Imagine you are Ashland University senior first baseman
Cat Lohse.
On Senior Day on Saturday (April 22) at Deb Miller Field at the Archer Ballpark Complex, Lohse, who had a successful start to her freshman season abruptly stopped due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, then two injury-filled campaigns in 2021 and 2022, lifted the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Eagles' 6-5 Game 2 win, following AU's 5-1 victory in Game 1.
Ashland is 19-25 overall and 11-9 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and since starting the season 2-12, has gone 17-13. The Eagles, winners of four of their last five games, are 11-3 at their new field this spring, and remain in eighth place in the league – percentage points behind Walsh for seventh place.
Eight teams make the 2023 Great Midwest Tournament, May 3-6 in Findlay, Ohio.
The Oilers are 26-13, 11-7.
Ashland wasted little time taking the lead in the opener, as the first six batters reached base. The Eagles scored five times in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from senior center fielder
Lauren McMillin, a two-run hit from sophomore first baseman
Lily Rockwell, a run-scoring single from sophomore shortstop
Maddy Burdette and a bases-loaded walk by freshman second baseman
Danielle Robbins.
Findlay got on the board once in the second, but that was the last run of the game – despite the Oilers loading the bases in the seventh.
Rockwell put AU ahead early in Game 2, thanks to an RBI double in the bottom of the first. Burdette's RBI single made it 2-0 in the first, then junior catcher
Jordyn Severns' RBI fielder's choice gave AU a three-run first inning.
Findlay scored three runs in the top of the third to knot the game at 3 in one of the strangest half-innings in recent memory – one which included the Eagles throwing out two Oiler runners at home plate. The Oilers then took a 4-3 lead in the sixth, but in the bottom of the frame, Robbins' two-run triple put AU back on top, 5-4. It was Robbins' first collegiate triple, and her second collegiate extra-base hit.
In the top of the seventh, a single run for the Oilers re-tied the game at 5 – which only set up Lohse's heroics in the bottom of the seventh.
NOTABLES
- In Game 1, Robbins was 3-for-3 with a run and scored and an RBI. Rockwell was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, and senior third baseman Hailey Struckman was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
- Senior pitcher Kayla Ruperto (6-6) allowed just four hits, a run and two walks and struck out one in 6 2/3 innings. Freshman Delaney Lis earned her second save in as many days by getting the final out.
- In Game 2, Rockwell was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and an RBI, and has a five-game hitting streak. Burdette was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Robbins, who also has a five-game hit streak, drove in two runs.
- Lis won the game with 4 2/3 innings of seven-hit, two-run, one-strikeout relief. She pitched in all four games on Friday (April 21) and Saturday, picking up two saves and a win.
- Ashland's seven seniors are Lohse, McMillin, Struckman, Ruperto, pitcher Josie Duncan, right fielder Haylee Frost and left fielder Kaitlyn Carney.
QUOTABLES
- "It felt awesome," Lohse said of the Game 2 game-winning RBI. "This four years has not been how I thought it would go, but to have that moment was really special."
- "We love each other and we want to win, and we want to win for each other," Lohse said. "We know that the next person has our back."
- "Findlay always plays us tough," noted Ashland head coach Emlyn Knerem. "They always have. It's always a really big doubleheader. For us to come out and jump on them in both games, multiple runs in the first inning, was really good for our confidence."
- "These seniors have done such a good job for four years," Knerem said. "They've been through it. They've been through the ringer. That core group is tough within themselves. They are tough. They don't quit."
- Said Knerem of Lohse, "A kid like that who's been through so much, and a lot has been out of her control. She's really fought back, so to see her excel this year, to see her do that…she knew she didn't have to do too much."
- Robbins said, "It feels great. I'm really lucky to have a spot on this team. I just go out there to do my best every time for this team."
UP NEXT
Ashland will remain home for the last week of regular-season play, starting on Friday (April 28) at 3 p.m. against Malone (14-22, 7-11).
