University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Charleston Southern
Bulldogs Drop Series Finale at Charleston Southern Sunday Afternoon
04.17.2016 | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
Scores: Charleston Southern 9 – Asheville 7
Teams: Asheville (12-25, 4-8 BSC)
Charleston Southern (15-21, 3-9 BSC)
Location: CSU Ballpark / Charleston, S.C.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Visiting UNC Asheville left two runners on base in the top of the ninth as the Bulldogs fell 9-7 to Charleston Southern on Sunday afternoon. Asheville did win the series with victories in the opening two contests in Charleston and has now won two Big South Conference series in a row.
THE TURNING POINT
With the two tying runs on base with two outs in the top of the ninth, CSU reliever Wil Hartsell was able to use his foot to knock down Scott Kobos' ground ball that appeared to be up the middle to plate a run, instead deflecting the ball in front of him and throwing to first for the final out.
NOTABLES
-The Bulldogs finished with 12 total hits, as four players – Lucas Owens, Kyle Carruthers, Joe Tietjen and Derek Smith – all tallied two hits. Owens, along with Justin Woods and Carmine Pagano, each drove in two runs.
-Asheville starter Austin Fahr was saddled with his first loss after allowing six runs on seven hits over 1 2/3 innings. Three relievers combined to allow three runs on six hits over the final 6 1/3 innings.
-CSU jumped ahead with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning that was quickly answered by Owens' two-run single to give the Bulldogs the lead in the top of the second. The hosts responded with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a two-run double and two-run single, to take a four run lead.
-CSU added to the advantage with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on another two-run double to extend the lead before Asheville answered back. In the fifth, the Bulldogs combined for five runs on five hits, including a pair of two-run singles from Woods and Pagano, to cut the deficit to one run.
-The hosts plated what proved to be the final run of the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single that turned into an interesting double play turned by Asheville on a pair of CSU base running mistakes on the play.
-Asheville stranded one runner in both the seventh and eighth frames before setting up the two on, two out situation in the top of the ninth.
-With the victories on Friday and Saturday, Asheville earned its second Big South series win of the season. The last time Asheville won multiple BSC series in a season was during the 2012 campaign, when it won four conference series.
UP NEXT
-Following today's loss, Asheville remains on the road and travels to regional rival Western Carolina on Tuesday night before returning home to Greenwood Field for a three-game weekend series with Winthrop beginning on Friday night.
