The Malone University baseball team dropped a pair of GLIAC South contests Friday afternoon at Ashland University. In the opener of a doubleheader, a walk-off homerun gave the Eagles a 4-3 win. In the nightcap, Ashland used a strong pitching effort to top Malone 4-1. With the losses, Malone fell to 23-19 overall and 12-6 in the GLIAC South Division.
 
Game One Recap:
Ashland struck first in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The score would remain 1-0 until the Eagles added a run in the bottom of the fifth. A costly Malone error in the bottom of the sixth gave the Eagles an insurance run and a 3-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
 
The Malone offense, which stranded a pair of runners each of the second, fourth, and fifth innings, would put two more runners on base and bring the tying run to the plate. With two outs in the inning, and down to his last strike, Richie Mast came through for the Pioneers in a big way. Mast's double to the left centerfield gap scored two and put him in scoring position. Jon Crank promptly followed with a single to center that scored Mast and tied the game at 3-3.
 
Coming in to relieve Malone starter Joshua Hurford, who gave up just two earned runs in six innings, Gunnar Smeyres (1-1) retired the first two batters before falling behind designated hitter Lance Myers. Myers took Smeyres' 2-0 offering deep over the right centerfield fence to give Ashland the 4-3 walk-off victory.
 
Richie Mast had two hits off Ashland starter Brandyn Sittinger who improved to a GLIAC-best 9-0 with the win.
 
Game Two Recap:
Malone used a two-out rally in the top of the second to score the game's first run. Austin Pachan's RBI single scored Matt Noel and gave the Pioneers their first lead of the game.
 
Locked into an old-fashioned pitcher's duel, Malone starter Braun Miller (4-1) kept the Eagles off of the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth. Three straight singles, including two of the infield variety, loaded the bases with nobody out. Nick Edward's single to right field plated two runs and chased Miller. The Eagles would add another run on a double play, putting them up 3-1 after sixth.
 
After a Jon Crank walk in top of the seventh chased Ashland starter Mike Gentile (1-1), reliever Sam Rice would come in to strike out two in the inning and limit the damage. Rice held Malone scoreless for the remainder of the game, totaling six strikeouts in three innings
 
The Eagles added an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth and held on for the 4-1 victory and the doubleheader sweep.

Austin Pachan finished with two hits for the Pioneers.
 
 Up Next:
The Pioneers will have a chance to avenge their losses when they travel back to Ashland to conclude the four-game series with the Eagles on Saturday, April 30th. First pitch of a doubleheader is slated for 12:00 pm.