The Ashland University baseball team opened GLIAC play with a bang on Saturday (March 23) afternoon, beating Parkside, 10-2 and 16-5, on a chilly, but sunny day at Donges Field.
The Eagles (16-3, 2-0 GLIAC) never trailed on the afternoon and finished the day with 26 runs on 26 hits. It was Ashland's first meeting with Parkside since May 14, 2004 when the Eagles beat the Rangers in the NCAA Regional tournament, 8-4. The Rangers joined the GLIAC this season.
Senior right-hander Devin Peters was dominant in the opener, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning and tossing a complete game, allowing just one earned run on five hits overall. He struck out six and walked three to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Sophomore Logan Stoldt hit a two-out RBI single in the first to give the Eagles the lead. Ashland tacked on three runs on just one hit – an RBI single by sophomore Austin Eifrid – in the second inning.
Meanwhile, Peters faced the minimum through the first three innings and did not allow a hit until Lane Ochs' two-out single in the fifth. Peters proceded to pick him off to end the inning.
Junior Jason Swope had an RBI single in the sixth to make it 5-0 before a two-run homer by junior Michael Rogers and a three-run blast by junior Carson Mittermaier gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead through six innings.
The Rangers (4-10, 0-2 GLIAC) scored two in the seventh as Peters finished off his complete game.
Eifrid, Rogers and senior Matt Littrell paced the Eagles with two hits apiece in Game 1.
All 21 runs scored in the nightcap came in the first four innings. The Eagles had a 5-0 lead after the first inning and a 15-2 lead through three innings.
Ashland scored five times on five hits in the first inning and got two more runs on three hits in the second.
The Eagles blew the game open with an eight-run third inning in which they had four hits and drew five walks. Sophomore Logan Moss, Swope and junior Garret Robberts had consecutive bases-loaded walks as the Eagles took advantage of eight Parkside free passes in the game.
Sophomore right-hander Perry Bewley got the start and worked four innings, giving up five runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked two, but did not factor in the decision.
Senior right-hander Ryan Curtis tossed five shutout innings in relief to earn his first win of the season. He allowed just three hits and struck out five against no walks.
Every Ashland starter reached base and five players had multiple hits.
The Eagles and Rangers will conclude their four-game series on Sunday (March 24) at Donges Field at 11 a.m. The games were moved up two hours because of the threat of rain later in the day.
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