Jon Pusateri gave up one earned run on five hits and struck out four through 4⅓ innings, but the University of Akron baseball team suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech on Friday in Atlanta.
The Yellow Jackets scored an unearned run in the first inning and scored on an RBI double in the fifth inning to give Pusateri the loss in the Zips’ first game of the season.
Yellow Jackets pitcher Buck Farmer pitched eight innings and gave up four hits and struck out 14 for his first win of the season. Jonathan King struck out two in the ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Brady Stewart had two hits to lead the Zips.
The Zips play Georgia Tech at 2 p.m. today in the second game of a three-game series.
More baseball
Kent State started off the 2013 season with a 10-9 loss to Virginia Tech and a 7-6 loss to UNC Wilmington on Friday in Wilmington, N.C.
Starting pitcher Tyler Skulina (Walsh Jesuit) gave up seven runs through five innings and struck out five in the opening loss to Virginia Tech.
The Golden Flashes trailed 3-1 after the first inning and 6-3 after the second inning but tied the game in the bottom of the eighth at 7-7. The Hokies scored three runs in the top of the ninth for the win.
Derek Toadvine had three hits and drove in two runs to lead the Flashes against the Hokies.
The Flashes had a 4-1 lead over the Seahawks in game two of the doubleheader but gave up two runs in the seventh and two runs in the ninth to lose their second game of the day.
Starting pitcher Taylor Williams gave up four runs through seven innings and struck out five in the no decision.
Relief pitcher Eric Dorsch gave up the game-winning run in the 10th.
Alex Miklos and Jason Revesz each had two RBI for the Flashes (0-2).
Softball
Mid-American Conference pitcher of the week Erin Seiler gave up two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after tossing five scoreless innings, and the University of Akron lost 3-2 to James Madison in eight innings.
Jessica Schneider hit a two-out RBI single in the third inning to give the Zips a 2-0 lead.
The Dukes (1-0) tied the score in the sixth with an RBI double by Erin Field.
The Dukes hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to win their season opener.
The Zips (2-3) will play Towson at 6 tonight and Syracuse at 8 p.m. in a twilight doubleheader.
— Beacon Journal staff report
