On Senior Day on Wednesday (April 13), Ashland University's softball team's five seniors played a big part in the squad adding upon its recent successes.
The Eagles moved their winning streak to four games, and have won nine of their last 12 games, following a doubleheader sweep of Walsh at Brookside Park on Wednesday. AU won 5-2 and 10-0 in five innings to improve to 19-16 overall and 9-5 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Ashland is tied for fifth in the GLIAC standings. The top eight teams advance to the 2016 GLIAC Tournament, April 29-May 1 in Findlay, Ohio.
The Cavaliers are 15-20, 6-8.
Coach Gulas
In Game 1, the Eagles scored once in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Jen Moore, then exploded for a four-spot in the third. Senior pitcher Sarah Alley had an RBI fielder's choice, senior third baseman Bri Buckley followed with a run-scoring single and junior right fielder Jenny Raguz drove in two runs with a single.
That was more than enough offense for Alley, who improved to 10-6 after a complete-game eight-hitter. She allowed two runs (one earned) and four walks and struck out four.
Junior center fielder Ally Farrah and Raguz each had two of Ashland's eight hits.
In the run-rule-shortened nightcap, the Eagles scored in every inning, starting with another four-run outburst in the top of the first.
Senior left fielder Shelbie Prince and Buckley each had three of AU's 13 hits, and sophomore catcher Sadie Cunningham was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. Buckley's three hits were two doubles and a triple, and she added two RBIs, as did Alley.
Seniors Prince, Moore, Alley and Buckley combined for eight hits, six runs scored and six RBIs in Game 2, and Ashland's fifth senior – pitcher Brittany Flanigan – pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
Freshman Hannah Stroe moved to 4-6 after going the first four scoreless frames.
Ashland will close out the regular season with 10 consecutive road games, starting Thursday (April 14) with a twice-rescheduled doubleheader at Tiffin (20-11, 5-4) at 3:30 p.m.
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