University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
North Carolina Central
Bulldogs Drop Series Finale to N.C. Central on Sunday
04.10.2016 | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
Score: N.C. Central 6 – Asheville 2
Teams: Asheville (9-24, 2-7 BSC)
N.C. Central (17-18, 5-7 MEAC)
Location: Greenwood Field / Asheville, N.C.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Visiting North Carolina Central's three-run third inning proved to be the difference on Sunday afternoon, as UNC Asheville dropped the series finale by a 6-2 score at home in non-conference action.
THE TURNING POINT
The Bulldogs were held hitless and without a baserunner until a walk and a single in the fourth inning. Asheville then left nine men on base throughout the rest of the afternoon – including leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and then two runners on in both the fifth and sixth as they tried to mount a comeback.
NOTABLES
-The Bulldogs were led by senior Lucas Owens, who finished with three of Asheville's seven total hits, while Kyle Carruthers (1-for-4) and Scott Kobos drove in the hosts' runs. Pete Guy drew his 39th walk of the season to keep pace at the top of the national category.
-Starting pitcher Spencer Orr was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) in three innings of work along with four hits and three walks. Reliever Tyler Hughes kept the Bulldogs in the game, allowing just two hits over three innings out of the bullpen in the middle innings.
-North Carolina Central got on the board with a two-out error in the top of the first when Orr's pickoff attempt sailed up the left field line before the visitors added a second run an inning later via another throwing error from the Bulldogs.
-In the three-run third inning, Central used a two-run double down the right field line to extend the lead before adding a third run on an RBI single later in the frame.
-Asheville plated a run in the bottom of the sixth when Danny Wilson led off with a walk and later scored on Kobos' sacrifice fly before the Bulldogs left a pair of runners stranded. They cut into the lead with another run in the bottom of the eighth when Joe Tietjen opened the frame with a single and scored on a double play ground out later in the inning.
-North Carolina Central capped the weekend with a final run in the ninth, using a leadoff single and a groundout to bring the game to its final score.
UP NEXT
-Following today's loss, the Bulldogs remain at home for a Tuesday midweek contest against East Tennessee State before stepping back into Big South action when they head to the South Carolina coast for a three-game weekend series at Charleston Southern next weekend.
