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OXFORD, Ohio– In its final doubleheader of the regular season, the Akron softball team split a Mid-American Conference twinbill at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday afternoon at the Miami Softball Stadium.
The Zips came from behind to win game one, 4-1, before falling 3-0 in the night cap.
The Zips finished 26-27 overall and 12-11 in the MAC, while the RedHawks improved to 28-22 overall and 13-10 in MAC play.
In the opener, Miami scored a solo run in the bottom of the first. The teams then went scoreless for five innings.
In the top of the seventh with bases loaded and no outs, junior OF Taylor Kirian (New Riegel, Ohio) hit a home run to left field, scoring senior OF Savannah Fruin (Delray Beach, Fla.), freshman PR Madison Carter (Newnan, Ga.), and sophomore DP Kelly Hysong (Beach City, Ohio). It was the first grand slam of her collegiate career and her fourth homer of the season. Kirian became the second Zip to hit a grand slam this season, joining senior 2B Anna Tarpley (Jacksonville, Fla.) who had one at Northern Illinois (March 24).
Miami rallied in the bottom of the seventh, but could not score.
Freshman lefty Lexie Handley (Mogadore, Ohio) threw 3.0 innings. She struck out two and walked four. Junior RHP Kooper Vertz (Dilsboro, Ind.) pitched the final four innings for the win (5-4 overall). She fanned three and walked one.
In the night cap, the RedHawks scored single runs in the bottom of the third, fourth, and sixth innings for the 3-0 shutout. The Zips threatened in the fifth with two hits, but left two runners stranded.
Vertz went the distance for the Zips, taking the loss (5-5 overall). She struck out one and walked three.
Akron and Miami close out the regular season with single game at Noon on Sunday, May 7, at the Miami Softball Stadium.