Concluding the first home series of 2026, the Ashland University baseball team split with Charleston on Saturday (Feb. 28), taking two of three from the Golden Eagles in the series.
The Eagles are 4-5 through the first three weekends of the spring.
In Game 1, the Golden Eagles (1-11) broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning with a single run. Ashland came back with a crooked number in the bottom of the frame, scoring twice on senior pinch-hitter
Ryan Shimek's two-run single.
Charleston tied the game at 2 with a run in the fifth, then re-took the lead with another tally in the sixth, and added to it with three in the seventh.
The Eagles' seventh-inning rally started with a two-run home run from sophomore center fielder
Sean Krueckeberg, his first of 2026. It ended, however, with runners at first and third and the winning run at the plate.
Graduate right-hander
Chase Carter (0-2) took the relief loss in Game 1, allowing a run and two hits and striking out one in one inning. Shimek went 2-for-2 with two RBIs – setting up what happened in Game 2.
Trailing 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, then down to its last strike, Ashland got a two-run, two-out single from Shimek to take the nightcap and win the series.
Shimek, hitting .647 with nine RBIs in 17 at-bats so far in 2026, finished the second game 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while senior first baseman
Sam Witt, graduate shortstop
Collin Overholt and freshman second baseman
Max Albert each collected two of AU's 11 hits.
Sophomore right-hander
Ben Zink (1-0) picked up his first win as an Eagle with two innings of hitless relief.
COMING UP
The first game of the annual Florida spring break trip on Thursday (March 5) at 9 a.m. vs. Seton Hill.
