University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Baseball Travels to Gardner-Webb for Big South Series
03.27.2015 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team goes on the road this weekend as the Bulldogs travel down I-26 for a Big South Conference series at Gardner-Webb starting tonight at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's contests are slated to start at 2 p.m.
All three games can be seen for free on the Big South Network at this link.
The Bulldogs (12-13, 1-5 BSC) enter this weekend with two straight wins as Asheville captured mid-week wins over Tennessee Tech (7-5) and at Wofford (9-2). First-year coach Scott Friedholm may be coaching one of the most improved teams in the nation in 2015. The Bulldogs were just 13-40 in 2014 but could surpass their win total from all of last season with a series win this weekend.
That will not be easy. Gardner-Webb is 15-10 on the year and 4-2 in league play as the Runnin' Bulldogs have won league series against Presbyterian and Winthrop in the first two weekends of the conference season.
“We have a big challenge this weekend against Gardner-Webb. They're playing very good baseball and have great starting pitching,” explained Friedholm. “They compete very well on the mound and have played good baseball all year. We'll need to play well.”
Asheville is scheduled to start right-hander Corey Randall (1-4, 7.22 ERA) tonight, followed by Joe Zayatz (1-4, 4.30 ERA) on Saturday. The Bulldog coaching staff hasn't decided about Sunday at this point.
Joe Zayatz leads the Bulldogs in hitting with a .341 average. Joe Teitjen and Lucas Owens are hitting .329 for the Blue & White. Hunter Bryant is getting the job done with power numbers. He leads Asheville with five homers and 16 RBIs.
The Bulldogs are 4-4 against Gardner-Webb in their last eight meetings. Asheville won the series against the Runnin' Bulldogs last season at Greenwood Field, winning 4-3 and 5-1 and falling, 7-6.
BULLDOG NOTES
Asheville is 7-0 in mid-week games this year.
Hunter Bryant is fourth in the Big South in home runs with five.
Nick Schavone is tied for first in the Big South in saves with five.
Asheville is 8-4 in one or two-run games this season.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 on the road so far this year but will play their next eight games in enemy territory.
Tommy Houmard has reached base in 13 straight games.
Four of the last seven games between Gardner-Webb and UNC Asheville have been one-run contests.
