Bulldogs Blank Akron 5-0

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? UNC Asheville got great pitching and some clutch hitting to record a 5-0 win over Akron in college baseball action at a cold and windy Greenwood Field Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (3-3) received stellar starting pitching from starter Alan DeRatt (2-0). The senior right-hander tossed seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits. He walked four and struck out three. DeRatt did not allow an Akron base-runner to get to third base. In two starts and 14 innings pitched this year, he has not allowed a run and given up just two hits.

Asheville got a two-run homer from Kevin Mattison in the third inning to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Catlin Carter's two-run single in the eighth gave the home team some insurance runs.

Reliever Chris Brookey got the Zips out in order in the eighth before turning the ball over to closer Justin Schummer in the ninth. Akron loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth but the sophomore right-hander was able to get a strike out and a double-play to preserve the shutout.

Akron (2-3) was led at the plate by Kevin Haas, who had two of the Zips three hits on the day. Starter Frank Turocy (1-1) pitched well in defeat as he scattered six hits and allowed three runs, two earned in six innings of work. He struck out three and walked two.

The Bulldogs scored an unearned run in the first inning. Kevin Wiedenbacher led off with a single. He moved to third on two ground-outs. Elliott Arrington then hit a roller in front of the plate. Akron catcher Kurt Davidson made a good throw to first base but Zips first baseman Doug McNulty came off the bag when trying to tag the base. Arrington was safe and Widenbacher scored to give Asheville a 1-0 lead.

In the third, Wiedenbacher singled with one out and Mattison hit his first homer of the year over the center-field wall for a 3-0 lead.

The Bulldogs got insurance in the eighth as two walks and a single from Danny Baatz loaded the bases. With two outs, Carter singled sharply to left that plated two more Asheville runs and a 5-0 lead.

Wiedenbacher had three of Asheville's eight hits. Schummer had two hits for the Bulldogs.

The teams play the second of their three-game series at Greenwood Field Saturday afternoon starting at 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Elliott Arrington

Danny Baatz

Chris Brookey

Catlin Carter

Alan DeRatt

Kevin Mattison

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics