University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Furman
Bulldogs Slip Late Tuesday; Back Home Wednesday Night
05.10.2016 | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
Score: Furman 4 – Asheville 3
Teams: Asheville (15-31, 5-13 BSC)
Furman (23-26, 10-8 SoCon)
Location: Greenwood Field / Asheville, N.C.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Down to its final out, visiting Furman used an RBI single to cut the lead to one run in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night before a two-run single on a ground ball that took a huge hop over the infield forced UNC Asheville to a 4-3 loss at Greenwood Field.
The Bulldogs are back at home and continue the home stand Wednesday night when UNC Greensboro comes to town for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.
Wednesday: LIVE VIDEO (BSN) - LIVE STATS - TWITTER
Probables: TBD (AVL) vs. Bryce Hensley (So. LHP, UNCG)
THE TURNING POINT
Freshman reliever Zach Greene tossed 5 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, retiring 17 Furman batters in a row, including the opening two outs in the ninth inning, before allowing back-to-back singles. Eric Whitecavage came out of the bullpen and Furman used a RBI single down the right field line to pull within one run before what appeared to be a routine groundball towards the shortstop. The ball took a huge hop just at the lip of the infield grass and dirt in front of Derek Smith and jumped into left-center field, allowing two runs to score.
NOTABLES
-Asheville finished with eight hits, including two apiece from Pete Guy, Erik Connolly and Smith, with five of the group's six hits going for extra bases (Guy – two doubles, Smith – one double, Connolly – double and triple).
-Guy opened the bottom of the first inning with his first double of the night to run his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games.
-Bulldog starter Spencer Orr allowed one hit over the first three innings with three strikeouts in what had been scheduled to be a staff day for the Asheville pitching staff. Greene came in and continued to eat up innings, not allowing a hit over his first 5 2/3 while striking out five batters before his two hits in the ninth. Whitecavage was saddled with the loss after allowing the three runs to score (first two charged to Greene), including the eventual game-winner.
-Asheville got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Smith's RBI single brought home Alex Baratta, who had walked earlier in the frame. Furman tied the game for the moment in the top of the third via a wild pitch before the Bulldogs jumped ahead again in the bottom of the third on Joe Tietjen's sacrifice fly to plate Kyle Carruthers, who singled and then advanced to third on an errant Furman pick-off attempt.
-The game remained a one-run Asheville lead until the fifth, when Connolly connected on his one-out triple into right-center field and then scored moments later via a wild pitch.
-That appeared to be all the offense the Bulldogs would need as Greene continued to cruise all the way into the ninth, when back-to-back two out singles up the middle ended his night. Furman cut the deficit to one on the single down the right field line before the two-run single gave the visitors the lead for good.
-In the bottom of the ninth, Asheville saw Guy connect on his second double of the game with two outs before Carruthers' groundout wrapped the night up.
UP NEXT
-Following tonight's loss, the Bulldogs are back at home Wednesday night, hosting UNC Greensboro with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Asheville then hosts Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb over the weekend, with Senior Day activities taking place prior to Saturday afternoon's game.
