Eagles, Warriors Split Baseball Twinbill At Donges Field

Playing their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games of 2021, Ashland University's and Wayne State's baseball teams split a doubleheader on Friday (April 2) at Donges Field.
 
The Eagles (6-7 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) took Game 2, 12-9, after losing Friday's opener to the Warriors (8-5, 1-1), 3-1.
 
Ashland spotted Wayne State a run in the top of the first inning of the nightcap, then exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first. Senior third baseman Garett Robberts launched a three-run home run to put the Eagles up for good, senior right fielder Michael Rogers added an RBI single, and junior left fielder Logan Moss capped off the frame with a two-run double.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Eagles scored three more runs to make it a 9-1 game. Senior first baseman Carson Mittermaier (two-run) and junior catcher Mike Flemming (solo) hit back-to-back round-trippers.
 
The Warriors scored a run in the top of the fifth, then the Eagles got the run back with a Robberts RBI single in the next half-inning to lead 10-2. Wayne State continued to claw back, scoring five times in the top of the sixth, but Ashland went up 12-7 in the top of the seventh on a Robberts RBI fielder's choice and Mittermaier's run-scoring single.

Wayne State scored twice in the top of the eighth, but could get no closer.
 
Mittermaier was 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, and junior shortstop Austin Eifrid, Robberts, Rogers and Moss each had two of AU's 13 hits. Robberts drove in five runs, and Moss added two RBIs.
 
Junior Joel Ciccarelli (1-0) made his first start of 2021, allowing five hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks and struck out seven in five innings. Junior Perry Bewley earned his third save with 2 1/3 innings of relief.
 
Ashland jumped in front in the bottom of the first in Game 1, as junior catcher Logan Stoldt drew a bases-loaded walk. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fifth, when the Warriors cashed in with an RBI single.
 
Wayne State then took the lead in the top of the sixth with two runs thanks to an RBI single and a run-scoring double.
 
Ashland was limited to just five hits in Game 1, and the tough-luck loser on the mound was junior Josh Stover (1-2), who allowed six hits, three runs and two walks and struck out five in 5 1/3 innings.
 
The Eagles and Warriors will conclude their four-game set with another doubleheader on Saturday (April 3) at 1 p.m. at Donges Field.