Ashland University's softball team lost two games to Ohio Dominican on Saturday (April 20), 5-3 and 2-1, at Deb Miller Field at the Archer Ballpark Complex.
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Following the Eagles' last two home contests of 2024, the Eagles are 18-23 overall and 11-11 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. AU entered the day in a tie for seventh place in the league, three games ahead of No. 9 Tiffin (the top eight teams go to the 2024 Great Midwest Tournament), but with the Dragons' Saturday sweep, the Eagles lead Tiffin by a single game for the last tourney spot.
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The Panthers are 30-10, 16-6.
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One highlight of the twinbill for Ashland was its four steals, giving the 2024 edition a new program-record 72 thefts. The previous record was 70, set by the 2017 squad.
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The Eagles scored first in Game 1, thanks to a bottom-of-the-first wild pitch which plated sophomore second baseman
Danielle Robbins, then a two-run double from freshman designated player
Delaney Keith in the first.
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ODU got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the second, then scored three more times in the top of the third and once in the top of the sixth.
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In Game 2, the Panthers once again struck first with a single run in the top of the first, but Ashland had the answer in the bottom of the second when freshman left fielder
Delaney Maynard lifted a sacrifice fly.
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Ohio Dominican scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth to break the 1-1 tie, and went on to the sweep.
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POST-GAME NUGGETS
- In Game 1, Robbins went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored, junior right fielder Laney Eller was 2-for-3 with a steal, and Keith drove in two runs.
- Junior pitcher Bryn Grabowski (7-5) allowed six hits, four runs (two earned) and two walks and struck out one in 3 1/3 innings.
- The nightcap saw sophomore third baseman Amanda Kolar finish 2-for-4 with a double, triple and run scored. Sophomore pitcher Delaney Lis (3-8) went the distance on a seven-hitter, yielding two runs (one earned) and three walks and striking out three.
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UP NEXT
The last four games of the regular season – at Walsh on Friday (April 26) at 2 p.m., and at Malone on Saturday (April 27) at 1 p.m..
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