MASON, Ohio –
Tim Zeller took being a two-way player to a new level on Wednesday (May 11) afternoon.
Zeller's efforts in the batter's box and on the pitcher's mound helped lift Ashland University's baseball team to a 13-6 win over Cedarville in the program's first Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament game at Legacy Field at Prasco Park.
Serving as both the Eagles' designated hitter and a relief pitcher on Wednesday, Zeller was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs, and also was the winning pitcher with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
"Got off to a little slow start, then the bats got rolling a little bit," Zeller said. "Everyone builds off each other. Hitting is contagious. I love when our guys get going. If there's one more out left, we always have a chance.
"Being able to help out on both sides is really cool."
Ashland is 32-17 overall after scoring all 13 runs in innings 5-8, and will play on Thursday (May 12) at 6 p.m. at Prasco Park vs. Kentucky Wesleyan. Cedarville is 21-25.
"I knew we'd score. I didn't know we'd score that many," said Ashland head coach
John Schaly, after his team had scored eight runs in the last 4½ games prior to Wednesday's outburst. "Those first four innings, we hit the ball hard.
"That's been his (Zeller's) role. He's been a great hitter. He shut them down and gave us a chance. He's been clutch."
WHAT HAPPENED
- The Eagles left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning to keep the game scoreless, then the Yellow Jackets broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth on a leadoff home run.
- Given another chance with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Ashland came through, as senior center fielder Sebastian Fabik cracked a two-run single to center to put AU ahead 2-1.
- Cedarville put up a five-spot in the top of the sixth inning to re-take the lead at 6-2, but the Eagles countered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run single from senior first baseman Micah Allen and a sacrifice fly from freshman second baseman Ian Sanders to make it a 6-5 game.
- With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the seventh, Ashland had its chance to take the lead late. The Eagles did just that thanks to the fourth Yellow Jackets error of the game which scored two runs, then an RBI single from Zeller, then a two-run single from Sanders.
- Up 10-6 going into the eighth, Ashland scored three insurance runs in the bottom on senior shortstop Austin Eifrid's single to left and Zeller's two-run rap to right.
- Fabik was 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs; Allen was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs; Sanders drove in three runs, and Eifrid added two RBIs.
THIRD SET OF REGIONAL RANKINGS RELEASED
In addition to the conference tournament opener on Wednesday, the NCAA released its third set of Midwest Region rankings, as well, and the Eagles are slotted at No. 8.
Ashland baseball celebrated its first 100 years of play earlier this season, and has advanced to the NCAA Division II College World Series six times (1995, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2019).
The first two regional rankings were released on April 27 and May 4. The 2022 NCAA Division II baseball postseason selection show will be on May 15 at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.
A 56-team tournament (seven teams from the Midwest Region), the D-II postseason will begin on May 19 at regionals at on-campus sites. The 2022 NCAA Division II College World Series will be June 4-11 in Cary, N.C.
In the Midwest Region, automatic qualifiers come from the winners of the tournaments in the Great Midwest, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The other four teams are chosen as at-large entries. There are 34 teams in the region – 11 from the Great Midwest, 15 from the GLVC, seven from the GLIAC and one independent.
2022 NCAA DIVISION II BASEBALL MIDWEST REGIONAL RANKINGS
| TEAM |
THIRD SET |
SECOND SET |
FIRST SET |
| Davenport |
1 |
2 |
4 |
| Wayne State |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| Northwood |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| Quincy |
4 |
5 |
5 |
| Illinois Springfield |
5 |
6 |
6 |
| Tiffin |
6 |
7 |
7 |
| Trevecca Nazarene |
7 |
8 |
N/A |
| ASHLAND |
8 |
9 |
8 |
| Drury |
9 |
N/A |
9 |
| Grand Valley State |
N/A |
4 |
3 |
AU
BB/DS
