University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
High Point
Bulldogs Drop Close Contest to High Point Sunday
03.20.2016 | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
Scores: High Point 6 – Asheville 4
Teams: Asheville (4-15, 0-3 BSC)
High Point (15-5, 3-0 BSC)
Location: Greenwood Field / Asheville, N.C.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A tie game into the seventh inning, visiting High Point posted single runs in the top of the seventh and ninth frames to hand UNC Asheville a 6-4 loss as the Panthers swept the Big South Conference opening series Sunday afternoon.
THE TURNING POINT
Down two runs, the Bulldogs responded with a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 lead before High Point answered with a two-run sixth inning to tie the score. In that sixth frame, High Point totaled three hits on the way to the two runs to tie the game.
NOTABLES
-Joe Tietjen and Kyle Carruthers (double) each finished with two hits as the Bulldogs totaled seven overall hits. Carruthers added two RBI and both Tietjen and Carmine Pagano drove in one run each.
-Asheville starter Parker Swindell did not factor into the decision, exiting in a tie game after tossing four innings and allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Reliever Justin Woods was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings of work.
-Carson Jackson led the way for High Point, finishing as the only player on either side to record three hits, while reliever Tyler Britton earned the win after five innings of relief with seven strikeouts.
-High Point used a pair of RBI singles to take the lead in the top of the fourth inning before the Bulldogs answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Lucas Owens opened the frame with a leadoff single and Pete Guy walked before Carruthers delivered his two-out, two-run double to deep right-center field to tie the game.
-The Bulldogs took the lead in the fifth, using Pagano's perfectly placed squeeze bunt to score Alex Baratta before Tietjen tallied an RBI single down the left field line to push the advantage to two runs.
-High Point responded in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out before a sacrifice fly cut the deficit to one run. Later in the frame the Panthers tied the game again with an RBI single back up the middle.
-The visitors took the lead in the seventh with a one-out sacrifice fly as Asheville managed just one combined baserunner in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. High Point added to the lead in the ninth on Jackson's RBI triple but the Bulldogs were able to leave the bases loaded to end the inning.
-In the Bulldog ninth, Carruthers opened the frame with a single before a pair of strikeouts. A single by pinch hitter Erik Connolly brought the winning run to the plate, but Pagano flew out down the right field line to end the afternoon.
UP NEXT
-Following today's loss, the Bulldogs hit the road for four games next week, beginning Tuesday afternoon at Appalachian State. Asheville starts a three-game conference series at Liberty Thursday.
