SANDUSKY, Ohio – On the first day of the 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday (May 11) at Sports Force Parks, Ashland University's softball team went toe-to-toe with No. 13-ranked Grand Valley State for 3½ innings before losing 9-1 in five frames, then lost to Saginaw Valley State in five, 10-1, to end the season.
In the opening game of the tourney against the Lakers, GVSU stranded a runner at third base in the bottom of the first inning. Grand Valley State broke through in the bottom of the third with a run, but stranded the bases loaded.
Freshman pitcher
Jillian Middleton helped herself in the top of the fourth with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 1, but the Lakers responded in the bottom of the fourth with a six-spot to take a 7-1 lead.
Grand Valley State ended the contest early with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Sophomore third baseman
Hailey Struckman and Middleton had the hits for AU in Game 1. Middleton (4-13) allowed eight hits, nine runs (four earned) and four walks and struck out one in four innings.
Knocked into the consolation bracket, the Eagles allowed a run to the Cardinals in the bottom of the first inning. In the bottom of the third, SVSU added four more runs for a 5-0 advantage.
Freshman pinch-hitter
Hailey Krinn brought AU's run home in the top of the fifth on a groundout, but the Cardinals came back with five more in the bottom of the fifth to end that contest early.
Senior right fielder
Emma Lawson, sophomore second baseman
Cat Lohse and freshman catcher
Jordyn Severns had the Eagles' hits, Lohse's a triple. Sophomore pitcher
Kayla Ruperto (5-7) yielded 10 hits, eight runs (seven earned) and a walk and struck out three in four innings.
Ashland's season-ending record is 13-29.
"A lot of our young kids got a lot of good experience this year," said Ashland head coach
Emlyn Knerem. "The sophomore class lost out on a very big chunk of last season (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), so this essentially is their freshman year again. For them to get as much experience as what they got, it's going to be crucial to our success in the future. We're excited to see the kind of foundation they are laying for next year's ball club.
"We're exciting for what next year looks like. Baby steps. We're taking baby steps."
AU
SB/DS
