WILMORE, Ky.--- Junior right-handed pitcher Eli Wilder and tidy defense led No. 2 seed Asbury baseball (23-13-1) past No. 3 seed Kentucky Christian (20-31) on Tuesday night in Wilmore, Ky., to open the NCCAA Baseball Mideast Regional, 7-2. 

Wilder went 7.0 innings in his eighth start of the year with only two earned runs to move to a team-leading 6-0 record. Holten Handel was solid out of the bullpen, going 2.0 innings with no runs and two strikeouts to finish the game. 

NCCAA Mideast Region Player of the Year Ethan Cartwright and Nathaniel Frank led offensively, combining for three hits and three runs while Cartwright blasted his fourth home run this season. 

2023 NCCAA Mideast Region Awards were given out before the game, with Asbury representing strongly. Asbury freshman Andrew Billington was named Freshman of the Year, freshman Brody Bearden was named Pitcher of the Year, and junior Ethan Cartwright was named Player of the Year. View more at the end of the story. 

AU got on the board early in the first after Kaden Dugle singed to right field to score Noah Brown for his team-leading 47th run of the season. Asbury added another in the second on a Noah Brown RBI-single and one more in the third from Colton Perkins' sacrifice fly, putting the Eagles up 3-0. 

KCU scored their first run in the fourth when a lead-off bunt single came around to score. Asbury out-hit KCU only 9-8 in the game but committed zero errors compared to KCU's four.

AU used four hits to produce their biggest inning of the day in the fifth, scoring four runs that was led off by an Ethan Cartwright solo shot. AU went up 7-1 after the inning and use their pitching and defense to make the lead count. 

KCU scored one more in the seventh off three consecutive singles but that would be all as the combo of Eli Wilder and Holten Handel combined for nine innings with only two runs allowed. 

AU moves to 23-13-1 on the season and advances in the winner's bracket to face No. 1 seed Oakland City on Wednesday at 3 pm. 

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NCCAA Mideast Region 2nd Team Members
Quinn Nobles, Kaden Dugle

NCCAA Mideast Region Gold Glove Awards
Matthew Baker (Catcher), Andrew Billington (Centerfield)

NCCAA Mideast Region 1st Team Members
Ethan Cartwright, Andrew Billington, Noah Brown, Matthew Johnson, Matthew Baker, Brody Bearden, Eli Wilder

NCCAA Mideast Region Players of the Year 
Freshman of the Year | Andrew Billington
Pitcher of the Year | Brody Bearden 
Player of the Year | Ethan Cartwright


"Overall, it was a great job by our offense, which was the reason I was able to go as long as I did. So thankful for all our guys and let's keep this momentum rolling!!"
Eli Wilder | Junior RHP | Media Communications Major


* Asbury's defense committed zero errors
* AU out-hit KCU 9-8


* Eli Wilder | 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, W (6-0)
* Holten Handel | 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
* Nathaniel Frank | 2-4, 1 R, 2 SB
* Ethan Cartwright | 1-4, 2 R, HR, RBI
* Colton Perkins | 1-3, 2 R, RBI
* Noah Brown | 1-4, R, RBI, HBP
* Andrew Billington | 1-4, RBI

Asbury will meet Oakland City on Wednesday in Wilmore, Ky., at 3 pm. The winner moves onto the championship game. 


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