MILLINGTON, Tn. --- The Asbury baseball team matched up with MUW in the final game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon. The AU offense scored 9 runs and had a late lead, but a final charge from MUW led them to victory over Asbury, 10-9. 

Jackson Cole pitched a phenomenal game for Asbury, going 7.0 innings with a career-high 13 strikeouts. MUW collected 5 runs off Cole, but he would leave the game with his team leading MUW, 9-5. 

Avery Benson had a big date at the plate for MUW and scored the first run of the game on a home run in the 2nd inning. AU got on the board in the 4th off an RBI double from Nathaniel Frank, and then an RBI single by Tanner McKee to take the lead 2-1. 

Benson struck again in the 4th for a 3 run homerun to give MUW back the lead, 4-2 (Benson was responsible for 4 of the 5 runs off Cole). The very next inning saw the AU bash roommates of Walker Paris and Kaiden Zacharias go back to back home runs for the fourth time this season. Walker Paris went for a 2 run big fly over the center field wall and was followed by a solo shot from Kaiden Zacharias to give AU back the lead, 5-4. 

MUW grabbed another run in the 7th to tie the game at 5, but was halted from a second run from the arm of Ethan Cartwright nailing a runner at the plate from left field to end the inning. AU jumped on top again in the 8th on 4 big runs that gave them a 9-5 lead. 4 hits in the inning were topped off from a 2 RBI single single from Kaiden Zacharias and then a 2-out RBI base hit from Matthew Baker. 

MUW rallied in the bottom of the 8th to score 4 runs off the AU bullpen, tying the game at 9 heading into the 9th. The AU offense was held in the 9th, and then it was MUW striking the final blow in the bottom of the 9th on an RBI base hit to left field to walk the game off. Asbury still takes the series over MUW as they won both games of the doubleheader on Friday.

AU now moves to 15-10 on the season. 

* Jackson Cole struck out 13 in only 7 innings (only allowing 2 walks)

* Walker Paris went 2-4 with a home run, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored and a walk

* Kaiden Zacharias was 2-3 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 walks

* Nathaniel Frank also had 2 hits with a double, an RBI, 2 runs scored and 2 stolen bases

* Asbury allowed MUW to score 5 runs in the final two innings

* The AU defense was flawless, committing no errors (only 2 in the three-game series)

* The Asbury offense had another strong game with 12 hits and 9 runs (Paris and Zacharias hit back-to-back home runs for the fourth time this season)

"It was back and forth all day, and sadly today we ended up on the wrong side of a 1 run game. We still won the series, and we plan to bounce back from this game and be ready for Tuesday."

     * Senior Outfielder, Kaiden Zacharias

AU will return home to host Kentucky State on Tuesday in Wilmore, KY at 6 PM