WILMORE, Ky. --- Opening Day in Wilmore was good to Asbury baseball as they started their 2023 season off with a doubleheader sweep over Grove City College. AU took game one in a back-and-forth affair 6-4, and then came back once again in game two to score three runs in the 8th to finish the day with a 13-11 victory.

Game One
Junior captain Jackson Cole took the ball for Asbury in the opening game of the season. Cole gave up a leadoff double that led to a run in the first and then didn't allow another run for his 5.0 innings pitched. Cole struck out four, walking one and gave up only three hits. 

Noah Brown, Jackson Cole, and Kaden Dugle each had two hits for AU. Cole led the way with two RBI. 

Grove City's leadoff hitter Vittone used his leadoff double to score the first run of the day, and the only run scoring through the first four innings of game one. 

Asbury's offense took a bit to get on the board but an Ethan Cartwright RBI to score Noah Brown and a Matthew Baker RBI sinlge to score Jackson Cole gave Asbury their first two runs of the season to take the lead, 2-1.

Grove City answered in the sixth with a manufactured run of their own, Nico Rodriguez scoring C. Saylor on a sacrifice fly to tie things up. In the bottom half of the inning Asbury added once again, this time from Quinn Nobles and Cam Weaver doubles that produced Nobles run. Jackson Cole then stepped up to drive in Weaver on a base hit.

Continuing the back-and-forth action Grove City tied things once again in the seventh, scoring two runs on an RBI single from C. Saylor and a M. Kilbane walk. 

In the bottom of the eighth Asbury took the lead again once and for all, powered by a Noah Brown sac fly to left field and a Jackson Cole single scoring Cam Weaver. AU took the 6-4 lead they did not give up, bringing in Cameron Crick to close the door in the ninth for his first save of the season. 

Asbury used David Savastio, Colton Perkins, Brody Beaderden, and Cameron Crick out of the bullpen in the game. Freshman Brody Bearden made his career-debut at Asbury with 1.2 innings and no earned runs that gave him the win. 

Game Two 

Holten Handle got the start in game two for Asbury, the 6'2" sophomore from Lexington, Ky. Handel gave AU three innings pitched with only one earned run, two striekouts, and four hits allowed. 

Colton Perkins and Ethan Cartwright powed the AU offense in game two, combining for eight RBI together. Perkins went for two home runs while Cartwright had a triple and home run. 

Grove City's leadoff L. Vittone attacked first once again, this time starting the game with a solo home run over the left field wall.

Asbury answered strongly with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first, powered by a three-run blast over the right-center wall from Colton Perkins.

AU added two more runs in the fourth, led by an Ethan Cartwright RBI triple and Kaden Dugle RBI single. The Eagles continued their pressure as they scored two runs once again in the fifth, extending their lead to 10-1 over Grove City. The action in the fifth was led by Ethan Cartwright's two-run blast over the left-center field wall, giving him a triple and home run in two consecutive innnings. 

Grove City started their comeback in the sixth when they scored two runs on a double from J. Minnich. The Wolverines made things interesting in the seventh when they added six more runs to bring the game within one run, only trailing Asbury 9-10. 

In the eighth inning, Grove City completed their comeback with two more runs to give them nine consecutive since the sixth inning. They took an 11-10 lead over Asbury after AU led 10-1 in the fifth. 

In the bottom of the eighth it was Ethan Cartwright leading off with a single, eventually scoring and then Colton Perkins hitting his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that put Asbury up 13-11.

Ethan Cartwright not only went 3-5 at the plate with 3 RBI but also pitched the final two innings to get the win on the mound, helping Asbury move to 2-0 on the season. 

AU moves to 2-0 to start the season. 


"It's always exciting to get back out and compete with the boys. Despite not playing our best baseball, we stayed it in and gave ourselves a chance and had some young guys step up and execute. It was a good day of baseball and a great first day of season! Roll Eags!"
Colton Perkins | Junior Catcher/RHP 


* G1: Asbury's defense only had one error, Grove City had five
* G1: The AU offense put together 11 hits 
* G2: AU had 12 hits in game two to score 13 runs


* G1: Noah Brown had two hits with an RBI
* G1: Jackson Cole pitched five innings with only one earned run, also getting two hits with two RBI
* G2: Colton Perkins hit two home runs for five RBI
* G2: Ethan Cartwright took the win on the mound and went 3-5 with a HR, triple, and three RBI

Asbury will meet Kentucky State on Tuesday afternoon in Frankfort, Ky., for a midweek matchup.