AU Softball’s Skid Continues Against Mercyhurst
April 30, 2005

By Paul Carmany, AU Sports Information

Complete Box Scores
Game 1         Game 2

Playing against an opponent from Erie, PA, for the second straight day, the results for the Ashland University softball team Saturday afternoon were eerily similar to those from the previous afternoon.

As in Friday’s defeats against Gannon, AU hitters struggled at the plate and the defense made several untimely miscues, negating solid mound performances. Mercyhurst swept the Eagles in Saturday’s (Apr. 30) doubleheader at Brookside Park, 1-0 and 2-1.

The Lakers are now 19-18 overall and 9-9 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play. AU is now 27-21 overall and 8-10 in conference play after having lost its last eight games. The Eagles currently sit in ninth place in the conference standings, one spot out of next weekend’s GLIAC tournament, with just two games remaining on the schedule.

The only run of game one came in the top of the sixth inning. AU hurler Jaime Williams struck out Laker leadoff hitter Kim Roberts, but the third strike sailed to the backstop, allowing Roberts to reach base. After a sacrifice bunt moved Roberts to second, Laker pitcher Jen Feret singled to center to knock her home.

That run held up, as only one Eagle reached base against Feret. That baserunner was Jennifer Alderson, who led off the fourth inning with a single.

Feret earned the complete game, shutout victory. Williams was the tough-luck loser.

The same two pitchers took the mound in game two, and again, runs were difficult to come by.

Williams worked out of a bases loaded, 1-out jam in the bottom of the third to keep the game scoreless.

In the next half-inning, the Eagle offense came to life. An Angie Westenkirchner double to right center scored pinch runner Abby Wuthrick with the game’s first run. Ashland nearly scored another run in the inning, but Roberts gunned down pinch runner Amanda Ronk at the plate as she was trying to score from second on a single by Amanda Thomas.

Mercyhurst struck right back in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of three AU errors. The Lakers scored two unearned runs to retake the lead. The go-ahead tally scored on a ball that Alderson lost in the sun in center field.

Staked to a lead, Feret held the Eagles without a hit in the final three innings, enabling Mercyhurst to sweep the doubleheader.

Feret, the winning pitcher, is now 12-5. Williams, who gave up no earned runs and just four hits in six innings, falls to 17-11 with the loss.

Ashland will travel to Wayne State Sunday (May 1) at 1 p.m. to play its final regular season doubleheader against Grand Valley State.