Ashland University's baseball team capped off the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's first-ever South Division championship with a doubleheader sweep at Lake Erie on Tuesday (April 28), 7-5 and 17-3.
The Eagles are 30-14 overall, 19-9 in the GLIAC and 15-5 in the South Division in the first year of divisional play in the conference. AU has won 10 games at home (10-4), 10 games on the road (10-6) and 10 games at neutral sites (10-4).
The Storm is 16-20/13-15/8-12.
Ashland put up crooked numbers in the top of the third (three runs) and fourth (two) innings in Game 1, and kept Lake Erie at bay throughout. The Eagles had leads of 4-3 after three and 6-5 after five en route to the victory.
Senior second baseman Stephen James and junior third baseman Mike Lewandowski each had two of AU's 10 hits, and senior shortstop Austin Walts drove in two runs. Junior designated hitter Blake Bellman hit a solo home run.
Freshman Luke Smith improved to 5-1 after going the first 4 2/3 innings, then freshman Derek Baker pitched two scoreless innings. Junior Alex Smith got the final out for save No. 7 in 2015.
The Eagles' 17 runs in Game 2 mark the seventh time they have scored double-digit runs this spring. AU scored five times in both the top of the second and seventh, and three times in both the top of the third and fourth.
Ashland collected a season-high 21 hits, three each from James, junior first baseman Mackenzie Hampshire, Lewandowski and freshman catcher Ryan Lowe. Hampshire drove in four runs, freshman designated hitter Sean Pfeifer and Walts each had three RBIs and Walts hit a home run.
Sophomore Cory Teachout improved to 3-2 after going the first 5 2/3 frames.
The Eagles will finish GLIAC regular-season play with a four-game set at Donges Field against Wayne State on Saturday (May 2) and Sunday (May 3). Saturday will be Baseball Youth Day, and Sunday will be Senior Day.
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