Eagle Softball Breaks Even With Northwood

Eagle Softball Breaks Even With Northwood

LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL PAGE

Ashland University softball won one and lost one against Northwood on Monday (April 3) at Brookside Park. 

The Eagles (16-15 overall, 4-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) lost to the Timberwolves (14-16, 5-3), 4-3, in Game 1, and beat them, 7-2, in Game 2.

"Right now we're just finding a way to be a .500 team," Ashland head coach Sheilah Gulas said. "We're playing well enough that we should be able to win two, but we're not getting it done."

In the first game, Ashland put up three runs in the third inning behind an RBI ground out by freshman Dayna Denner and a two-RBI double from sophomore Paige Summers.

The Eagles had a 3-2 lead over the next three innings before Northwood plated two in the top of the seventh, ultimately winning, 4-3. 

Despite pitching all seven innings, sophomore Hannah Stroe took the loss for Ashland, bringing her record to 5-8 on the season.

"We definitely should have taken two games today," Gulas said, "but they earned it at the end, and we didn't stop them."

The top of the order led the Eagles to a Game 2 victory, as Denner, Summers, and seniors Ally Farrah and Alexis Van Horn combined for nine of Ashland's 13 hits. 

"That whole group of players contributing offensively is a key to the success that we've had," Gulas said. "You can't say enough about what the seniors are doing. Alexis is playing twice as good as she was last year." 

The Eagles wasted no time taking a lead, scoring two in the top of the first on RBI singles from Summers and freshman Cassie Haight

Ashland never gave up that lead, as junior pitcher Paige McMenemy allowed one run in the second and one in the fifth. Sophomore Abbie Sgro came in to close the door in the seventh, striking out three of four batters that she faced. 

Sophomore first baseman Kylie Asmus went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. 

AU compiled 23 hits on the day. 

"We're still at a good point in our season where we can turn this around because we're getting so many hits," Gulas said. "There are so many bright spots right now. We just have to take charge of those games that we need to win and finish them."

UP NEXT: Ashland is on the road for doubleheaders Saturday (April 8) against Lake Erie and Sunday (April 9) against Walsh.

 

 

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