University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
UNC Wilmington
Late Run Pushes UNCW Past Bulldogs on Saturday
04.03.2015 | Baseball
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team jumped out to an early lead on Friday night but saw host UNC Wilmington score four of the games' final five runs on the way to a 4-3 victory at Brooks Field.
The Bulldogs (15-16) plated two runs in the top of the second inning to grab the advantage before the Seahawks (20-8) scored the next four runs. Asheville plated a run in the top of the eighth inning to make things interesting, but were retired in order in the ninth frame to finish the night off.
Live video of tomorrow's series finale can be seen for free through UNC Wilmington by accessing this link. Live stats will be available for each game at this link.
Hunter Bryant finished with two of Asheville's five total hits, while Tommy Houmard reached base for the 19th consecutive game with his second inning single. Kyle Towles and Erik Connolly both added hits, while Tanner Bush and Justin Woods each collected an RBI.
Left-hander Lucas Clarke (3-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with five walks in his 4 1/3 innings of work.
Bush drew a bases loaded walk to push across the first Bulldog run in the second inning, followed moments later by Woods' sacrifice fly to bring home Houmard, to give the visitors the early lead.
UNCW cut into the lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI sacrifice fly of their own before taking the lead for good with two runs in the fifth via a bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly. An RBI single by Kennard McDowell in the sixth frame proved to be key for the Seahawks, part of his three-hit night.
Asheville used a Bryant RBI single in the top of the eighth to pull within a run, but Bulldogs grounded into a double play to end the eighth and were sat down in order in the ninth as the hosts held on for the win.
The teams conclude the series on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
