AU Baseball Completes Trip with 13-4 Card
March 12, 2005

It snowed Saturday (March 12) in Ashland, OH, - big, wet, heavy flakes that left three inches on the ground. Snow blowers were challenged in trying to push aside this latest gift from Mother Nature.

Maybe what everyone in the city limits needs is the return of the Ashland University baseball team. The hot Eagles, who won two of their final three games in Fort Myers, FL, might be able to turn up the heat a bit in the north.

The Eagles ended their trip south with a pair of convincing wins on Saturday (March 12), melting down East Stroudsburg, 17-3 and 12-0. On Friday night (March 11), the Eagles lost a 3-2 decision to Indianapolis. The Eagles are coming home with a 13-4 record.

The Eagles almost added Indianapolis to their list of victims. The Greyhounds broke a 2-2 deadlock in the bottom of the ninth inning on a two-out, two-strike single that scored a runner from second base. The winning run had reached base on a passed ball. The decisive tally came against sophomore righty Josh Davidson, who gave up three runs (two earned) in 8 2/3 innings. Davidson was touched for 11 hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven.

The Eagles struggled against Indy pitching, collecting just six hits. Sophomore infielder Casey Jirsa went 2-for-4 and senior second baseman Adam Wilson scored a pair of runs. Junior pitcher-infielder Jim Barry belted a triple.

In Saturday’s first game, the Eagles pounded Warriors pitching for 12 hits. Jirsa, sophomore first baseman Ron Oneson and junior outfielder David Waters had two hits each. Oneson drove in four runs and Jirsa had a double and three RBI.

Todd Wells pitched the first four innings to record the win. He was touched for one run on two hits. Wells walked four and struck out one. Jesse Michel, Thom Abbott and Mike Harris each pitched an inning in relief.

Saturday’s second game saw Barry completely handcuff the Warriors. The junior made his first start of the trip and gave AU six shutout innings. He allowed six hits and didn’t walk a batter while striking out two. Sophomore lefty Matt Patton pitched a scoreless seventh.

Barry had plenty of support. Wilson banged out three hits in four trips to the plate and Davidson went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Ray Frisbee was 2-for-3 and Lek Cole went 2-for-2 with a double.

“Overall I thought we played pretty well,” said AU head coach John Schaly of the Florida trip. “I was pleased with our pitching and defense. It’s like I tell our guys, you’re always going to be in the game with pitching and good defense. Offensively we did well, but I think we can do better.”