April 1, 2006
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - The Akron Zips scored single runs in the first and third innings and held the Miami University softball team (14-20; 1-2 MAC) scoreless as they took a 2-0 decision Saturday afternoon at Miami Softball Field. In a game dominated by pitching and defense, Miami starting pitcher Kelly Cabana (Irvine, Calif.) turned in a complete-game seven hitter but was outdone by Akron starter Megan MacKenzie who struck out 11 and allowed only two hits in seven innings.
Akron put a single run on the board in the top of the first inning as a RBI groundout staked the Zips to a 1-0 lead. After Sarah Zilles walked with one out, she stole second and came home on an infield groundout from Julie Boyes. The Zips then loaded the bases with three consecutive two-out singles, but Cabana escaped further damage as she struck out Jaclyn Spirots to end the scoring threat.
The Zips tacked on a single run in the top of the third as they pushed their lead to 2-0. Cali Stratton doubled to leftfield with one out, and after advancing to third on a groundout to the right side, she came home on a single to centerfield from Lisa McLean.
Miami could not mount a scoring threat the first time through the batting order as MacKenzie struck out six of the first nine batters she faced. Sophomore Jamie Arundel (Tonka Bay, Minn.) was the only Miami player to notch a hit in the first three innings with a one-out single in the bottom of the third.
Both offenses sputtered over the final four frames as Cabana and MacKenzie matched each other pitch-for-pitch. Cabana retired 12 of the final 15 batters she faced in the game, allowing only a fifth-inning single and a seventh-inning single. MacKenzie, meanwhile, retired 12 of the final 14 batters she faced and struck out the final three batters of the game.
Sophomore Halle Popson (Solon, Ohio) started a Miami rally to lead off the bottom of the seventh as she hustled to beat out an infield single, but after stealing second base, she was left stranded as MacKenzie retired the next three batters in order.
Popson (1-for-3) and Arundel (1-for-2) were the only Miami players to notch hits.
Miami closes out its first weekend home series tomorrow against Akron at 1 p.m.
