University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
High Point
Big Bats Push Bulldogs to Friday Night Win
05.08.2015 | Baseball
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team scored in six different innings and saw starting pitcher Joe Zayatz turn in seven strong frames as the Bulldogs grabbed a 13-6 win over High Point on Friday night.
The teams continue the series at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Live stats are available through this link, and live video can be seen on the Big South Network via this link.
The Bulldogs (21-28, 5-14 Big South Conference) jumped out to a quick four-run lead over the first two innings and led 9-2 after five innings en route to their 13 total hits. High Point (23-23, 10-9 BSC) saw starter John McGillicuddy allow nine runs in just four innings as Asheville jumped out in front and never looked back.
The middle of the lineup paced the Bulldogs at the plate, as Lucas Owens, Tommy Houmard and Hunter Bryant combined for seven hits and four RBI. Owens led the charge, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBI and a home run, while Houmard (RBI) and Bryant each tallied two hits. Brett Milazzo added two hits and two RBI of his own in the win as well.
Zayatz allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned) over his seven inning performance, striking out a pair of High Point batters on his way to improving to 3-6 on the year.
Asheville got on the board with two runs on three hits, all coming with two outs, in the top of the first inning. A High Point error brought in Houmard for the first run before Derek Smith drove in the second run later in the frame.
The visitors added two more runs an inning later on Owens' two-run homer over the right field wall to post a 4-0 lead before the Panthers finally responded with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the third inning.
The Bulldogs extended their lead with three runs in the fourth, all again coming with two outs, highlighted by RBI singles from Owens and Houmard. They then added two more runs on Milazzo's two-out single in the fifth to push the advantage to 9-2.
Asheville added a single run on Woods' solo homer in the top of the seventh inning before High Point plated three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame via four hits to pull to within five runs.
The Dogs put the game out of reach with three final runs in the ninth on a wild pitch and a two-run single by Erik Connolly to wrap things up.
The two teams continue the weekend series tomorrow afternoon with a 6 p.m. first pitch. Freshman Jordan Fulbright (5-1) will start for the Bulldogs and Conor Lourey (2-1) will get the nod for High Point.
