AKRON, Ohio – Urbana's
Marcel Toney hit the first home run at newly-built Skeeles Field, a ninth-inning solo shot for the first long ball of his career, to stun Akron 1-0 on Wednesday.
Urbana (2-10) snapped a six-game losing streak with the win as the homestanding Zips (1-12) dropped their second straight. It was Urbana's first victory in the all-time series against Akron (1-5).
The signature win is the second straight Urbana triumph over a Division I opponent. The Blue Knights defeated Wright State 6-4 on the road seven years ago in the last matchup played against a D-I foe.
Redshirt-freshman
Ian Meyer took the mound for Urbana, making his first collegiate start, and the right-hander was brilliant. He threw seven shutout innings and allowed only four hits while striking out three. Only one Akron runner advanced safely past first base the entire game.
With both teams struggling to find offense and scoreless through eight frames, Toney stepped up to the plate with one out in the ninth and launched a 1-1 pitch over the 360 sign in center. The Cincinnati native put the Blue Knights in the lead for good and registered his first hit after missing all of last season with an injury.
Tyler Dellerman,
Deion Tubbs and
Robbie Guerrero III (2B) all tallied hits for the Blue Knights. Guerrero got the start behind the plate and threw out a pair of base runners.
Junior left-hander
Chase Jessee came on to relieve Meyer in the eighth. Jessee (1-0) threw two shutout frames and picked up his first collegiate win.
Akron's Matthew Radtka was charged with the loss despite only giving up one hit on the go-ahead blast.
These two teams will met again next Tuesday as Urbana makes another trip to Skeeles Field.
UP NEXT: The Blue Knights return to action this weekend and begin conference play against Charleston (Saturday) and West Virginia State (Sunday) on the road. Both days are doubleheaders slated for 1 p.m. start times.
