University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, February 17
Birmingham, AL
5 PM
UNC Asheville
0-1
2
at
6
Samford
1-0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UNC Asheville
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
2
5
1
Samford
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
X
6
7
0
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Baseball Falls 6-2 at Samford in Season-Opener
02.17.2017 | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Despite edging out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, the young UNC Asheville baseball team fell 6-2 at Samford Friday evening in the season-opener for both teams.
In the top of the sixth, freshman Brandon Lankford broke through for Asheville, sending a single RBI through the right side to score sophomore shortstop Carmine Pagano. Earlier in the game, Lankford also recorded the visiting Bulldogs' first hit of the season. The visiting Bulldogs forced two pitching changes in the sixth frame and also loaded the bases before Kyle Stuart and the Samford defense got out of the jam.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Samford took its first lead of the night on back-to-back one-out single RBIs followed by a two-RBI double to go up 4-1. Ayrton Schafer then homered and gave Samford a 6-1 lead.
The Bulldogs managed to score one more run in the eighth when freshman Chris Troost drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk. However, that was as close as Asheville would come to recording the season-opening win.
Pagano and Lankford both recorded two hits in the game, each going 2-for-5. Pagano scored a run as did freshman Kole Harris. The Asheville Bulldogs registered five hits on the night while Samford finished the game with seven.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Greg Gasparro earned the start on opening day, marking the first time in at least 10 years that a freshman and a left-hander have started on the mound for UNC Asheville. The southpaw went 4.0 innings and struck out three batters while earning a no decision. Junior right-hander Nick Boyles was saddled with the loss.
McCord got the start on the mound for Samford, but it was Stuart's 0.1 inning that earned him the win.
BULLDOG BITES
BREAKING THE TREND: When freshman left-handed pitcher Greg Gasparro got the start Friday in the season-opener, it was the first time in at least 10 years that a freshman had started for UNC Asheville. It also broke a streak of at least 10 years where a right-hander started the first game of the season. Gasparro had an admirable debut, going 4.0 innings, striking out three batters and not giving up a single run.
FRESHMEN CARRYING THE LOAD: Four freshmen started the season-opener for Asheville Friday evening. Brandon Lankford recorded the first hit and the first RBI of the season for the Bulldogs while Greg Gasparro recorded the first strikeout of the season for the Bulldog pitchers. Also earning starts as freshmen were Kole Harris and Chris Troost, who drew a two-out walk in the top of the eighth inning with the bases loaded.
TOMORROW'S STARTERS: Redshirt sophomore right-hander Ryan Tapp will get the start for Asheville tomorrow. Samford will throw right-hander Mikhail Cazenave.
UP NEXT
The battle of the Bulldogs continues Saturday, Feb. 18 with a 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time first pitch. The two will then close out the series on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
QUOTABLES
"We played well for eight innings, today. We gave a good team an opening in the seventh inning with a leadoff hit batter and then an error on a sacrifice bunt. Samford took advantage of our two mistakes and won the game. We had several newcomers play well tonight. We need to keep that in mind and play a solid game tomorrow." – Scott Friedholm
In the top of the sixth, freshman Brandon Lankford broke through for Asheville, sending a single RBI through the right side to score sophomore shortstop Carmine Pagano. Earlier in the game, Lankford also recorded the visiting Bulldogs' first hit of the season. The visiting Bulldogs forced two pitching changes in the sixth frame and also loaded the bases before Kyle Stuart and the Samford defense got out of the jam.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Samford took its first lead of the night on back-to-back one-out single RBIs followed by a two-RBI double to go up 4-1. Ayrton Schafer then homered and gave Samford a 6-1 lead.
The Bulldogs managed to score one more run in the eighth when freshman Chris Troost drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk. However, that was as close as Asheville would come to recording the season-opening win.
Pagano and Lankford both recorded two hits in the game, each going 2-for-5. Pagano scored a run as did freshman Kole Harris. The Asheville Bulldogs registered five hits on the night while Samford finished the game with seven.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Greg Gasparro earned the start on opening day, marking the first time in at least 10 years that a freshman and a left-hander have started on the mound for UNC Asheville. The southpaw went 4.0 innings and struck out three batters while earning a no decision. Junior right-hander Nick Boyles was saddled with the loss.
McCord got the start on the mound for Samford, but it was Stuart's 0.1 inning that earned him the win.
BULLDOG BITES
BREAKING THE TREND: When freshman left-handed pitcher Greg Gasparro got the start Friday in the season-opener, it was the first time in at least 10 years that a freshman had started for UNC Asheville. It also broke a streak of at least 10 years where a right-hander started the first game of the season. Gasparro had an admirable debut, going 4.0 innings, striking out three batters and not giving up a single run.
FRESHMEN CARRYING THE LOAD: Four freshmen started the season-opener for Asheville Friday evening. Brandon Lankford recorded the first hit and the first RBI of the season for the Bulldogs while Greg Gasparro recorded the first strikeout of the season for the Bulldog pitchers. Also earning starts as freshmen were Kole Harris and Chris Troost, who drew a two-out walk in the top of the eighth inning with the bases loaded.
TOMORROW'S STARTERS: Redshirt sophomore right-hander Ryan Tapp will get the start for Asheville tomorrow. Samford will throw right-hander Mikhail Cazenave.
UP NEXT
The battle of the Bulldogs continues Saturday, Feb. 18 with a 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time first pitch. The two will then close out the series on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
QUOTABLES
"We played well for eight innings, today. We gave a good team an opening in the seventh inning with a leadoff hit batter and then an error on a sacrifice bunt. Samford took advantage of our two mistakes and won the game. We had several newcomers play well tonight. We need to keep that in mind and play a solid game tomorrow." – Scott Friedholm
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Baldwin (1-0)
L: Boyles, Nick (0-1)
S: W. Burns (1)
Batting:
2B: Harris, Kole 1
RBI: Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Troost, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Harris, Kole 1
SB: Troost, Chris 1
HBP: Madole, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Fryman 1 ; Mulrine 1 ; Williams 1
HR: Schafer 1
RBI: Edens 1 ; Fucci 1 ; Mulrine 2 ; Schafer 2
SH: Fryman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: T.J. Dixon 1 ; Fryman 1 ; Edens 1 ; Fucci 1 ; Mulrine 1 ; Schafer 1
SB: Tr. Dixon 1
HBP: T.J. Dixon 1 ; Tr. Dixon 1 ; Fucci 1
PO: Crockett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
lf/rf
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF/RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballHighlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville vs Presbyterian (Game 3)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville at Presbyterian (Game 2)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville at Presbyterian (Game 1)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville vs Gardner-Webb (Game 3)
Monday, May 13