The Ashland University baseball team lost a pair of games on Saturday (May 8) afternoon at Grand Valley State, 6-1 and 4-3, in Allendale, Mich.
The Eagles (19-15, 14-9 GLIAC) will now look to salvage the final game in the four-game series on Sunday (May 9).
In Game 1, the Eagles gave up three runs in the first inning, then single runs in each of the next three frames to fall behind, 6-0.
Ashland had two hits in the first inning, but were not able to score. The Eagles had another hit in the third, but did not have another until the seventh.
They spoiled the shutout in the seventh when sophomore
Seth Schroeder drew a walk and scored on a two-out double by junior
Austin Eifrid.
Junior
Josh Stover (3-5) got the start and gave up five runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 innings. Freshman
Clayton Cochran worked in relief and allowed just one earned run in 3 1/3 innings.
Mark Scannell (4-0) got the win for the Lakers, allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings.
Eifrid led the AU offense by going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Ashland got a strong start from senior left-hander
Josh Smith in Game 2, but were not able to score enough runs to take advantage.
Smith (2-3) went seven innings and allowed four runs (one earned) on just three hits with six strikeouts and five walks.
The Lakers (16-13, 12-7 GLIAC) took a 3-0 lead in the third inning before the Eagles broke through with a run in the sixth. Eifrid drew a one-out walk, then scored on a double by senior
Garett Robberts.
GVSU got the run back in the bottom of the inning, but the Eagles cut it to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the seventh. Junior
Dillan Smith had an RBI groundout and Schroeder, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on a wild pitch.
The Eagles then left the bases loaded in the eighth and closer Jared Skubic worked around Smith's leadoff single in the ninth.
Junior right-hander
Perry Bewley pitched a scoreless inning for the Eagles to lower his season ERA to 0.89.
Austin Brown (2-4) got the win for the Lakers by going six innings and allowing just one run.
Junior
Alex Whipple was the only AU player with multiple hits in the game.
First pitch in Sunday's series finale is scheduled for noon.
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