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No Shortage of Runs
for Eagles, Wolves Baseball Teams |
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Complete Box Scores This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill doubleheader that Ashland and Northwood played Friday (Apr. 18) at Donges Field in Ashland. At times, it seemed like a run-a-minute doubleheader. The visiting Timberwolves won the first game of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference twinbill, 9-2. In the second game, AU scored nine times in the second inning and still found itself holding on for dear life in a 13-10 triumph. AU is 23-14-1, 11-6-1 in GLIAC play. The ‘Wolves are 14-17, 6-8. The Timberwolves got to AU starter Chris Skibinski early in the first game and AU never took a lead. Northwood’s Justin Davis belted a two-run double in the first inning to give NU a 2-0 edge and the ‘Wolves added two more runs in the second to lead 4-0. Skibinsiki calmed down and didn’t allow a run in the next two innings, but in the fifth, he was touched for three more runs. Designated hitter Brett Kidd belted a homer and outfielder Nick Metzger doubled home two runs. That three-run salvo upped the NU advantage to 7-2. The Eagles had narrowed the gap to 4-2 in the fourth on a two-run homer by junior outfielder Brandon Cornell. Cornell has a team-high eight home runs. Skibinski went 4 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs and 10 hits. He had five strikeouts and four walks. The loss drops his record to 4-2. Sophomore righty Matt Pignato went the last 2 1/3 innings. NU got a complete game win from righty Chris Whitford. He scattered seven hits in running his record to 2-4. This was his second complete game of the season. Cornell had the most success against Whitford, going 3-for-3. Senior shortstop Tim Hinchliffe was 3-for-4. Both pitching staffs got a workout in the nightcap. The Eagles called on three pitchers and NU sent four different hurlers to the mound. AU used five hits and four NU errors to score nine times in the second. Senior outfielder Adam Whetstone ripped a three-run homer in the frame and sophomore designated hitter Allen Ayers had a double, single and RBI in the inning. Even with that cushion, nothing came easy for AU. Heading into the fifth inning, the Eagles were in front, 11-0 and senior righthander Nate Wright looked to be cruising along. But Northwood bounced up off the deck, scoring nine times on seven hits in the fifth. All of the runs were unearned thanks to a one-out infield error. Wright was knocked out of the box in the frame and so was freshman lefty Bryce Bednarczyk, who took over for him. Finally, Ryan Douglas came on to put out the fire. After getting the ‘Wolves out in the fifth, he pitched the last two innings, allowing one run. All told, he gave up three hits and a run in 2 1/3 innings in earning his second save. NU got two hits, including a three-run homer, from Kidd in the second game. Outfielder David Lamkey had two hits, including a double, and Davis collected three singles. Whetstone, Ayers and junior catcher Josh Gaub all had two hits for AU. Wright got the win to improve to 7-2. This was his second victory of the week. Last Wednesday, he went 1 1/3 innings in relief to beat Mercyhurst. In the second game, NU had 17 hits and AU notched 13 safeties. The two teams will play another doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 19) beginning at noon. |