The Eagles (21-12, 10-8 GLIAC) were back on the road last weekend but the Ashland University baseball team took three-of-four for the second weekend in a row. AU won the series at Ohio Dominican last weekend and got above .500 against GLIAC teams by only dropping one to Saginaw Valley (14-18, 9-11 GLIAC) this past weekend.

Game one

It took an extra inning but neither team needed a relief pitcher as both starters went eight strong innings. Ajay Meyer continued his strong season by allowing five hits, walking one and fanning 12 in his eight innings of work. The only run put on the board by Saginaw Valley was unearned.

The margin of error was small as Saginaw Valley’s Carson Beauchaine also gave up five hits, walked two and struck out nine. The two runs were earned for Beauchaine as the Eagles plated the first run in the third off a walk and stolen base by Matt McAllester followed by a couple of singles.

On the season, Meyer now boasts an ERA of 0.84 and is on track to put his name in the AU record books.

The action came in the top of the eighth inning when the Eagles found a way to put the go-ahead run on the board. Senior Evan Melendez led off with a walk and advanced on a groundout to third. Melendez then reached third base thanks to a base hit to right center by designated hitter, Austin Erb. The Cardinal defense was ready and in position when Mitch Klein grounded out to the shortstop who threw home and retired Melendez.

With runners on the corners, senior Ryan Avery smacked a single to right field scoring Erb and giving Meyer all the run support he would need.

With a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, head coach John Schaly stayed with his workhorse who ended the game with consecutive strikeouts.

Meyer improved to (7-1) on the season and has completed every game he has started.

Game two

The solid pitching continued from both teams in game two but it was Schaly who came away with his 900th career victory. When asked about his accomplishment, Schaly gave the credit to those around him.

“First off, I’ve had a lot of great help,” Schaly said. “Obviously very talented players, guys who want to work hard, and have good work ethic but I’ve had some great assistant coaches. I’ve got a really good one right now in Coach Drew Patten.”

On the field, Aaron Hilt allowed three hits in a complete game shutout improving his record to 4-1 on the season.

The Eagles put an early run on the board in the top of the first when McAllester struck out swinging but reached second on a throwing error. Melendez laid down a sacrifice bunt allowing McAllester to advance to third with one out. Tyler Gray did his part by sending a sacrifice fly to left field scoring McAllester.

It looked like Hilt was in trouble in the bottom of the second frame when the Cardinals had two runners in scoring position and only one out. A ground ball to third was quickly fired home retiring the lead runner followed by an inning ending groundout to first.

AU plated another run in the third but the final blow came in the sixth inning. Three of the Cardinals’ five errors were committed in the sixth inning allowing AU to score three runs on three hits.

With a 5-0 lead, Hilt only allowed one more runner to reach base for Saginaw Valley in the final two innings.

This marks Hilt’s third straight appearance without allowing a run.

Gray was the only AU batter with multiple hits, while Kyle O’Boyle was the only Cardinal to match that with two hits of his own.

Game three

Game one of the second doubleheader was the highest scoring yet as the Eagles took game three, 9-6.

Ashland didn’t waste any time jumping on the game three starter for two runs on two hits in the top of the first frame.

Saginaw gained the lead when Kyle O’Boyle sent a three-run homerun into the stands in the bottom of the inning.

O’Boyle was 2-for-3 in the contest with three RBI and two runs scored.

With the score at 3-2, neither team plated a run in the second marking the only inning without a run in game three. In the third, AU manufactured another run tying the game at 3-3.

The tie would only last until Saginaw Valley had a turn at bat.

O’Boyle was back at it with a leadoff double off AU starter, Eric Vaughan. O’Boyle then scored on a RBI base hit to center field.

In the fourth, McAllester tripled to right with one out but the Saginaw starter struck out the next two Eagles.

Down 5-4, AU worked back-to-back walks in the top of the fifth to setup a three run inning putting the Eagles ahead for good. Once again, it was a string of singles instead of the big bomb that allowed AU to recapture the lead and secure the game.

“Power numbers are way down all through college baseball,” Schaly said. “The new bats have made a big, big difference. They perform more like a wood bat. Homeruns have been cut in half, team batting averages are lower and it’s nationwide. It’s brought bunting base stealing and hit and run elements back into the game. It’s helped the pitchers, no question about it.”

With Schaly understanding how to play and win baseball games in different ways, AU took game three, 9-6.

Ashland committed four errors in the contest but accumulated 14 hits.

Austin Erb led the Eagles going 4-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. McAllester added three hits and two runs while Michael Manser was a perfect 3-for-3.

Vaughn (3-2) collected the win going 4.2 innings, giving up nine hits and walking none. Andrew Pinkelman got the save, his fourth.

Game four

In the final game of the back-to-back doubleheaders, Melendez made up for his performance in game three by hitting a two-run homerun in the top of the first.

Erb followed with a homerun of his own giving AU the quick 3-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, a leadoff walk accompanied by a triple brought the Cardinals within one, 3-2. Once again the second inning went scoreless but it would be the only scoreless inning.

The Eagles came back with three more in the third. Two leadoff walks set up a John Kuzio two-run RBI double.

Skipping ahead, AU had a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning but Saginaw Valley would not be swept.

Joe Malfara took the loss, after giving up a one-out two-run RBI double to end the game.

McAllester went 2-for-2 in the game with a stolen base. Kuzio also hit safely in two plate appearances with two RBI.

The Eagles now sit at 21-12, 10-8 GLIAC with the remaining schedule full of GLIAC games.

The Tiffin series was not available at press time but was moved to Thursday due to poor weather conditions on Wednesday.

The two teams will first finish a game that was suspended back on March 30. AU holds a 2-0 edge in the top of the second inning.

Play is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. followed by the regularly scheduled doubleheader.

Wayne State travels to AU for a Friday, Saturday two-day doubleheader.

“This is a big week for us; seven conference games in four days. [We’re] going to go through a lot of pitching. Especially try to get Wayne and pass them up in the conference standings.”