University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldog Baseball Faces Gardner-Webb Starting Thursday
05.19.2010 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville baseball team will finish the regular season with three crucial Big South Conference games against Gardner-Webb at McCormick Field starting on Thursday at 1 p.m. The series continues on Friday at 1 p.m. and concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. All three games will be audio-streamed and can be heard at www.uncabulldogs.com.
The Bulldogs (15-33, 8-16 BSC) moved into eighth place in the Big South Conference standings last weekend with a three-game sweep of Charleston Southern at McCormick Field. The Bulldogs moved 1 ½ games in front of the Buccaneers (17-34, 6-17 BSC) for the final spot in next week's Big South Conference Tournament at Winthrop. Only the top eight teams get to go to the tournament. Asheville's magic number to clinch a berth in the tournament is two. Any combination of two Bulldog wins or CSU losses puts Asheville into the tournament. Tom Smith's club could move up to seventh place with two wins over the Runnin' Bulldogs (23-27, 9-15 BSC).
"We did a great job last weekend against Charleston Southern, and we're going to have to play even better against Gardner-Webb," stated Smith. "Our pitching is going to have to be really good this weekend. Gardner-Webb really hits the ball and has posted some impressive wins this season. They've got a good team and like us they have plenty to play for this weekend."
Asheville played on Tuesday at Tennessee and led 3-0 behind the pitching of Drew Spear. The freshman left-hander didn't allow any hits for four innings before coming out of the game after the fourth. UT rallied against Asheville's bullpen to win 12-3.
"I really like the way Drew Spear threw at Tennessee," commented Smith. "He's a freshman who has gotten better as the year has gone on this season."
NOTING THE BULLDOGS
1. UNC Asheville has won three BSC series this year for the first time since the 2006 season when the Bulldogs also won three series.
2. Justin Schumer continues to lead the Bulldogs in just about every offensive category. He leads in average (.362), hits (63), runs scored (33), RBI (32), home runs (7), slugging % (.580) and on-base % (.437).
3. Asheville is 9-6 against left-handed starters this year. The Bulldogs are hitting .305 against left-handed pitchers this season.
4. Asheville has more overall wins (15) than last year (9). They have more BSC wins (8) than last year (5). They also have more road wins (8) than last season (3).
5. The Big South went 1-10 against Southern Conference juggernaut College of Charleston Southern this season. The Cougars knocked off #4 ranked Coastal Carolina twice this season. The one BSC victory came courtesy of UNC Asheville back on Feb. 26 when the Bulldogs routed the Cougars 18-8 at Patriots Point.
