University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Monmouth
Baseball Slips Against Monmouth on Friday Afternoon
02.26.2016 | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
Score: Monmouth 8 – Asheville 7
Teams: Asheville (1-3, 0-0 BSC)
Monmouth (2-3, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: Wofford College / Spartanburg, S.C.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Monmouth scored six of the game's final seven runs – including two in the bottom of the ninth – as UNC Asheville opened its three-game weekend in Spartanburg with a 8-7 loss Friday afternoon.
THE TURNING POINT
Down five runs with two at-bats remaining, Monmouth drew five walks, tallied three hits and were aided by three Asheville errors over the eighth and ninth innings in the comeback.
NOTABLES
-The Monmouth comeback spoiled a tremendous start for Bulldog right-hander Joe Zayatz, who left with a lead after tossing seven innings and allowing just two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven batters.
-Three Bulldog relievers combined to allow six runs, five walks and three hits over the final two innings.
-Lucas Owens finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, while Pete Guy had two hits – both home runs – and three total RBIs.
-Danny Wilson and Kyle Carruthers each collected doubles for the only other Bulldog extra-base hits. As a team, Asheville drew six walks but left 14 men on base.
-The Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a pair of two-run homers by Guy in the fifth and sixth innings, but Asheville left the bases loaded to end the fifth and then stranded another runner to cap the sixth frame.
-Monmouth got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer of their own before Asheville answered with an Owens RBI single back up the middle in the seventh inning and Carruthers' RBI double in the top of the eighth to push back out to a four-run advantage.
-In the bottom of the eighth inning, Monmouth plated four runs, with the runs scoring via a wild pitch, a pair of errors and an RBI single. Three of the four baserunners reached on walks before coming around to score.
-Monmouth used back-to-back RBI singles into center field to tie the game and then complete the comeback in the bottom of the ninth. The two final baserunners who scored reached on a walk and on an error.
QUOTABLES FROM HEAD COACH SCOTT FRIEDHOLM
On the game – “Joe Zayatz threw a great game and competed to get out of a few tough spots. He had three pitches working today and was able to get guys to chase late in the count. Pete Guy and Lucas Owens had great days at the plate for us. With a five-run lead in the eighth inning, our bullpen has to come in and throw strikes. We walked five guys and made three errors in the last two innings. Good teams will make you pay, and Monmouth did just that.”
UP NEXT
-Following today's loss, the Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday afternoon at noon against Rider in a game that will be played at USC Upstate.
