The Ashland University baseball team started its season with a 5-2 win over Rockhurst on Sunday (Feb. 24) in Nashville, Tenn.
Junior right-hander Chance Hitchcock gave the Eagles six solid innings and junior Michael Rogers homered twice to lead the offense.
The Hawks (0-4) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Eagles got on the board with three in the bottom of the second. Freshman Michael Haley doubled and eventually scored on a two-out double by sophomore Logan Stoldt, tying the game.
Sophomore Micah Allen followed by lifting a two-run homer to left field to give Ashland a 3-1 lead.
Hitchcock was in command after the first inning, inducing two double plays over the next five frames and pitching around two defensive errors as he kept the Hawks off the board.
The Martinsville, Ind. native gave up just one run on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in his season debut.
Rogers added to the Eagles' lead in the fourth and sixth innings with one-out solo home runs.
Rockhurst scored an unearned run off right-hander Sam Rice in the eighth inning, but the senior was otherwise in total command. He gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter to earn the three-inning save.
Stoldt was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and Allen joined Stoldt and Rogers with multiple hits.
The Eagles will play Rockhurst again on Monday (Feb. 25) at 1 p.m., followed by a game against host Trevecca Nazarene.
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