The Ashland University baseball team overcame 8-3 and 10-8 deficits, but ultimately lost a 12-10 slugfest at Ohio Dominican on Wednesday (April 25) afternoon in Columbus.
During the game, it was announced that Ohio Dominican (28-10) was No. 4 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region rankings, while the Eagles (26-13) held down the No. 5 spot.
On Wednesday, Ashland fell behind 4-0 after the first inning, but rallied for two runs in the second on an RBI double by junior Alex Niecikowski and a run-scoring groundout by junior Sam Hawley.
The Panthers, who racked up 18 hits in the game, got those runs back in the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore Michael Rogers cut the margin to 6-3 in the fourth with a sac fly, but Max Banke's two-run base hit push ODU's lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
Sophomore Carson Mittermaier took a big chunk out of the deficit in the fifth with a three-run blast to left field that plated freshman Austin Eifrid and junior Matt Littrell.
Littrell's two-run triple in the sixth tied the game at 8, but Cody Paterniti's two-run homer for the Panthers pushed the home team back ahead 10-8.
In the eighth, Mittermaier and senior Connor Barleben each hit sac flies to again tie the game at 10. The Panthers, though, scored twice in their last at-bat in the eighth with the go-ahead run scoring on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Vince Vanata drew a lead-off walk in the top of the ninth, but was stranded on base to end the game.
Littrell led the Ashland offense by going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two runs and two RBI. Mittermaier drove in four runs. Eight of the Panthers' nine starters had at least two hits.
Tim Zeller (4-0) earned the win for Ohio Dominican, despite giving up two runs in one relief inning. Sophomore Chance Hitchcock was charged with a loss, allowing two runs on two hits in two innings of work.
The Eagles return to the field on Thursday (April 26) as they open a four-game series at Davenport at 5 p.m.
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