DETROIT, Mich. – In a rematch of the 2019 NCAA Division II Midwest Super Regional in Ashland, Ashland University's baseball team lost to Illinois Springfield, 10-6, on Thursday (May 19) afternoon in the opener of the 2022 D-II split Midwest Regional at Harwell Field on the Wayne State campus.
"Just wasn't our day. Tomorrow's a new day," said Ashland head coach
John Schaly. "The grand slam was a big hit for them. We'll come back and battle tomorrow."
The Eagles are 35-20, and will play to keep their season going on Friday (May 20) at 11 a.m. against Wayne State (35-18), which lost 6-3 in the second split regional opener on Thursday. The Prairie Stars are 44-8.
WHAT HAPPENED
- After freshman left-hander Marshall Leishman struck out four in a row early on, the Prairie Stars struck first with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. Senior left fielder Seth Schroeder countered in the top of the third with a two-out RBI single to third base to knot the game at 1.
- UIS kept the back-and-forth going in the bottom of the third, scoring five times on AU's second error of the game, then a grand slam over Harwell Field's "Green Monster" in left field. Springfield added to that advantage with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth for an 8-1 score.
- In the top of the sixth, Ashland cut into its deficit with four runs to make it an 8-5 game – one on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of senior right fielder Dillan Smith, and three on an opposite-field home run from senior catcher Brady Cottom.
- "Our guys never quit, and they got back into it," Schaly said. "Got to give them credit. They shut us down after that."
- Springfield's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth made it 9-5, then an RBI fielder's choice in the same inning made it 10-5. Ashland got a run back in the top of the ninth on an RBI groundout from senior first baseman Micah Allen, but could get no closer.
- Senior center fielder Sebastian Fabik was 3-for-3 with a walk, while Schroeder and sophomore Devin Hukill each had two hits. Leishman (2-1) took the loss after allowing seven hits, eight runs (seven earned) and four walks and striking out five in three innings.
AU
BB/DS