Bowling, Adams Dominate as Asbury Sweeps Alice Lloyd

WILMORE, Ky. – Pitching again was the key for the Eagles as the baseball team snapped a four game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep of Alice Lloyd 5-2 and 4-3 on Friday afternoon.  The pitching staff allowed only 15 hits, three walks and five runs in the two games.

Asbury (21-11-2, 10-5 KIAC) nearly had their second complete game of the season in game one as Greg Bowling pitched 6.2 innings allowing eight hits and two runs.  Bowling (3-2) struck out six and walked one, lowering his ERA to 3.32 on the season.

The Eagles built a 3-0 lead with a single run in each of the first, third and fourth innings.  Casey Messner hit is second home run of the season in the third.  Messner also scored in the first after reaching on an error and scoring on Jordan Barker’s RBI single.  Barker led off the fourth with a double and after Travis Martin pinch-ran for him would score on a sacrifice fly by Josh Thigpen.

Alice Lloyd would rally with two in the fifth, collecting four hits including a home run from Kyle Potter.  Asbury would get those runs back in the sixth as Danny Olszowy led off the inning with a triple and immediately scored on a double by Matt Ciolek.  After a sacrifice bunt Mark Deetsch would drive in a run with a double of his own. 

Bowling would have his chance to complete what he started but was pulled with two outs and two on.  Anthony Palmer would close it out to pick up his fourth save by getting Jordan Stumbo to fly out to deep center field.

Gardner Adams would continue the stellar pitching performance by striking out eight in five innings.  Adams (7-2) allowed only three hits and one run while walking two.  Palmer would pick up his second save on the day and fifth overall despite allowing four hits and two runs.

Asbury scored first with two runs in the third as Messner drove in one with a double to left, scoring Aaron Rowe who doubled to lead off the inning.  Messner then stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. 

Alice Lloyd cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the fifth but the Eagles returned the favor by scoring two in the bottom of the inning.  Again Rowe was in the middle of the action; bunting for a hit after Deetsch doubled the lead off the inning.  Josh Cummins lined a ball up the middle to score Deetsch.  Rowe would score on a sacrifice fly from Evan Thomsen.

Asbury and Alice Lloyd will finish their season series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:00 pm.