Winning Streak Snapped at 17, Eagles Fall at Saginaw

Winning Streak Snapped at 17, Eagles Fall at Saginaw

For the first time since the Ashland University baseball team returned from its spring break Florida trip, the Eagles were defeated, snapping a program-record 17-game winning streak, on Sunday (April 7) afternoon, 11-3, at Saginaw Valley.

The Eagles (26-4, 10-1 GLIAC) had not lost since dropping the last two of their Florida trip March 9-10 to Northern State and Notre Dame (Ohio).

Ashland exits the weekend maintaining a 1.5-game lead in the GLIAC standings over Purdue Northwest, which won three of four over Wayne State.

On Sunday, the Eagles were not able to get going offensively, and fell into an 8-1 hold through four innings, which they could not hit their way out of.

The Eagles actually took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by senior Alex Niecikowski before Adam Turner's run-scoring hit tied the game for the Cardinals in the bottom half off AU starter Josh Stover

The Cardinals (13-12-1, 7-4-1 GLIAC) took the lead in the third on Craig Wilson's run-scoring infield hit and added four more in the inning to take a 7-1 lead.

Ashland did not score again until the sixth when sophomore Austin Eifrid singled home sophomore Dillan Smith, who reached on a passed ball earlier in the inning. The Cardinals quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Sophomore Logan Stoldt provided the Eagles' final run with a two-out homer to left center in the ninth. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Stover (4-1) suffered the defeat, allowing five runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two and did not walk a batter. Kyle Henigan (4-1) was the winner for SVSU, tossing six solid innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Eifrid was 3-for-5 in the gme with an RBI while Niecikowski was 2-for-4 with an RBI. The Cardinals out-hit the Eagles, 17-11.

The Eagles continue their long road trip on Tuesday (April 9) when they travel to Walsh to take on the Cavaliers at 3 p.m.

AU

BASE/BB