LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY BASEBALL PAGE
Playing its third home Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader in five days, Ashland University's baseball team lost 11-7 and 14-8 decisions to Grand Valley State on Wednesday (April 19).
In Wednesday's opener, the Eagles (13-26 overall, 6-17 GLIAC) jumped on top with two runs in the bottom of the first. Senior center fielder Carsten Dembeck figured in both tallies, as he hit an RBI double and came around to score on a wild pitch.
The Lakers (24-14, 12-8) responded with crooked numbers in the second (three runs), third (two) and fourth (three) innings, to take an 8-3 lead into the fifth. The two teams traded runs in the fifth, leaving GVSU ahead 9-4.
Following another two-spot from the Lakers in the top of the seventh, the Eagles closed the Game 1 scoring with three in the bottom of the seventh on junior third baseman J.P. Sorma's fifth home run of 2017.
Sorma was 2-for-3 with five RBIs in the first game, and Dembeck was 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore right-hander Chris Slavik (2-3) took the loss, allowing six hits, five runs and three walks and striking out six in 2 2/3 innings.
GVSU's Tate Brawley improved to 5-0 after scattering six hits, four runs and a walk and whiffing five in his six innings of work.
In Game 2, the difference was a 10-run top of the fourth inning for the Lakers in which 15 batters came to the plate.
Sorma hit his sixth homer of the season and drove in three, freshman first baseman Alex Laikos was 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBI,s and Dembeck and freshman left fielder Vince Vanata each had two hits.
Junior righty Luke Smith (2-4) lost after yielding six hits and six runs (five earned) and striking out two in 3 1/3 innings.
For the Lakers, Noah Lamboley upped his record to 5-1 despite giving up 10 hits and five runs over five innings.
UP NEXT: A four-game road GLIAC series vs. Tiffin on Saturday (April 22) and Sunday (April 23).
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