With half of their opening lineup struggling to remain in play, the Maple Leafs traveled to Wilmore, Ky. on Saturday in an attempt to hold their own against Asbury College.
The Asbury Eagles wasted no time opening the double-header by scoring the first run in the bottom of the first inning. The Maple Leafs answered back in the third inning as Matt Fyfe, a junior, stole second and brought a run home to tie the score at one.The Eagles immediately broke the tie and soared through the fourth inning with six runs. The Maple Leafs scored two more runs by Zach Miller, a junior, and Andy Swisher, a first-year, who has recently been struggling due to an injured hamstring.
“[Swisher] was only about 80 percent on Saturday,” said Maple Leafs Coach Josh Keister, “which is tough for a player like him who relies on his foot speed to be effective.”
Despite their efforts, the Leaf’s fate was sealed in game one with a 8-3 loss.
Asbury proved their opener was no fluke by taking the lead in game two with two runs at the bottom of the first inning. The Maple Leafs refused to be shutout as Kraig Miller, a junior, launched the Maple Leafs’ first home run of the season.
According to Keister, Miller has been struggling with a possible tear of the right knee. “Any twisting or bending of the right leg causes instability and pain,” Keister said.
Miller’s home run – which brings his career total to nine – was not enough to sustain the Maple Leafs for the remainding innings, as the Maple Leafs fell 8-1 in the second game.
The Maple Leafs record now sits at 2-14 overall.
The double-header against Concordia University on Tuesday and an anticipated rematch against Asbury College on Thursday were both canceled due to unfavorable weather.
