Ashland University baseball secures spot in G-MAC Tournament with DH sweep of Findlay

ASHLAND — Ashland University’s baseball team scored runs in each of the first five innings, belting four home runs, as the Eagles completed a doubleheader sweep of Findlay with a 14-2 crushing of the Oilers Saturday afternoon at Tomassi Stadium.

The easy win came after two one-run victories to open the four-game Great Midwest Athletic Conference series against the Oilers (17-27, 12-13).

AU (28-15, 19-8) secured a spot in the league tournament with its 19th win in the last 26 games.

Designated hitter Micah Allen had two of the second-game homers, a single, a walk and five RBIs as AU collected 16 hits off four Findlay pitchers.

Devin Hukill had a two-run homer in the fourth inning and Dillan Smith added a three-run shot in the fifth to finish the scoring for the Eagles.

Allen, who totaled six hits in the twinbill, blasted a three-run homer to left in the first inning to erase a 2-0 Findlay lead. His two-run blast in the second inning gave the Eagles an 8-2 lead.

“Honestly, I thought they were just going to play back (on my second at-bat), so I tried to lay one down, and I fouled it,” said Allen, who turned on a fastball from Findlay starter Jordan Bekier in the first inning. “The next pitch I just tried to hit it hard up the middle.”

The Eagles had to rally for the victory, but the offensive firepower made quick work of Findlay’s early 2-0 lead. AU starter Jacob Harsany gave up hits to the first three Findlay batters he faced in the top of the first. But the hits resulted in just two runs as Jabin Bates was thrown out at third while trying to stretch a double.

Findlay center fielder Cam Farrar unloaded a two-run homer to put the Oilers on the board before Harsany settled down to finish the inning with a strikeout and a groundout.

He went on to blank Findlay the rest of the way while allowing five more singles and two walks with five strikeouts in a six-inning effort.

The Eagles defense also helped Harsany, who improved to 6-3, with two double plays.

“I came out in the first inning down two, didn’t feel great,” Harsany said. “But I knew that my guys would have me, and then we put up six in that inning. Then, I was like, we got this game right there.”

While Allen’s first homer gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead, AU tacked on three more runs in the first as 11 batters went to the plate.

With two outs, Smith singled and catcher Mike Flemming walked in front of an RBI double to left by center fielder Cam Miller.

Hukill drove home two runs with a single to left, and Austin Eifrid became AU’s career hits leader with a single up the middle before the Oilers could get out of the inning.

Eifrid, a senior shortstop who had a three-run homer in Saturday’s first game, has 269 career hits.

Allen’s second homer after a Tim Zeller single ended Bekier’s day on the mound just two batters into the second inning.

The Eagles added a single run on an RBI hit by Zeller in the third, two runs in the fourth on Hukill’s shot and three in the fifth when Smith drilled one to left after walks to Zeller and Allen.

“We just try to believe in each other,” Allen said about the second-game outburst. “That’s all we can do. If you can’t get the job done, just believe the guy behind you can, and that’s what we did.”

While Allen led the way with three hits, Eifrid, Zeller, Smith, Miller and Hukill all had two hits. Eight of the nine Ashland starters each scored at least one run.

Harsany said he was able to stay locked in on the mound despite having to sit in the bottom of each inning while the Eagle hitters were doing their work.

“I only had two walks, one came in the sixth inning,” Harsany said. “I was just kind of getting ahead or at least being in an even count. Not really too many three-ball counts.

“I was kind of ahead all day, and that really helped. I would have liked to (have finished), but I was already at 100 pitches, so I trusted (reliever Kale Depperschmidt) to go out there and close it out for us (in the seventh).”

The Eagles won the opener in extra innings on a two-out RBI single by Flemming in the ninth.

Zeller reached on an infield hit to open the inning, and Allen singled to left to move Zeller into scoring position. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Flemming delivered the winning run in the 5-4 decision with a base hit to right field.

The hit made a winner of Perry Bewley, who threw two scoreless innings in relief of starter Justin Dyksma. Bewley didn’t allow a hit while walking one and striking out five.

AU will go for the sweep in a 1 p.m. senior day game Sunday.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland University baseball sweeps doubleheader with Findlay