University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldog Nine Hosts ETSU on Tuesday
04.09.2012 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville baseball team's final home game for 10 days is on Tuesday at Greenwood Field when the Bulldogs host East Tennessee State at 3 p.m.
Asheville (15-18) is coming off an 11-6 win over Charleston Southern in the second game of a Big South Conference double-header on Saturday. The victory allowed the Bulldog to salvage a game in a very frustrating three-game series this past weekend. On Friday, Asheville and CSU were tied 1-1 in the top of the ninth inning before the Buccaneers scored five times to go to win 6-1.
In Saturday's first game, the Bucs and Bulldogs were tied 2-2 in the top of the 10th inning but CSU scored eight times en route to a 10-2 victory.
"This past weekend's series was very frustrating series but the bats got going in the third game against Charleston Southern and maybe they'll be going for a while now," commented Bulldog coach Tom Smith. "We had very good starting pitching in those first two games, and you hate not to get wins in those games. "
Asheville looks to end a frustrating losing streak to ETSU (15-14). The Bulldogs have lost seven straight to ETSU over the past seven years, including a 3-1 decision in Johnson City on March 20.
After the ETSU game, the Bulldogs hit the road for their five games, including a date with national power UNC Chapel Hill Wednesday night and a three-game BSC series at Campbell April 13-14. The Dogs next home series will be with Big South leader Liberty at Greenwood Field (April 20-22).
"We've got some tough games coming up and they're on the road," commented Smith. "Hopefully, we can get some consistent hitting going with our pitching and find ways to win some of these close games."
BULLDOG NOTES
The Bulldogs are 9-6 at home this season.
Asheville is 2-2 in extra inning games this year.
The Dogs are 0-13 when scoring two or less runs.
Asheville is 7-0 when it hits a home run.
The Bulldogs top two hitters are freshman in Aaron Wright (.345) and Hunter Bryant (.330). Wright carries a five-game hitting streak into Tuesday's action.
Asheville's next win will give the Bulldogs more victories than they had all of last year (15-37).
The Bulldog program on Wednesday will try to get a win against another ACC team when Asheville plays at UNC Chapel Hill. The Bulldogs own 11 wins over ACC clubs and have earned victories against Wake Forest (5), Duke (2), Maryland (2), Florida State (1) and N.C. State (1) in previous years. Asheville's last win against an ACC team came in 2008 when the Bulldogs downed Wake Forest 12-6 in Winston-Salem.
