WILMORE, Ky. --- The Asbury baseball team hosted the University of Cincinnati-Clermont on May 1st to complete their 2022 regular season. Game one of the doubleheader slipped through the hands of AU as they lost in extra innings 8-10, after climbing all the way back from a 5-0 deficit. Game two was all Asbury as Alec Lush led the way to a 9-1 AU victory, concluding the regular season with their 25th win. 

Game 1
Walker Paris got the start for Asbury on the mound and was met by an aggressive UC-Clermont offense. Clermont scored 5 runs off Paris in the first inning to force him out of the game early. The AU bullpen (David Savastio, Cameron Crick, Tanner McKee) came in and shut the door on UC-Clermont for the next five innings, allowing only 1 run to keep Asbury in the game. Jackson Cole came on in relief in the 7th and pitched three innings, allowing 4 runs and receiving the loss. 

After Asbury found themselves in a 0-5 hole in the first inning it was Matthew Baker's 2 RBI base hit in the first that shortened the deficit to 2-5, a key shift in the game. Despite a solo home run for Clermont in the third, Asbury held Clermont off as they continued to chip away at their deficit through consistent offense.

Kaiden Zacharias hit a key 2 RBI single to right field in the fourth to get AU within 2 (4-6). Matthew Baker then followed this at-bat with a single of his own to score Kaiden Zacharias (5-6). Asbury finally caught up to Clermont in the sixth inning of the seven inning game off 3 hits and 3 runs in the inning to take an 8-6 lead. RBI singles by Colton Perkins and Noah Brown powered the inning. 

AU brought in Jackson Cole to finish the game in the seventh, unfortunately Clermont managed to score 2 runs to tie the game at 8 and move into extra innings. Asbury couldn't get a run across in either of the extra innings and fell in nine innings, 8-10. 

Game 2
The left-hander Alec Lush took the ball in game two for his final start on Cecil Zweifel Field, and it was a special one. Lush pitched 6.0 innings and struck out 12, allowing only 3 hits and 1 run. Lush also hit a 2-run blast over the right field wall for his first career home run. Bryce Barber came out of the bullpen to close the game for AU. 

AU collected an early 2-0 lead after the first inning off RBI singles from Ethan Cartwright and Nathaniel Frank. The game stayed 2-0 until the fourth inning when AU scored 4 runs off 3 hits to extend their lead to 6-1. Walker Paris singled in the inning to collected his 50th RBI of the season.

Asbury added 3 more runs in the sixth, led by the Alec Lush home run, 9-1 AU. Asbury held on to this lead to win the game over UC-Clermont for their 25th win of the season. AU completes the regular season at 25-14, with their eyes set for a postseason run in the NCCAA. 

Game 1

* Matthew Baker was 3-5 with 3 RBIs

* Walker Paris also had 3 hits with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored

* Cameron Crick pitched 2 scoreless innings and struck out 3

Game 2

* Alec Lush pitched 6.0 innings and struck out 12, he also hit his first career home run

* Ethan Cartwright was 3-3 with 2 RBIs, a run scored and a walk

* Walker Paris was 2-4 with his 50th RBI of the season and 2 runs scored

* Nathaniel Frank had 2 hits, an RBI and a run scored

* The Asbury defense had only 2 errors on the day

* Walker Paris recorded his 50th RBI of the year

* AU recorded 20 hits on the day for 17 runs

"It was a great day to host our last game at Asbury. We didn't pull through in the first game but we came out in the second and really showed them who the better team is. Overall we played a good series and we hope that it will continue through the rest of the postseason."

     * Senior Pitcher, Alec Lush

Asbury will now move into the postseason which will begin on Tuesday, May 10 at Kentucky Christian University in the NCCAA Regional Tournament