ASHLAND, Ohio -- The Wayne State University baseball team (8-5 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) played its first two GLIAC games at Ashland (6-7 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) on Friday.  A two-run sixth inning powered the Warriors to a 3-1 victory in game one before dropping a slugfest 12-9 in game two.

GAME ONE (W, 3-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles used a two-out rally to load the bases in the bottom of the first inning.  A bases-loaded walk gave AU a 1-0 lead but starting pitcher Dillon McInerney (Richmond, Mich.) (2-1) was able to strikeout the next batter and limit the damage.  Ashland threatened again in the bottom of the fourth inning after a walk, a stolen base and a single but a groundout kept the home team off the scoreboard.

The first WSU hit came off the bat of redshirt junior Nate Roede (Byron Center, Mich.) in the top of the fifth inning, who sent a double down the left field line.  The Warriors tied the game on an RBI single from senior Ryne Travis (Lockport, Ill. / Lockport Twp.) after Roede advanced to third on a groundout. 

The Eagles put the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth inning but a 5-3 double play helped the Green & Gold escape the frame without any damage.  Senior Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) doubled to start the sixth inning before junior Davis Graham (Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South) doubled him home to put Wayne State on top 2-1.  Graduate student Michael MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Country Day / The Lawrenceville School) followed with an RBI single to extend the advantage to 3-1.

Redshirt senior Jack Schmidt (Fishers, Ind. / Indianapolis Cathedral) was called on to close the game in the bottom of the seventh and worked around a one-out single to collect his second save of the season.

AT THE PLATE
Roede went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Graham, MacLean, Travis all tallied RBI.

ON THE MOUND
McInerney actually saw his ERA increase to 1.09 despite only allowing one run en route to collecting his second win of the season.  He worked six innings and allowed a run on four hits and four walks with a pair of strikeouts.  Schmidt struck out two Eagles in the seventh inning to help secure the first league win for WSU since May 4, 2019.

GAME TWO (L, 9-12)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warriors scored first in the top of the first inning.  The frame started with singles from Finkbeiner and redshirt junior Hunter DeLanoy (Hartland, Mich.) before a walk was issued to Graham.  A wild pitch allowed the run to cross.

The lead was short-lived as Ashland scored six runs on four hits, two walks and two hit batters in the bottom of the first inning. The Eagles added three more runs in the bottom of the second inning, including back-to-back home runs from Carson Mittermaier and Mike Flemming. 

WSU turned an error to start the top of the fifth inning into its second run of the game as junior Noah Miller (Macomb, Mich. / University Liggett) scored on a double-play groundout.  The home advantage grew to 10-2 with a run on two hits in the bottom of the fifth inning.

A leadoff double by Roede in the top of the sixth inning started a huge inning for WSU.  The Warriors scored five runs on six hits and an error.  Junior Rudy Ramirez (Brighton, Mich.) sent a double into the left field corner to make it 10-3 and Miller followed with an RBI single into center to trim the deficit to 10-4.  Following a walk to redshirt junior Ryan Foley (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline), the rally continued with an RBI single from Finkbeiner, the fourth hit of the inning, making it a five-run game.  Another RBI single, this one from DeLanoy cut AU's lead to 10-6.  The scoring ended with an RBI single from Graham as WSU rallied back to make it a 10-7 game.

Two hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch produced two more runs for Ashland in the bottom of the seventh inning to regain control and stretch the lead to 12-7.  Wayne State answered with two runs on two hits in the top of the eighth inning, including an RBI from Graham.  However, WSU left the bases loaded trailing by three.

A double-play to end the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Warriors momentum going into final frame.  However, WSU was unable to turn a two-out single from DeLanoy into a run as the comeback attempt ran out of time.

AT THE PLATE
Finkbeiner and DeLanoy both turned in four-hit games, while Graham finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.  Ramirez and Miller also had two-hit games.

ON THE MOUND
Junior Ryan Korolden (Yale, Mich.) (1-1) only recorded one out and was tagged for four earned runs.  Junior Chad Sommers (Jonesville, Mich.) allowed six earned runs in four and 2/3 innings on eight hits and two walks to go with five punch outs.  Freshman David Thurman (Southfield, Mich. / Detroit Edison) worked two innings and allowed two runs, while redshirt senior Brendan Bilkovic (West Bloomfield, Mich.) tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

UP NEXT
The Warriors and the Eagles will finish their series on Saturday with another doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM.