Akron on the board when he tripled to the right field corner to bring in Samuel Trecaso, who had walked, in the bottom of the second. Washington then scored on Brandon Winter's groundout.
Ohio extended its lead with a two-run homer by Ian Mezlak in the third and a two-run double by Gaertner in the fourth.
UA had its first two aboard in both the fifth and sixth, but failed to score. Rembielak lined into a double play to stifle a possible rally in the fifth and a pair of well-hit lineouts kept the Zips off the board in the sixth.
Madsen scored the ninth OU run in the eighth by sprinting home while Painter was held up in a run-down between second and third.
Akron then started to mount its charge by scoring four in the bottom of the eighth. UA got three straight singles to load the bases with nobody gone. Turocy drove in Burant with a groundout, Ivory Alexander connected for an RBI single and Devan Ahart hit a sacrifice fly to account for three of the runs in the inning. Washington also scored when shortstop Garret Black bobbled Tyler Begun's grounder.
The ninth started when Watkins reached on a passed ball after swinging and missing at strike three. Burant then hit a single through the right side and White was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Barber would balk in Watkins from third and Burant would score on a groundout to second by Washington.
The Zips and Bobcats will finish off this weekend's series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Jackson Field. Senior Alex Loftin takes the mound for Akron and will be opposed by Ohio's Seth Streich.
Zips Notebook: Akron celebrated senior day on Saturday with seven Akron players – Ivory Alexander, Andrew Brown, Dan Burant, Danny Fawcett, Scott Foster, Alex Loftin and Sam Watkins – all playing in their final home series.
