AKRON, Ohio- The Marshall University softball team travelled to Akron University Saturday to take on the Zips. After a two-hour rain delay the Herd (14-22, 7-7 MAC) dropped two exciting contests to Akron (22-8, 12-2 MAC), 4-1 and 2-1.

The Zips jumped out to a two run lead in the first game as they smashed three base hits to go ahead of in the bottom of the first inning. Akron pushed another run across the plate in the second to go up 3-0.

Kari Britt (Huntington, W.Va.) got things going for Marshall in the third as she battled to earn a base hit. Nichole Corrigan (Corona, Calif.) drilled a base hit that moved Britt to third. Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) then legged out an infield single to score Britt and the Herd got on the board, making the score 3-1 after three.

Nikki Wilcox (Lake Forest, Calif.) made a spectacular catch for the Herd, reaching over the top of the fence in centerfield to make the out on a deep fly ball. Despite Marshall’s solid defense Akron was able to add another run to their total on a home run by Julie Villard.

MU threatened in the sixth, but couldn’t score as they fell by the final of 4-1. Britt led the Herd at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double. Davenport, the pitcher, went 2-for-3 at the plate and had an RBI.

In the second contest Akron again scored early as they pushed a single run across on a pair of hits. Marshall came back in the top of the second as Vanessa Clarkson (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.) each singled to lead off the inning. Kelli Hall (Huntington, W. Va.) bunted the runners over into scoring positon and Carrie Dean (Paradise, Calif.) lined a single to left field to score Clarkson.

The game moved into extra innings with the score deadlocked at one. Marshall wasn’t able to get anything going in their half of the eighth as the field continued to grow dim without lights. The Zips Rianne Hess finally broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with towering home run and the Herd fell 2-1 in a heartbreaker.

The Herd out hit Akron as eight different Marshall players recorded hits. De’Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.) received the loss on the mound after giving up only four hits in seven plus innings.

Marshall will return to action as they face rival Ohio University Wednesday, April 17th in a single game at Dot Hicks Field at 5:00 p.m.