Strong Pitching Lifts Eagles to 6-4 Baseball Victory
March 12, 2004

By Joe Monaco, AU Sports Information

The Ashland University baseball team used strong pitching and timely hitting to get the best of Lynn University, 6-4, on Friday (Mar. 12) in Fort Myers, FL.

Senior Chad Moore (Columbus, OH/Columbus State C.C.) picked up the victory for AU as he tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on three hits. He struck out four hitters and walked two.

With Moore out of the game, head coach John Schaly went to his southpaw reliever Ryan Douglas (Loveland, OH) and his decision paid off as the AU junior went 1 1/3 innings. He didn’t allow a run and gave up two hits. Junior Cody Castle (Dayton, OH/Sinclair C.C.) picked up the save after pitching the ninth.

The Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before the Flying Knights were able to record an out. David Waters (Wadsworth, OH) led off the inning with a walk followed by a single by Bryce Bednarczyk (Newark, OH/Columbus State C.C.). Senior Brandon Cornell (Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson) singled to drive in Waters. Cornell finished the day with three hits, including a double and two RBI.

After senior Josh Gaub (Brunswick, OH) walked, Ron Oneson (London, ONT/Saunders Secondary School) singled up the middle to score both Bednarczyk and Cornell. The Eagles added an insurance run in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory.

Senior Eric McDaniel (Curtice, OH/Owens C.C.) connected on a solo home run and Allen Ayers (Columbus, OH/St. Charles Prep) finished the game with two hits. The Eagles outhit Lynn, 11-6.

Travis Osborn suffered the loss for Lynn by allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings of action. He walked six hitters and struck out only one.

The Eagles improved their record to 15-5 with the victory. AU will conclude its spring trip in Florida with a doubleheader against South Dakota State and North Dakota State on Saturday (Mar. 13).