WILMORE, Ky.--- No. 2 seed in the NCCAA Mideast Regional Asbury baseball (23-15-1) dropped game one 4-12 to Oakland City (No. 1) and then fell 1-3 to Kentucky Christian (No. 3) on Wednesdsay in Wilmore, Ky., to close their 2023 season. 

Asbury's offense was held to only ten hits and five runs combined on the day. Junior Colton Perkins had three hits with a double and an RBI against Oakland City (OCU) while junior Kaden Dugle had two hits and a double against Kentucky Christian (KCU). 

Cayden Devine was a highlight on the mound for AU with 5.1 innings pitched against KCU with seven strikeouts and no runs. 

Game One | ASBURY 4, OAKLAND CITY 12
Oakland City started their day with three doubles, a walk, and a single to force NCCAA Mideast Region Pitcher of the Year Brody Bearden out of the game in the first inning. OCU went on to score three runs in the first on four hits to go up 3-0. 

Asbury responded in the second with an RBI-double from Matthew Baker and a Nathaniel Frank RBI to get within one at 2-3. OCU's offense exploded again in the second, using four hits to score four runs including a three-run home run, 7-2. 

One of Colton Perkins' three hits scored a run for AU in the fourth but OCU scored one of their own in the inning, taking the game to 8-3. No runs were scored for the next two innings until AU added one in the seventh that was answered by another OCU run in the bottom half, 9-4. 

OCU added three more runs in the eighth on three hits to extend their lead to 12-4. Asbury couldn't get their offense going to catch the Mighty Oaks, dropping their first game of the tournament. 

Game Two | ASBURY 1, KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN 3
In an elimination game that would send a team to the championship matchup with Oakland City it was Kentucky Christian scoring a run in the first and second to go up 2-0 early. The two runs came off three hits inlcuding a solo home run. 

KCU added another run in the fourth off a Thomason double to go up 3-0. Austin Thompson produced an incredible start on the mound for KCU, going 6.0 innings with two hits, seven strikeouts, and only one earned run. 

AU used a leadoff bunt-single from Nathaniel Frank for their first hit of the game. Andrew Billington's sacrifice fly scored Nathaniel Frank for Asbury's only run of the game. 

Senior David Savastio got the start for AU and went 3.2 innings with three earned runs. Cayden Devine took the mound in the fourth to go the final 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts, two hits, and no runs. 

Asbury's offense was held to under five hits for only the fourth time this season. Zach Pope came out of the bullpen for KCU to take the save, going 3.0 innings with three strikeouts and no runs. The Knights took the 3-1 win to move on to the championship game against Oakland City on Thursday at 12 pm. 

Asbury finishes the 2023 season at 23-15-1. 


* Asbury's offense had ten hits combined on the day
* AU had only four errors on the day


* Colton Perkins | 3-5, R, RBI, 2B, BB
* Kaden Dugle | 2-6, 2B
* Cayden Devine | 5.1 IP, 2 H, 7 K, 0 ER

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