The Ashland University baseball team got two quality starts and the offense ripped nine extra-base hits as the Eagles swept Grand Valley State in a GLIAC doubleheader on Thursday (April 18) afternoon at Donges Field, 7-3 and 12-4.
The Eagles (30-7, 12-4 GLIAC), ranked No. 21 in the NCBWA poll, set a program record with their 16th straight win at Donges Field. They can complete the home regular season with an unbeaten record with another doubleheader sweep of the Lakers on Friday, which will be Senior Day.
Senior right-hander Devin Peters took the mound in Game 1 and retired the side in order in the first. The Lakers (13-21-1, 6-11-1 GLIAC) struck first in the second inning, though, on Connor Grice's sac fly to take a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles quickly responded in the bottom of the second as sophomore Micah Allen led off with a double and scored on a one-out single by senior Matt Littrell, tying the game at 1.
RBI singles by junior Carson Mittermaier and sophomore Dillan Smith in the fourth inning gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
The Lakers tied the game at 3 in the fifth, but Ashland countered with a three-run inning in the bottom half. Allen hit an RBI groundout with the bases loaded and sophomore Logan Stoldt roped a two-out, two-run double to give the Eagles a 6-3 lead.
Peters set down the Lakers in order in the sixth before junior Michael Rogers lifted his team-leading ninth home run of the season out of the park in the bottom of the sixth to provide the final margin.
The teams were even with seven hits apiece.
Peters (6-0) stayed undefeated on the season, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Nick Shaw (2-2) took the loss for Grand Valley State.
In Game 2, the Eagles took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on Mittermaier's sac fly, Allen's RBI single and a two-run single by junior Jason Swope.
Junior right-hander Chance Hitchcock used that lead and cruised through the first four innings before the Lakers finally got a run in the fifth.
Allen's two-run double in the bottom of the inning gave the Eagles a 6-1 lead before back-to-back homers by Littrell and Mittermaier in the sixth pushed the advantage to 9-1.
Mittermaier's second homer of the game – a two-run blast in the eighth made it 11-2 and sophomore Logan Moss' RBI single capped Ashland's scoring.
The Lakers scored three times in the ninth, but senior right-hander Chris Slavik recorded the final three outs to finish the game.
Mittermaier was 3-for-4 with two homers, three runs and four RBI while Allen was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Littrell was 3-for-5 with a homer, three runs and two RBI.
Hitchcock (4-1) earned the win, going six innings and allowing one run on eight hits. He walked four and struck out two. GVSU starter Luke Hargis (1-1) suffered the loss.
The Eagles and Lakers are scheduled to finish their four-game series on Friday (April 19) at 1:30 p.m. with the Eagles celebrating Senior Day between games of the doubleheader. Stay tuned to GoAshlandEagles.com and @goashlandeagles on Twitter for any updates with rain possibly affecting the schedule.
AU
BASE/BB