ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - The sun was finally out in the Sunshine State, but a two-out game-winning single from Jon Good lifted Aquinas College (Mich.) past the Ashford University baseball team on a blustery Saturday, 6-5.
The Saints (1-6 overall) were just one out away from salvaging the potential tie, but Good looped a lazy fly ball that dropped inside the chalk down the right-field line just out of the reach of three charging defenders.
Another Saturday matchup in the Florida All-Star Collegiate Jamboree for Ashford against Huntington College at 6 p.m. was called off due to additional scheduling conflicts. AU's pair of nine-inning games scheduled yesterday was also canceled due to inclement weather.
Both teams rattled off 11 hits and Ashford led twice after opening with a promising first series of at-bats.
Playing the visitor role, the Saints jumped all over Aquinas' starter Mike Kaiser in the top of the first inning with three consecutive hits.
Ashford capitalized on a single by leadoff hitter Brandon VanBlaricome of Bettendorf followed by back-to-back doubles from Austin Poindexter of Bettendorf and Anthony Misitano of Sycamore, Ill.
Junior clean-up hitter Jason Fletcher of Huntley, Ill., plated another run on a fielder's choice groundout that put AU up 2-0, still in the first inning.
But Aquinas rallied and then some in the second and third frames, receiving a two-run single by Will Eberle and a two-run homer to deep left center by Andrew Bard that had the Saints down 4-2. AU tied it up again with two more runs in the fourth thanks to some aggressive running on the basepaths.
The Saints then went ahead in the top of the sixth after an RBI single ripped by Roman Davis of Gardnerville, Nev., scored shortstop Mike Ray of Sycamore, Ill., who battled a full count to lead off the frame with a single up the middle.
Junior starter Billy Becker of Peru, Ill., lasted over five innings and fanned just as many, while issuing just two free passes. He allowed eight hits and three earned runs as a result of two throwing errors.
Sophomore reliever Tim Elias (0-1) of Grayslake, Ill., stranded what represented the tying and go-ahead runs to end the Aquinas threat in the sixth. He began the top half of the seventh with two quick outs (strikeout looking, lineout) before a single and double set the stage for Good's gamewinner.
Aquinas' Tyler Cole was credited with the win, pitching a scoreless seventh inning.
Aquinas,
also ironically nicknamed the Saints, play two more games yet today before
heading home in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Ashford plays another different Saints tomorrow morning, this time the University of St. Francis
(Ill.), at 10
a.m.
