Ashland University's softball team continues the growing process – and continues to provide plenty of excitement along the way.
The Eagles scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning in the second game of Wednesday's (April 14) doubleheader at Purdue Northwest, winning 9-8 after losing the opener, 7-4. Ashland is 6-14 overall and 3-7 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Pride is 8-16, 5-8.
Ashland has won four of its last seven games, and of its six victories this spring, five have come in the latter innings:
- In the season-opener against William Jewell, the Eagles trailed 2-0 after five and won 5-2.
- Against Illinois Springfield, AU scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 7-6.
- At Wayne State, the Eagles were down 1-0 after four in both games before rallying to win 3-2 and 4-1.
- The Game 2 win against the Pride on Wednesday.
In Wednesday's nightcap, Ashland came out quickly – scoring in the very first at-bat of the game on a solo home run by freshman third baseman
Hailey Krinn, her second of the season. The Pride, however, came back with three runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman catcher
Jordyn Severns' two-run double in the top of the second tied the game at 3, then the Eagles took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth when freshman designated player
Jillian Middleton hit her second home run of the day, a solo shot.
Purdue Northwest, however, came back with a four-spot in the bottom of the third, and once again led at 7-4. Ashland's run in the top of the fourth to make it a 7-5 contest came courtesy of a run-scoring fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore pitcher
Josie Duncan, then the scoreboard changed again in the Eagles' favor in the top of the field when Severns grounded out to cut the deficit to 7-6.
Senior second baseman
Emma Lawson walked with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh to knot the game at 7, then Duncan did the same to put the Eagles on top, 8-7, and Middleton followed with another RBI walk for a 9-7 lead.
The Pride scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't bring the tying run home.
Junior first baseman
Alexis Lavdis was 3-for-4 with a double, Severns drove in three runs, scored two, and was 2-for-3, and Duncan and Middleton each had two RBIs. Ashland tied a season high with nine runs, and collected a season-best 11 hits.
Duncan (2-3) tossed five strong innings of relief for the victory, striking out seven and allowing just three hits, a run and three walks.
The opener saw the Eagles and Pride swap early unearned runs. Purdue Northwest scored twice in the bottom of the first on a two-out error, then senior shortstop
Abigail Butler launched a two-run home run in the top of the second with two outs following an earlier Pride miscue. For Butler, it was her second home run of the spring.
Purdue Northwest struck again in the bottom of the second, scoring three times to re-take the lead at 5-2. Middleton then helped herself in the top of the fourth, launching her first collegiate homer to cut the deficit to 5-3, but the Pride got the run back in the bottom of the fourth to make the lead three runs again at 6-3.
A sacrifice fly from senior left fielder
Alli Hylton in the top of the sixth moved the Eagles closer once more at 6-4, but once again, PNW had the answer in the form of a run in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin of victory.
Middleton (1-7) allowed nine hits, seven runs (four earned) and four walks, and struck out four, in six innings.
Ashland will continue its trip to various GLIAC locales on Saturday (April 17) at 1 p.m. at Parkside.
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