Mattison and DeRatt Star Tuesday Night at McCormick Field

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? Two former UNC Asheville baseball players squared off on Tuesday night at McCormick Field when the Asheville Tourists hosted the Greensboro Grasshoppers in the home opener for the Tourists.

Former outfielder Kevin Mattison started in center field for Greensboro, while former pitcher Alan DeRatt came on in relief for Asheville.

Mattison made an impact on the Grasshoppers' 7-5 win over the Tourists both at the start and end of the game.

Mattison was the Grasshoppers lead-off hitter. He opened the game with a walk, stole second and later scored on a base hit.

In the third inning, Mattison reached on an infield single and scored his second run of the game on a ground-out.

Greensboro led 4-1 when DeRatt entered the game in the top of the fourth and helped the home team close the gap.

The 2008 Big South Pitcher of the Year pitched two scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out three. One of his strikeout victims was Mattison in the bottom of the fourth.

It was DeRatt's second appearance of the year and his ERA stands at 0.00 in 4.1 innings of work in the young season.

The Tourists closed to 4-3 before Greensboro scored three times in the sixth to build the lead back to 7-3. Mattison drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to help spark the Grasshopper uprising.

Asheville rallied to make it 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning and had the go-ahead run at the plate with two outs. Tourists' slugger Bo Bowman sent a long fly ball to deep center fielder that looked like it might go out of the park until Mattison made a sensational catch to end the game and give the visitors the victory.

The teams play a double-header Wednesday at McCormick Field starting at 5:30 p.m. They finish the series on Thursday at 7 p.m.