|
McDaniel, Eagles
Take Two from the ‘Hurst Baseball Team |
|
Complete Box Scores Third base is typically referred to as the hot corner. Right now, very few players are hotter than Ashland University third baseman Eric McDaniel. The junior third baseman swatted two homers Wednesday (Apr. 30) and drove in four runs as the Eagles swept a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader from Mercyhurst in Erie, PA. The Eagles won the front game, 7-3 and prevailed in the nightcap, 7-2. AU is 32-15-1, 19-6-1 in GLIAC play. The Eagles are in first place heading into this weekend’s four-game series against Saginaw Valley State in Ashland. AU has won seven consecutive games and 10 of its last 11 contests. The SVSU series marks the end of the regular season. If the Eagles hold onto first place in the league, they would host the four-team GLIAC tournament, which will be played May 8-11. In Wednesday’s first game McDaniel went 2-for-2, scored three runs and drove in two. In addition to his homer, he had a double. Junior center fielder Brandon Cornell rifled a triple. Ashland did most of its damage in the middle innings, scoring three times in the third inning and twice in the fourth. That spurt gave the loss to MC starter Steve Strohm (4-5). Strohm had beaten the Eagles, 7-3 earlier this season at Donges Field. This time, he lasted five innings, allowing six runs (four earned), on four hits. He walked four and had six strikeouts. AU got a stellar pitching performance from senior righthander Jon Krugman. He pitched his third complete game of the year, holding the ‘Hurst to three runs on five hits. Krugman walked two and struck out eight in running his record to 6-3. The Eagles got another route-going effort in the second game. Sophomore lefthander Ryan Douglas, who has a team-high three saves, stepped into a starting role and gave AU seven innings. He was touched for two runs on eight hits. Douglas (3-3) walked three and whiffed four. The Eagles trailed, 2-1 when they erupted for three runs in the fourth inning. Two more runs in the fifth gave Douglas a little bit of a cushion. McDaniel and senior first baseman Chris Skibinski both drove in two runs. McDaniel was 1-for-2 with his sixth homer of the season. Skibinski had a double, one of six Ashland two-baggers. Junior catcher Josh Gaub was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Cornell was 2-for-4 with a double. AU collected 13 hits. The loss went to starter Nick Candy (1-3), who allowed 11 hits and seven runs in five innings. |