AKRON, Ohio – Hail and rain eventually gave way to a sunny but chilly day at Lee Jackson Field as the Akron Zips completed the sweep of the Duquesne Dukes, winning both games in the double billing this afternoon. In dramatic fashion Akron picked up a 6-2 come from behind win in game one before thrashing the Dukes, 11-2 in game two.

With a pair of non-conference wins the Zips move to 12-26 on the year and remain 6-9 in the Mid-American Conference as they ride a three-game win streak, heading into this weekend’s series against Buffalo. The Dukes fall to 9-30 on the year with today's losses.

Game one initially began at Duquesne Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. but was resumed at Lee Jackson on account of rain which suspended the contest in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Frank Turocy would take it from there, picking up where freshman Alex Loftin left off and arguably had one of his best outings of the season. In four strong innings of work, the senior tallied a season-high eight strikeouts, at one point retiring twelve consecutive batters without surrendering a hit. Despite the dominant performance of Turocy, redshirt freshman Danny Fawcett (1-0) earned his first win of the season and second as a Zip in an inning of work. Duke starter Grant Gillespie fell to 0-4 with today’s loss.       

Senior Matt Roberts led by example with an exceptional day at the plate, pacing the Zips in game one with a two-for five day, including the game winning home run (his fifth on the year) also driving in three runs. Senior Ryan Frazee made a difference with one swing of the bat, adding three more RBIs for the Zips on his 10th home run of the year.

With the game tied at one through seven and a half innings, Duquesne would plate a run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 2-1 lead.

Fortunately, it wouldn’t last as the Zips barreled off three hits to manufacture five runs atop the ninth to manage just the second comeback victory of the season. With one out, senior Brett Savage worked a full count before earning a free base to lead things off. Roberts then blasted a two-run shot over the wall in left-center to put Akron ahead, 3-2 but the Zips weren’t finished yet. Junior Brian Kordal was hit by a pitch before Danny Brown entered the game in relief for Gillespie. Fellow junior Kyle Hallett followed with a single through the left side as Kordal motored to third to put runners on the corners with two outs in the frame. Frazee provided the icing on the cake by blasting a three-run shot over the left field wall to seal the deal with Akron ahead, 6-2. As an aside, Frazee becomes the seventh player in UA history to hit 10 home runs on the season, joining elite company in current student-assistant coach Kurt Davidson.

Redshirt freshman Chris Bassitt took the mound to close things out for the Zips in the bottom of the ninth and would do so. After surrendering a one-out single, Bassitt retired the next two batters on strike to end the affair.

Game Two
Sophomore James Podgorney (1-0) picked up his first career win on the afternoon after entering a tied ball game and shutting the Dukes down atop the seventh. Senior Tom Farmer started the game and worked in six innings, surrendering six hits and two earned runs with a pair of strikeouts on the day. Duquesne’s Brian Bernardo (0-2) was tagged for seven hits and six earned runs in an inning of work to suffer the loss.

Akron and Duquesne traded runs in the first with each team scoring one and the game would remain tied until Akron plated another in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Hallett was credited with the RBI groundout in the first inning before scoring in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a fielding error by the Dukes' third baseman.

Duquesne battled back, plating a run of their own atop the sixth to knot things up at 2-2 however Akron would not respond quietly.

The Zips broke out the bats in the seventh and eighth innings to score nine runs on 10 hits, securing the 11-2 win in dominant fashion.

In the seventh facing reliever Bernardo, Frazee led off with a double to left center before senior Phil Bednar singled through the right side. Pinch hitter John Turk came up clutch delivering a single to center, scoring Frazee for the go ahead run. Junior Kevin Haas would load the bases with a Bermuda Triangle bunt single which Duquesne couldn’t manage to field before Roberts delivered a two-RBI single to left. With no outs, Kordal hammered a triple to right field, scoring Roberts before Hallett knocked a RBI single through the right side, putting Akron up 8-2.

Facing yet another Duquesne pitcher in Lawrence Anderson, the Zips tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the eighth with Turk leading off with another single to center. Haas followed with a single and used heads up base-running to advance to second. Roberts then capped off an already impressive day, smashing his second home run on the day and sixth on the season over the wall in left, accounting for today’s final, 11-2.

Roberts led the Zips in game two, capping off a monstrous day at the plate by going 3-for-5 with a career-high five RBI. Haas also went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a walk in game two to assist the UA offense.

The Zips will look to keep the three-game win streak alive this weekend when they entertain the Buffalo Bulls in a three-game set at Lee Jackson Field where they are now 7-3 on the year, beginning Friday, Apr. 24 at 3 pm.