AU junior right-hander Jake Baldwin gave the AU baseball team a superb performance in his first outing of the year. Unfortunately, the Eagles couldn't finish what Baldwin started.
Baldwin shut down the Flyers for eight innings on Saturday (Mar. 1) in Florida. He pitched eight shutout innings, allowing four hits. He walked two and struck out 12.
In the ninth inning, Lewis struck for eight runs and that was enough for an 8-7 win. The loss was Ashland's first of the year. The Eagles are 1-1 and will play a doubleheader against Gannon on Sunday.
Four pitchers followed Baldwin to the mound in the ninth, but they couldn't slow down the Flyers. The final two runs scored on an errant throw to the plate with the bases loaded.
Third baseman Wade Kaido went 2-for-4 with a double for the Eagles. Shortstop Austin Walts was 2-for-5. Ashland banged out 10 hits.
Baldwin was the Midwest Region and GLIAC pitcher of the year in 2013. He was also an All-American.
Lewis ended the 2013 season for the AU in the Midwest Regional Tournament, beating the Eagles, 5-4.
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