The Ashland University baseball team came back from its spring training trip to Florida expecting the long Ohio winter to finally end. 

While they were able to get a couple of games in last week, Mother Nature put a halt to a highly anticipated series this week against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Cconference rival Grand Valley State. 

Snow, rain, cold temperatures and a soggy, saturated Donges Field were all contributing factors to the cancellation of a three-game series against the Lakers. 

“It’s tough,” said head coach John Schaly of waiting out winter conditions, “but that’s how it is for everyone in the North. We just make the best of what we can when we’re indoors. We might be a little behind just because we haven’t been on the field but like I said, it’s the same for everybody.”

Ashland defeated Grand Valley State for the GLIAC postseason championship last season, but the Lakers went on to win the NCAA regional tournament and then made it to the Division II College World Series.

AU finally did have playable conditions at Donges Field on Tuesday to host their first true home games of the season. 

The Eagles took game one of the doubleheader against the Storm, 18-5. The Eagles led the entire game and then broke the game open with a 10-run sixth inning. 

Center fielder Alex Sortwell had three hits including a home run and 3 RBI. Third baseman Wade Kaido also had 3 RBI and left fielder Mackenzie Hampshire added a home run with 2 RBI.

Vince Frate was the winning pitcher for AU (5-1). He went 6 innings, giving up five earned runs and striking out six. 

Game two had to be stopped during the top of the seventh inning due to darkness. Lake Erie was leading the game 5-4 at the time and was still at bat. The game was finished on Wednesday before the third game of the series, past deadline.

Jon Thacker was on the mound for AU and threw 6.2 innings, giving up nine hits and five earned runs. Mackenzie Hampshire had three hits in three at-bats and an RBI. Wade Kaido added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. 

Ashland’s record prior to the completion of the second game of the Lake Erie doubleheader was 12-9, 2-4 in conference. The Eagles travel to Hillsdale next weekend for a three-game series against the Chargers.