Akron Evens Wagon Wheel Series, Sprockett Homered Twice in Series Finale

Sunday, May 1

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

13-31, 0

Kent State University

17-22, 0

Kent State

AKRON

Akron Evens Wagon Wheel Series, Sprockett Homered Twice in Series Finale

May 01 | Baseball

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Akron Evens Wagon Wheel Series, Sprockett Homered Twice in Series Finale

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AKRON, Ohio – The Akron Zips evened the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge series with a 7-3 series finale triumph as freshman Michael Sprockett (West Chester, Ohio) went yard twice to plate 4-of-7 of the Zips' runs on Sunday at Skeeles Field. With the win Akron and Kent State earn a half point for the challenge with the Flashes leading 7-5.

The Zips pounded out six hits for the seven runs as Akron plated the first run when junior Kaito Hara (Houston, Texas) delivered a single through the left side to score senior Bryant Shellenbarger (Mount Vernon, Ohio), who reached on a base hit to right field. Zips held the 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth when Kent State received back-to-back hits, a double and single, to tie the game 1-1. The Flashes extended the inning with a third base hit and a pair of free passes to plate the go-ahead run, 2-1.

The bottom half of the fourth inning mirrored the ending on game three as senior Justin Barr (Pensacola, Fla.) earned his way on base by taking four pitches and Sprockett launched a 1-1 pitch over the playing surface to give Akron a 3-2 advantage. Sprockett struck again in the bottom of the sixth, sending a 1-1 pitch out of the yard for his fourth homerun of the series and a 5-2 Zips lead.

The Flashes cut into Akron's lead in the eighth inning with a run, but Akron retaliated with two runs in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out bases loaded double down the right field line by senior Jerry Reinhart (Batavia, N.Y.), scoring Shellenbarger and Barr for a 7-3 advantage. Shellenbarger reached on a KSU fielding error and Barr singled to right.

Akron starting pitcher graduate Brady Biglin (Crestline, Ohio) earned the win, throwing five complete innings while striking out the first 6-of-8 batters faced. Biglin faced 24 batters, allowing two runs on five hits, two walks and two hit batters. He finished the game with eight strikeouts.

Sprockett started the series 0-for-7, but in the final two games unleashed four homeruns in the last five at-bats and was intentionally walked in his final plate appearance of the series. Sprockett finished the series with seven RBI and four runs scored.

Shellenbarger led the Zips' offense, batting .500 for the series with a 7-for-14 performance. He belted three solo-homeruns and recorded a double while scoring seven times with three RBI

The Zips will be back in action on Friday through Sunday, May 6-8, in Athens, Ohio against the Ohio Bobcats. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday.