Eagles Baseball Improves to 5-4
March 12, 2003

Like gas prices across the country, the offensive numbers posted by the Ashland Univerisity baseball team keep rising.

The Eagles have scored 39 runs in their last three games. Ashland went 2-1 over that stretch and is now midway through its spring trip with a 5-4 record.

On Tuesday (Mar. 11), the Eagles split with Southwest State (MN), winning, 20-8 and losing 8-5 in eight innings. Wednesday (Mar. 12), AU pounded Winona State, 14-2.

Senior righthander Jon Krugman improved to 2-0 thanks to the win over Southwest State. Krugman allowed seven hits in six innings of work. He gave up eight runs, six earned. He walked four and struck out eight.

Freshman righty Jim Barry pitched a scoreless inning to finish off the win.

Senior infielder Tim Hinchliffe was 2-for-5 and knocked in three runs. Junior catcher Josh Gaub was 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs. Junior third baseman Eric McDaniel was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI and junior second baseman Mark Kahlenberg was 2-for-3 with a double.

In the nightcap, the teams were tied, 4-4 after seven innings. Southwest State scored four times in the top of the eighth inning. AU answered in the bottom of the frame with one run and had the bases loaded with one out. That’s where the threat died – the Eagles failed to score again.

Hinchliffe was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Gaub was 2-for-4 with a homer. Senior infielder Chris Skibinski was 2-for-4.

Senior righty Larame Woodruff pitched the first six innings. Sophomore lefty Ryan Douglas was tagged with the loss. He pitched 1 1/3 innings before giving way to senior Ryan Hartzell. Hartzell gave up three runs and two hits.

Wednesday, the Eagles pounded out 17 hits and four homers in the win over Winona State. Senior outfielder Adam Whetstone was 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBI. Skibinski was 2-for-3 with a double and plated three runs. Senior Brock Wiskochil was 2-for-2 with a double and Hinchliffe was 2-for-4 with a two-bagger. Junior outfielder Brandon Cornell and sophomore infielder Adam Wilson slugged homers.

Senior Nate Wright got the win, upping his record to 2-0. Wright gave up three hits and two runs with a walk and four strikeouts in seven innings. Both runs were unearned and came in the seventh inning.