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Eagles Win Weekend
Baseball Series Opener at Findlay, 6-3 |
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Seasons change, but the intensity of the Ashland-Findlay rivalry never wanes. This is the final weekend of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season baseball schedule. AU’s final four games are at Findlay and even though the Eagles are in first place in the conference and the Oilers are working to get above .500, the Eagles are taking nothing for granted. That point was driven home again on Saturday (May 1) at Findlay when AU held off the Oilers in the first game, 6-3. The second game was suspended in the fifth inning with AU in front, 9-7. That game will continue on Sunday (May 2) at noon, followed by the regularly-scheduled doubleheader. Saturday’s victory gives the Eagles a 40-11 record, 20-5 in league play. The Eagles are in position to host next weekend’s GLIAC tournament, provided they can finish the Findlay series in good shape. AU has now won 40 or more games four times in head coach John Schaly’s seven-year tenure. Findlay grabbed the early lead Saturday, going in front, 2-0 after two innings. Ashland struck for three runs in the third inning and pushed across two more runs in the fourth. That would be plenty of support for junior Todd Martinelli, who went 6 1/3 innings for the win. Martinelli, 8-2, gave up three runs, one earned, on seven hits. He walked one and didn’t have a strikeout. Lefthander Ryan Douglas got the game’s last two outs. The junior has a team-high five saves. Shortstop Eric McDaniel was 3-for-3 with a double and center fielder Brandon Cornell was 3-for-4 and drove in a run. Right fielder Allen Ayers went 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot. Freshman first baseman Ron Oneson was 2-for-4 and had a two-run single in the third inning. Findlay (23-15/13-16 GLIAC) got two hits apiece from Rob Talpas and Travis Smith. Kenny Beamer (3-5) pitched a complete game for Findlay. He allowed 15 hits. He walked one and whiffed five. |