Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Ashland University's baseball team got its final regular-season series of 2016 off on the right foot, sweeping a doubleheader at Findlay, 8-1 and 7-0, on Friday (May 6).
The Eagles improve to 30-17 overall and 21-7 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Oilers are 16-27, 9-19.
All of AU's Game 1 runs came in the fourth and fifth innings, as four runs were scored in each. Junior designated hitter Lance Myers' two-run single was the big hit of the fourth, and freshman second baseman Cameron Nunn had his own two-run safety in the fifth.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brandyn Sittinger, announced on Thursday (May 5) as one of 40 semifinalists for the 2016 Brett Tomko Division II Pitcher of the Year, presented by D2 Baseball News, did nothing to prove that wrong on Friday. Sittinger improved to 10-0 after six shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks and striking out eight.
Nunn was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Myers was 3-for-4 and drove in two runs in the leadoff spot.
In Game 2, the Eagles broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by senior first baseman Mackenzie Hampshire. A two-run single by sophomore left fielder Greg Ludwig made it a 3-0 AU lead in the seventh, then four more runs in the ninth closed out the scoring.
Junior lefty Mike Gentile (2-1) threw seven shutout innings, striking out eight and yielding just five hits and a walk. Senior righty Alex Smith got the next four outs and freshman Ryan Curtis shut the door for the game's last two outs.
Hampshire was 3-for-4, Ludwig and junior catcher Adam Vasil each had two hits and two RBIs and junior shortstop Brad Hartman was 2-for-4 with a double.
The Eagles and Oilers will conclude the regular season with another twinbill on Sunday (May 8) at 1 p.m. in Findlay.
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