Posted by Jay Stancil - Thu, May 14, 2009 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 568 times
Box Score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Senior Josh Ehringer clubbed his 31st career home run to set the program record, however it was not enough as Union College fell 6-3 to Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) Thursday in the 2009 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round, eliminating the Bulldogs from the postseason.

Union finishes the season 44-12 overall, setting the program record for best winning percentage in a season at .786.

Trailing 2-0 going into the sixth, Union put together a three-run rally for a 3-2 advantage. Kenny Kysar (Corbin, Ky.) scored on a Joe Grinstead (Bowling Green, Ky.) single. Ehringer (Somerset, Ky.) then followed with a two-run blast over the left-center field wall to give Union a one-run lead.

But AUM put together a four-run in the bottom of the seventh to claim a 6-3 edge. Cody Shields tripled in a run to tie the game at 3-3. Shields scored the go-ahead run on a groundout. Clay Booth added a two-run double to give the Senators a 6-3 cushion.

AUM starting pitcher Jeffrey Van Fossen took care of the rest, tossing a complete game and allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts to improve his record to 6-0.

Bulldog starter Adam Snyder (Knoxville, Tenn.) pitched well in the no-decision, allowing three earned run on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Chris Daniels (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) suffered the loss, giving up three earned runs on five hits and one walk with one strikeout, dropping him to 5-2 on the year.

Ehringer led the team offensively in going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

For AUM, Shields posted the way with a 3-for-5 performance with two doubles, a triple, two runs scored and a RBI. Bruce Alter helped out in going 2-of-4 with a run scored.

The loss ends the career for nine Bulldog seniors - Ehringer, Kysar, Grinstead, Chaz Bargo (Artemus, Ky.), Kris Mills (Barbourville, Ky.), Russell Logsdon (Bowling Green, Ky.), Sam Creasy (Barbourville, Ky.), Lioney Henriquez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Lance Dougherty (Canyon, Texas).

These seniors set numerous individual and team records and finish as the winningest class in program history with 186 victories over the past four seasons.

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