WILMORE, Ky. --- The Asbury Eagles baseball team matched up with Trine University on Saturday afternoon on the Eagles home field. The Eagles were looking to bounce back from their loss on Wednesday, this time facing a fellow Division 3 opponent Trine University. The first ever matchup between these two programs came down to the final inning as Asbury would hold on in the top of the 9th to take a 5-4 victory in the first of this three game series. 

Walker Paris took the ball for AU to start off the series and was in a groove from the first inning. Paris ended up providing 6 innings of work allowing only 2 runs on 2 hits from Trine, and striking out 4. Facing off with Paris was the right hander from Trine, Josh Hoogewerf, who was ready to go in his first start of the season. Hoogewerf pitched 5 innings for Trine only allowing 2 runs from the Eagles on 5 hits. 

This game remained scoreless in a pitcher's dual until the bottom of the 4th when Walker Paris led off with a double, eventually being driven in by his teammate Kaden Dugle for the first run of the game. AU added another run to extend their lead in the 5th off of a sacrifice fly from Nathaniel Frank to score Jackson Cole. This 2-0 lead wouldn't last long for AU as Trine would fight back in the top of the 6th to score their first 2 runs of the game off Paris to tie the game 2-2.

Asbury responded to Trine by scoring 2 in the 7th and 1 in the 8th (led by a 2 out RBI single from Kaiden Zacharias and a Nathaniel Frank RBI double) to take a 5-3 lead heading into the top of the 9th. The AU bullpen was led by the trio of Holten Handel, Nate McClellan and Bryce Barber. Each of these three AU arms gave the Eagles an inning of work, Barber being the one to close out the 9th and receive his second save of the season as AU defeated Trine 5-4. 

* Walker Paris pitched 6 innings for AU allowing only 2 runs, and from the plate was 2-3 with a double, 2 runs scored, and 2 walks

* Matthew Baker put together a 2 hit day for the Eagles, including a double

* The AU bullpen got the job done holding Trine off in the final 3 innings of the game, Bryce Barber received his second save on the year

* The Eagle pitching staff only allowed 5 hits on the day from Trine

* AU hitters only struck out twice in the entire game, putting pressure on the Trine defense

* Asbury scored 3 runs in the final two innings of the game to pull off the win

"Today was a great team win. We started out slow but stayed together as a team and were able to pull out the victory. We hope to go for the series win tomorrow."

     * Senior Walker Paris

Asbury and Trine will play the final 2 games of the series tomorrow, first pitch starting at 1 PM