University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Winthrop
Bulldogs Drop Pair to Winthrop on Saturday
04.19.2015 | Baseball
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team grabbed an early lead in both games Saturday, but dropped both contests on the road in a Big South Conference doubleheader at Winthrop.
The Bulldogs (16-24, 3-12 Big South Conference) led 2-0 in game one before Winthrop (27-14, 7-8 BSC) plated six runs in the bottom of the second inning and never looked back. Game two saw Asheville score three runs in the third inning to take the lead, but the hosts answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to tie things up before a three-run fourth inning gave the Eagles the lead for good.
The opening game saw Joe Tietjen and Justin Woods each collect two hits, while four Bulldogs – Pete Guy, Tommy Houmard, Erik Connolly and Lucas Owens – all drove in one run in the loss.
Asheville starter Lucas Clarke fell to 3-6 on the year with the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) and three walks and one Winthrop hit as he was unable to get out of the second inning.
Houmard's RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning, coupled with Connolly's RBI double in the second inning, gave the Bulldogs the early 2-0 lead before Winthrop plated six runs in the bottom of the second inning, highlighted by a three-run double.
Asheville chipped away with a single run in the fifth on Guy's RBI single, answered right back with a Winthrop solo homer in the bottom of the inning. Owen's RBI single in the top of the sixth cut the deficit to 7-4, but Winthrop got a run in the sixth and five runs in the seventh, highlighted by a grand slam, to put the game out of reach for good.
The Bulldogs saw Houmard, Woods and Hunter Bryant combine for seven of their 12 total hits in the game two loss, with starter Jordan Fulbright (4-1) saddled with his first loss of the season. Fulbright allowed six runs (four earned) and nine hits in three innings of work.
Asheville took a three run lead in the third inning on a Houmard RBI double, followed up by Bryant's two-run homer, only to see Winthrop respond with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame.
The Eagles added three runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and sixth to stretch the lead out. Woods collected and RBI single in the eighth and Tanner Bush hit a solo home run in the ninth, but it was not enough as Winthrop was able to sweep the series.
Asheville returns home to Greenwood Field for a five-game home stand beginning on Tuesday night when the Bulldogs welcome North Carolina Central to town for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
