University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Gardner-Webb
Late Hit Gives Bulldogs Saturday Win
03.28.2015 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team used Erik Connolly's two-run single in the eighth inning to take the lead for good and even their series against Big South foe Gardner-Webb University with a 6-3 victory on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, Asheville first year head coach Scott Friedholm and his squad have now matched their final win total from last season with 13.
Tied at three with two outs and the bases loaded, Connolly sent his single back up the middle to give the Bulldogs (13-14 overall, 2-6 BSC) the lead for good. Asheville went on to add a final insurance run in the top of the ninth for the final margin.
Bulldog starter Joe Zayatz did not factor in the decision despite tossing six solid innings, allowing eight hits and three Gardner-Webb (16-11, 5-3 BSC) runs while striking out three batters.
Freshman Tyler Hughes earned his first collegiate win with his two innings of relief, giving up just one hit with three strikeouts. Nick Schavone notched his sixth save of the campaign with his perfect ninth inning to wrap things up.
A pair of Asheville hitters finished with three hits - Joe Tietjen and Tommy Houmard – with Tietjen getting the scoring started with his leadoff homer in the top of the first inning. Gardner-Webb answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead.
The hosts pushed their lead to three with a single run in the fourth inning via a triple down the right field line that later scored. The Bulldogs knotted things up again in the top of the sixth when Hunter Bryant scored on a passed ball and Tanner Bush brought in the tying run with his RBI single.
Tied at three-all going into the eighth, the Bulldogs used a pair of singles and a walk to set up the two-out situation for Connolly's go-ahead single. Asheville added a final run in the ninth when Kyle Towles singled and later scored on Bryant's RBI base hit into left field.
Asheville looks to grab the series win tomorrow afternoon, scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. Sunday's game can be seen for free on The Big South Network via this link.
