University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Furman
Bulldogs Power Past Furman for Second Straight Win
04.16.2008 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, S.C.? Danny Baatz hit two of UNC Asheville's four home runs as the Bulldogs pounded out 18 hits and scored 12 straight runs to defeat Furman 13-9 on Wednesday night.
The four home runs hit by the Bulldogs (16-24) were most in a game in over four years. Baatz is the first Bulldogs to hit two home runs in a game since Elliott Arrington hit two at Coastal Carolina on May 19, 2006.
The three, four, five, and six hitters for Asheville went a combined 14-for-21 in the game. Reed Kreiser went 3-for-5 with a home run, Arrington went 4-for-6 with three RBI, Justin Schumer was 4-for-6 with three RBI and Baatz went 3-for-4 with four RBI.
Asheville got on the board first as Reed Kreiser hit his 11th home run of the season with two out in the top of the first to give the Dogs a 1-0 lead.
Furman (20-14) scored two runs in the bottom of the first off Asheville starter Michael Bogaert. Bogaert gave up two runs on one hit walking four batters in his only inning of work. The Paladins then added six runs on just three hits in the second inning highlighted by a Ryan Lee grand slam. It was the third grand slam given up by Asheville pitching this season.
Danny Baatz blasted his second home run of the year in the third inning with Elliott Arrington aboard to cut the deficit to 8-3. The Dogs added another run in the fourth, Kevin Mattison walked, stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch. Kreiser delivered a RBI single for his second RBI of the day to cut the Furman lead in half.
The Dogs tied the game in the sixth. Mattison led off with an infield single and moved up to second base on a failed pick off attempt. Arrington's two out single plated Mattison. Justin Schumer followed with a RBI single and moved to second on an error by the centerfielder. A wild pitch moved him to third base where he scored on Baatz's second home run of the night.
Asheville took the lead with three runs in the seventh. Catlin Carter doubled to lead off the inning, Mattison sacrificed him to third where he would score as Kevin Weidenbacher reached on a fielding error. Schumer tripled home Weidenbacher and Kreiser who had walked to give the Dogs an 11-8 lead.
In the ninth, Kreiser drew a two out walk in front of Arrington's third home run of the season that gave Asheville a five run lead.
The Paladins threatened in the ninth plating one run and loading the bases with one out. Schumer came in and got a strikeout and a ground out to end the game for hist second-straight save and his seventh of the season.
The two teams combined to use 17 pitchers in the game. Asheville used nine hurlers with Chris Brookey (3-0) picking up the win going three scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out five batters. Mason Smith (3-3) took the loss for Furman.
Asheville will begin a three-game series at Coastal Carolina on Friday night at 6 p.m. The game can be seen on the Big South Edge at bigsouthsports.com.
