WILMORE, Ky. — Behind an explosive start at the plate and a dominant outing on the mound from junior mathematics-engineering major Ryan Yates, Asbury baseball (11-17, 6-4 CCS) powered past RV Piedmont (18-9, 5-2 CCS) in an 11-1 victory on Thursday evening at Cecil Zweifel Field.
The Lions entered the game atop the conference standings, riding a six-game winning streak while also receiving votes in the ABCA Coaches Top 25 poll.
The Eagles wasted no time setting the tone, erupting for three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Josh McNulty got things started with an RBI single, while CJ Hussey and Ben Krza each drove in runs to cap the early surge and give Asbury a 3-0 lead.
Asbury broke the game open in the second, plating four more runs, three of which came with two outs. Hussey delivered the big swing with a two-RBI single, and Cam Weaver followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 7-0.
The Eagles continued to apply pressure in the third inning, adding two more runs on an RBI groundout from Edison Burke and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Billington. With a 9-0 advantage, Asbury stayed aggressive, tacking on single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to push the margin to 11-0.
On the mound, Yates was in complete control. The right-hander tossed a complete game, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out five. He earned his fourth win of the season and his second in five days, both coming in CCS play.
Offensively, Asbury tallied 12 hits, with multiple players turning in standout performances. Hussey led the way with three RBIs, while McNulty and Billington each recorded two hits and scored twice. Weaver also contributed with a pair of hits and an RBI, as the Eagles capitalized on six Piedmont errors to keep innings alive.
Piedmont's lone run came on a solo home run in the sixth inning off the bat of Carter Few.
The Eagles and Lions square off for game two, tomorrow at 4 PM in Wilmore, Ky.
*
Ryan Yates | 7 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K, W (4-2)
*
Josh McNulty | 2 H, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB
*
Andrew Billington | 2 H, 2 R, RBI
*
CJ Hussey | 2 H, 3 RBI, 2 R
*
Cam Weaver | 2 H, RBI, BB, 2B
* Our vision is to serve, train, and compete for the glory of God
* Follow @asburyeagles on Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube
* Watch all TeamAU home games live at Asbury Sports Digital Network.com
* Use the links attached to team schedules to watch live or follow live stats
* Shop AU gear via the "Shop" button at asburyeagles.com or here
