In what has been

by far the craziest spring in recent memory regarding games being

played, the Eagles played their first games in a week, earning a

home split against Wayne State.

Entering the weekend, AU found itself atop the

GLIAC standings but outside the top eight for the NCAA’s regional

rankings. Plain and simple, AU just needs to play as many games as

it can in the final week of the regular season to advance in the

polls.

The key split for the Eagles was played over a

two day span, as more rain rolled through the Ashland area during

game one.

Game 1

In NASCAR (or Indy Car), many drivers will tell

you that races can be won or lost on restarts after a caution. With

all the cars bunched up once again, it is important to get out to a

fast start as the green flag drops. Wayne State got a huge jump on

the restart against the Eagles as back to back hits on day two of

game one were all the Warriors would need to knock off the Eagles,

1-0.

Through the first three innings, both pitchers

brought their best stuff and the game had all the makings of a nail

biter. As the rain started to fall Friday, April 22, junior

right-hander Emlyn Knerem seemed to lose total control of her

command, throwing six straight balls, including a wild pitch, to

move Brittany Omelanchuck into scoring position with one out. After

Knerem’s wild pitch, the umpires called teams off the field and got

the tarp on the field. The two teams would resume action Saturday

(April 23).

First baseman Rebecca Ryan singled down the left

field line and Rebecca Stanley doubled over the head of

centerfielder Lyndsey Brandt to plate the game’s only run in the

top of the fourth.

The Eagles’ defense kept the game close with a

few run saving plays. In the top of the fifth, centerfielder Logan

White doubled into the left-center field gap, but Brandt and

shortstop Bri Woody combined for a picture perfect relay to throw

out Makelle Barski at the plate. Brandt flashed the leather in the

top of the fifth as well, tracking back to the fence to rob Alison

Allen of a home run as she crashed through the breakaway fence.

Sam Cain (11-11) silenced the Eagles’ offense,

surrendering just three hits and a walk en route to her fourth

shutout of the season. Cain threw just 77 pitches in the

contest.

AU had two chances to score in the later innings

but couldn’t string consecutive hits together. The first came in

the fifth, after Erica Miller lined a one-out double down the

left-field line. Cain made a quality pitch to get Franki Gironda to

pop up for the second out of the frame, and Tawna Garver lined out

to the first baseman to end the threat.

Right fielder Alex Machen doubled into the

left-center field gap to open the sixth, and turned the line-up

over to pose an even greater threat than the previous inning. Cain

buckled down yet again, getting the next two Eagle hitters out on

two pitches before eventually getting Alyssa Kelley to fly out to

deep center to end the inning.

Game 2

After being shutout for the first time in 29

games in game one, the Eagles’ offense exploded for six runs in the

first inning and settled game two in five, topping the Warriors by

a count of 10-2.

The major damage in the first frame came off the

bat of Garver, who belted a grand slam over the left-field fence to

cap off the six-run inning. The homer was the sophomore’s second of

the season and the seventh of her career.

Hursey’s first of two hits plated the other two

first inning runs for the Eagles (23-11, 15-3 GLIAC). A second

inning single from Stanley and Nikki Fulton’s third home run of the

season accounted for the only runs for the Warriors (24-19-1,

12-9-1 GLIAC), closing the gap to 6-2 after 1.5.

Woody doubled into the left-center field gap in

the bottom of the fifth for her second of two RBI to end the game

by run-rule.

Brandt finished 3-for-4 in the nightcap, scoring

twice.

Knerem (17-4) threw game two as well, giving up

two runs on seven hits while striking out two.

Lauren McLaughlin (13-8) was tagged with the

loss in game two, giving up 10 runs (four earned) on 11 hits.

AU will travel to Tiffin for a pair of

doubleheaders Friday, April 29 at 3 p.m. and Saturday, April 30 at

1 p.m. In what has been by far the craziest spring in recent memory

regarding games being played, the Eagles played their first games

in a week, earning a home split against Wayne State.

Entering the weekend, AU found itself atop the

GLIAC standings but outside the top eight for the NCAA’s regional

rankings. Plain and simple, AU just needs to play as many games as

it can in the final week of the regular season to advance in the

polls.

The key split for the Eagles was played over a

two day span, as more rain rolled through the Ashland area during

game one.

Game 1

In NASCAR (or Indy Car), many drivers will tell

you that races can be won or lost on restarts after a caution. With

all the cars bunched up once again, it is important to get out to a

fast start as the green flag drops. Wayne State got a huge jump on

the restart against the Eagles as back to back hits on day two of

game one were all the Warriors would need to knock off the Eagles,

1-0.

Through the first three innings, both pitchers

brought their best stuff and the game had all the makings of a nail

biter. As the rain started to fall Friday, April 22, junior

right-hander Emlyn Knerem seemed to lose total control of her

command, throwing six straight balls, including a wild pitch, to

move Brittany Omelanchuck into scoring position with one out. After

Knerem’s wild pitch, the umpires called teams off the field and got

the tarp on the field. The two teams would resume action Saturday

(April 23).

First baseman Rebecca Ryan singled down the left

field line and Rebecca Stanley doubled over the head of

centerfielder Lyndsey Brandt to plate the game’s only run in the

top of the fourth.

The Eagles’ defense kept the game close with a

few run saving plays. In the top of the fifth, centerfielder Logan

White doubled into the left-center field gap, but Brandt and

shortstop Bri Woody combined for a picture perfect relay to throw

out Makelle Barski at the plate. Brandt flashed the leather in the

top of the fifth as well, tracking back to the fence to rob Alison

Allen of a home run as she crashed through the breakaway fence.

Sam Cain (11-11) silenced the Eagles’ offense,

surrendering just three hits and a walk en route to her fourth

shutout of the season. Cain threw just 77 pitches in the

contest.

AU had two chances to score in the later innings

but couldn’t string consecutive hits together. The first came in

the fifth, after Erica Miller lined a one-out double down the

left-field line. Cain made a quality pitch to get Franki Gironda to

pop up for the second out of the frame, and Tawna Garver lined out

to the first baseman to end the threat.

Right fielder Alex Machen doubled into the

left-center field gap to open the sixth, and turned the line-up

over to pose an even greater threat than the previous inning. Cain

buckled down yet again, getting the next two Eagle hitters out on

two pitches before eventually getting Alyssa Kelley to fly out to

deep center to end the inning.

Game 2

After being shutout for the first time in 29

games in game one, the Eagles’ offense exploded for six runs in the

first inning and settled game two in five, topping the Warriors by

a count of 10-2.

The major damage in the first frame came off the

bat of Garver, who belted a grand slam over the left-field fence to

cap off the six-run inning. The homer was the sophomore’s second of

the season and the seventh of her career.

Hursey’s first of two hits plated the other two

first inning runs for the Eagles (23-11, 15-3 GLIAC). A second

inning single from Stanley and Nikki Fulton’s third home run of the

season accounted for the only runs for the Warriors (24-19-1,

12-9-1 GLIAC), closing the gap to 6-2 after 1.5.

Woody doubled into the left-center field gap in

the bottom of the fifth for her second of two RBI to end the game

by run-rule.

Brandt finished 3-for-4 in the nightcap, scoring

twice.

Knerem (17-4) threw game two as well, giving up

two runs on seven hits while striking out two.

Lauren McLaughlin (13-8) was tagged with the

loss in game two, giving up 10 runs (four earned) on 11 hits.

AU will travel to Tiffin for a pair of

doubleheaders Friday, April 29 at 3 p.m. and Saturday, April 30 at

1 p.m.