University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Western Carolina
Bulldogs Rally Past Catamounts, 7-4
04.12.2011 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Ian Graham drove in four runs to lead UNC Asheville to 7-4 non-conference win over Western Carolina Tuesday night at McCormick Field.
The sophomore catcher went 2-for-4 with as he had a two-run single in the fourth inning and two-run double in the eighth inning. Sophomore Robert McIntosh, who pitched the first three innings for the Bulldogs went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a RBI.
The win by Asheville (12-20) completed a two-game series sweep over the Catamounts (13-17-1). It marked the first time the Bulldogs have ever swept WCU in a season series.
"We did a good job battling back tonight," commented Asheville coach Tom Smith. "Our pitching did a nice job keeping us in the game and then shutting them (Western Carolina) down the final four innings.
The victory went to Asheville reliever Dean Roland (1-0) who pitched two innings, giving up three runs but all of them were unearned. Carson McLean, Ethan Steible, Rene Martinez and David Ricker pitched the final four innings and did not allow a WCU run. Ricker got the final three outs in the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
The Catamounts had 13 hits in the game as Ross Heffley led the visitors with three hits, a double and an RBI. However, WCU left 11 men on base, including seven in the first four innings.
Western Carolina opened the scoring in the third inning on Heffley's RBI-double.
The Bulldogs rallied in the fourth inning with three runs. WCU starter Taylor Sandefur cruised through the first three innings, allowing just one hit. He quickly ran into trouble in the fourth. McIntosh led off with an infield single. Grant Gajdosz doubled to left-center to put runners on second and third. Danny Baatz followed with an RBI-double to knot the score at 1-1.
After a strikeout to Patrick Kootnz for the first out of the inning, Graham laced a two-run single to left field, scoring two runs for a 3-1 Asheville lead.
WCU came right back in the fifth as it scored three unearned runs to take a 4-3 lead. Three different Catamounts had RBI's in the inning, but WCU had two runners thrown out at plate.
Asheville came right back in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good. Catlin Carter opened the inning with a double. One out later, McIntosh's infield single tied the game at 4-4. McIntosh scored the go-ahead run on Patrick Koontz's single to right-field for a 5-4 Bulldog lead.
The Bulldogs picked up some insurance runs in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Graham's two-run double down the right-field line gave Asheville a 7-4 advantage.
In the ninth inning, Heffley led off with a single against Martinez. Ricker replaced Martinez and got the final three outs to give the Bulldogs their fifth straight win at McCormick Field dating back to last season.
UNC Asheville travels to Wofford College Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. game with the Terriers.
