Cold, Wet Conditions Await Zips, Lakers in Erie

ERIE, Pa. (Interstat) — A pair of teams looking to halt recent slides will meet under frigid and wet conditions Tuesday when the Akron Zips visit the Mercyhurst Lakers at Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

First pitch is scheduled for the evening, with temperatures expected to be near 36 degrees Fahrenheit and rain in the forecast.

Akron (10-12) arrives after dropping two of three in its weekend series at Eastern Michigan, including a 6-2 loss Sunday. The Zips have lost four of their last six games.

Mercyhurst (4-13) seeks to end a three-game skid after being swept at Stonehill over the weekend, culminating in a 15-5 defeat Sunday. The Lakers have lost eight of their last nine contests.

A key matchup will feature Akron right-hander Trieg Matthews, who has been dominant in stretches this season. Despite taking the loss Sunday, Matthews threw five hitless innings against Eastern Michigan, though he allowed three earned runs. In his last four appearances spanning 17.2 innings, he has surrendered just eight hits and six earned runs while striking out 13.

Mercyhurst will counter with righty Andrew Malec, who also pitched well in his last outing despite the team’s result. He threw five hitless innings with eight strikeouts at Stonehill on Sunday, allowing two earned runs. His season has been inconsistent, but he held Central Michigan scoreless over four innings on March 10.

At the plate, Akron’s Kelton Phillips is coming off a 3-for-3, two-RBI performance Sunday. For Mercyhurst, designated hitter Zach Black provided a bright spot in the same game with a home run.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is Mercyhurst 5, Akron 4.

Following Tuesday’s game, Akron will open a three-game home series against Toledo on Friday. Mercyhurst is set to begin a three-game home series against Norfolk State on Friday.