University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
USC Upstate
USC Upstate Rallies Past UNC Asheville 9-6
04.14.2010 | Baseball
The Bulldogs (11-18) led 5-0 after three innings and 6-1 after seven innings but four Asheville errors and some clutch hits by the Spartans allowed the visitors to get the victory.
Asheville was led at the plate by freshman catcher Ian Graham with a 4-for-5 performance. Justin Schumer went 3-for-5 with a double and a solo home run.
Bulldog pitcher Grier Harrington picked up a tough no-decision. The junior right-hander pitched seven strong innings. He allowed just three hits, one run, struck out four and walked four.
Leading 6-1 in the eighth inning, the Spartans (11-27) struck for four runs to cut the lead to 6-5. Two Asheville errors and four hits got the visitors to one run.
In the ninth, Joe Barnes singled to open the inning for USCS, Jimmy Tanner doubled to right field to put runners on second and third. An error at first base off the bat of Blake Green loaded the bases with nobody out.
Tyler Cook then sent a ground-ball to short that was misplayed for an error as two runs scored for a 7-6 Upstate lead. With two outs, Jeff Medley drove in two runs with a double to right-field to push the lead to 9-6.
The Bulldogs jumped in front in the first inning when Schumer hit his team-leading fifth homer of the year for a 1-0 Asheville lead.
The home team added a run in the second on a RBI-single from Catlin Carter to pad the lead to 2-0.
The Bulldogs increased the lead to 5-0 in the third with three runs. Schumer opened the inning with a double. He quickly came home on Graham's run-scoring single. Mike Vaughn followed with a run-scoring double to push the lead to 4-0. Cody Buch added a sacrifice fly to give the Dogs a 5-0 margin.
Leading 5-1 in the seventh, the Bulldogs got their final run on Derrick Hopkins' run-scoring single.
UNC Asheville gets back in action on Friday when it begins a three-game home series with Winthrop at McCormick Field starting at 3 p.m.
