The Ashland University baseball defeated Illinois-Springfield, 9-3 Sunday night in Auburndale, Fla. The win ups AU's record to 6-1.
Ashland pounded out 15 hits. The Eagles had a 5-3 in the eighth inning and broke open the game in that frame with four runs.
Junior third baseman Wade Kaido (Zanesville, Ohio)went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Shortstop Austin Walts (Amherst, Ohio/Amherst Steele) was 2-for-5 and drove in two runs. First baseman Tyler Gray (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Outfielders Alex Sortwell (San Mateo, Calif./Canada College) and Shane Wagner (Volant, Pa./Mercyhurst Northeast) both went 2-for-5.
Freshman right-hander Ricky Krieger (New Philadelphia, Ohio) started and gave the Eagles six solid innings. Krieger got the first win of his career, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. He walked two and struck out four.
After Krieger departed, the Eagles called upon David Devine (Massillon, Ohio/Massillon Jackson), Jon Thacker (Bellbrook, Ohio/Sinclair C.C.), Cole Hudson (Dresden, Ohio/Zanesville) and Zachary Wolfe (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall).
The Eagles play Saint Joseph's on Monday (Mar. 11).