Courtesy: John Ashley Photography In her first contest as an Akron Zip, sophomore Heather Bauer pitched seven shutout innings in the Zips 5-0 victory against Alabama State University.

Montgomery, Ala.-Led by sophomore pitcher Heather Bauer, The University of Akron softball team picked up its first win of the season beating Alabama State, 5-0, in day one of the Hornet Invitational.

Bauer (Medina, Ohio/Highland), a transfer from Wright State University, pitched seven shutout innings in her first collegiate game as an Akron Zip giving up five hits and striking out six batters.

In the first inning, senior lead off hitter  Lisa McLean (Canton, Ohio/Perry) took advantage of the first of five ASU errors to reach first base. McLean, the current single-season school record holder in stolen bases with 38, would quickly steal second advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Amber Lowe (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton/Cleveland State). Fellow senior Julie Boyes (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) stepped up to the plate grounding out and sending McLean home for a one run advantage.

The Zips would score three runs in the third starting when sophomore catcher Sarah Stromack (Grafton, Ohio/Keystone) led off the inning with a single. McLean would reach first base yet again on an ASU error and both would score when Lowe reached first on an error. Boyes would follow with a ground out but grabbed her second RBI of the day when Lowe came home putting the Zips up 4-0.

In the fourth inning the Zips added an additional run when junior Krista Hansen (Arlington, Wash./Arlington) singled reaching home safely on yet another ASU error. 

In the first contest of the day, Akron faced the University of Tennessee at Martin Seahawks falling 3-1.

Freshman pitcher Andrea Arney (Dalton, Ohio/Dalton) would start on the mound for the Zips but a tough UTM team posted 10 hits including five in the second for the win.

Despite six hits, the Zips would score just one run against the Seahawks. It was sophomore shortstop Sarah Earley (Venetia, Penn./Peters Township) who posted a single and after stealing second, McLean stepped up the plate with another single to drive Earley home.

On the day, Stromack led the Zips with three hits and McLean posted two stolen bases. Boyes and Lowe each finished with two RBI.

The Zips will return to action Sunday taking on Alabama State and University of Tennessee at Martin once again. The first contest against ASU will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the second game versus UTM following directly after.

Full results will be posted on www.gozips.com.