Akron Claims Game One Against WMU, Benson Hits Two Homeruns

Friday, April 8

Akron, Ohio

3:00 PM

University of Akron

9-19, 0

Western Michigan University

6-18, 0

Western Michigan

AKRON

Akron Claims Game One Against WMU, Benson Hits Two Homeruns

April 08 | Baseball

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Akron Claims Game One Against WMU, Benson Hits Two Homeruns
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AKRON, Ohio – The Akron Zips scored nine runs in two innings en route to a 10-6 series opening win over Western Michigan as freshman Cameron Benson (Farmington Hills, Mich.) hit two homeruns to lead the Zips at Skeeles Field on Friday.

Benson went 2-for-4 from the plate with both hits leaving the yard while registering three RBI and two runs scored. Akron scattered 13 hits with six players recording multiple hit performances. Freshman Ian Pennington (Springboro, Ohio) also collected three RBI on a 2-for-4 performance with a double. Senior Tate Wargo (Benld, Ill.) and graduate students Nick Arrivo (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Jackson Haas (Cincinnati, OH) and Justin Barr (Pensacola, Fla.) added two-hit performances.

On the mound, senior starting pitcher Taed Heydinger (Bayfield, Colo.) earned the win, throwing six complete innings and allowing one earned run on eight hits with three strikeouts and four walks. Freshman Jacob Beall (West Chester, Ohio) and junior Brett Dietrich (Goshen, Ohio) finished the game for Akron.

WMU plated the first run of the game in the top of the third inning for a 1-0 advantage, but the Zip unleashed five runs in the bottom half of the frame. Haas and Barr both singled to open the inning and Reinhart moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Pennington plated both runs with a double to right center field and Benson and Arrivo hit back-toback homeruns. Benson two-run homer marked his fourth of the season.

WMU crossed the plate again in the fourth, and the Zips immediately loaded the bases and scored xxx runs as Reinhart (1), Pennington (1) and Wargo (2) collected RBI. Reinhart drew a bases loaded walk, Pennington singled to left field and Wargo singled up the middle for a 9-2 Akron lead.

In the seventh inning, WMU scored four runs with two outs on four singles mixed with a hit batsman and a base on balls. The Zips countered with one run as Benson unleashed his second homerun of the day on the first pitch of the inning.

The Zips and the Broncos are scheduled to be back in action with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 9. First pitch is slated for noon. Fans can follow Friday and Saturday's games live on Zips Digital Network or all four games via live stats on GoZips.com.