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Eagles Complete Road
Trip With Baseball Sweep |
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Here’s March Madness of a different sort, trying to play good baseball in a northeastern city in late March. That’s what the Ashland University Eagles did Sunday (March 26) in Erie, PA, winding up a four-game series with a pair of wins. In the first game, AU went eight innings to shade Mercyhurst, 3-2. The second game went to the Eagles, 4-1. Ashland is 21-4, 3-1 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. Mercyhurst is 12-9 and 1-3. AU claimed the win in the opener when first baseman Ron Oneson doubled to drive in Jesse Michel in the top of the eighth inning. The rally began with two outs when catcher Eric Zattlin coaxed a walk from loser James Ludwig (3-2). Michel pinch ran for Zattlin and scored the winning run on Oneson’s second double of the game. The AU first baseman was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Left fielder Casey Jirsa went 3-for-4. Senior Jim Barry earned the win. Barry (3-2), pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He walked two and whiffed six. Junior Josh Davidson, who pitched seven innings in a victory on Saturday, got his first save of the season by recording the final three outs. Eric Drobotij started and lasted five innings for the ‘Hurst. He allowed two runs on three hits. Ludwig went three frames. Joe Mariano and David Lough both went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Lakers. In the second game, senior lefthander Ryan Douglas made his second start of the year and pitched six strong innings. Douglas (1-0) allowed a run on four innings. He walked one and struck out three. Freshman righty Todd Schlenkerman got the first save of his career by pitching a scoreless seventh inning. He allowed one hit and struck out two. AU never trailed in the second game, scoring three times in the third inning. The loss went to Brian Espersen (3-1), who allowed three runs in 2.2 innings. All of the runs against Espersen were unearned. Jirsa was the only AU player with more than one safety, he went 2-for-2 and drove in one run. Third baseman John Hosgood and designated hitter Chase Beatty drove in one run apiece. Ashland will play a four-game series at Northwood next weekend (April 1-2). |