University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Sunday, February 19
Birmingham, AL
2 PM
UNC Asheville
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Samford
2-1
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9
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H
E
UNC Asheville
0
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6
8
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Samford
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4
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4
10
3
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Bulldog Baseball Claims 6-4 Win Over Samford
02.19.2017 | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UNC Asheville baseball team benefitted from timely hitting from both upperclassmen and underclassmen alike, Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs claimed a 6-4 win over Samford in the series finale.
The Asheville Bulldogs (1-2) notched the first win of the season by scoring single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and two runs in each of the fifth and ninth, answering the call from Samford (2-1), which scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Senior outfielder Joe Tietjen got things going in the top of the fourth for the visiting Bulldogs with a solo home run to right field. It was the first homer of the season for Asheville.
However, the lead didn't last for long as Samford came roaring back in the bottom of the frame with runs scored off a wild pitch, back-to-back home runs and a double.
Despite the blow, Asheville stuck to its game plan and steadily worked over the remaining innings to overcome the deficit.
In the top of the fifth, sophomore Danny Wilson batted in fellow sophomore Carmine Pagano. A few batters later, freshman Brandon Lankford smashed a home run to left field, setting the score at 4-3 in favor of Samford, but setting up a whole new ballgame.
With a new lease on life, the Asheville Bulldogs tied the game up at 4-all in the top of the sixth when Pagano singled to right-center field, scoring redshirt junior Tanner Bush.
The next two and a half innings passed by scoreless, despite both squads putting men on. But in the top of the ninth, Asheville loaded the bases with two outs and redshirt freshman Jake Madole came in to pinch hit. Despite being an underclassman, Madole showed a lot of patience and drew a walk, driving Pagano in for the go-ahead run. Justin Woods followed suit and also drew a walk to score freshman Chris Troost to give the Bulldogs an insurance run.
Troost led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance and one run scored. In total, six different Bulldogs registered a hit while Pagano scored two runs.
Senior left-handed pitcher Spencer Orr got the start on the mound for Asheville and pitched a solid 5.1 innings, including striking out two batters. Freshman Kole Harris came in to record the win and gave up just one hit while striking out the first two batters he faced to pick up his first collegiate win. Woods earned the first Bulldog save of the season, pitching the final frame.
Tristan Wildra was the pitcher of record for Samford, pitching 2.0 innings while giving up two unearned runs.
BULLDOG BITES
FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON: The Asheville Bulldogs recorded the first win of the season Sunday afternoon.
UNDERCLASSMEN CARRYING THE LOAD: While senior Joe Tietjen got things started with a solo homer in the top of the fourth, three freshmen and two sophomores carried the load down the stretch. Freshman Brandon Lankford was the first freshman to record a home run on the season. Fellow true freshman Chris Troost went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and dual threat Kole Harris came on to record the win on the mound with 2.0 innings of pitching. Sophomore Carmine Pagano scored a pair of runs and batted in another while Danny Wilson batted in another run.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPONENTS' MISCUES: Samford committed three errors Sunday afternoon. Off of those three errors, the Asheville Bulldogs scored four unearned runs.
QUOTABLES
"It's nice to get the win today so we can enjoy the bus ride home, but we still have a lot of work to do. We need to do a better job of taking care of the ball and not giving away free bases. It's time for us to get back to work on Tuesday." - Scott Friedholm
UP NEXT
Asheville will continue the season-opening nine-game road stretch this week with four games in Spartanburg, S.C. The Bulldogs will first travel to USC Upstate on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for a 4 p.m. first pitch. Asheville will then play three games at Wofford against Dayton, James Madison and the host Terriers over the span of three days.
The Asheville Bulldogs (1-2) notched the first win of the season by scoring single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and two runs in each of the fifth and ninth, answering the call from Samford (2-1), which scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Senior outfielder Joe Tietjen got things going in the top of the fourth for the visiting Bulldogs with a solo home run to right field. It was the first homer of the season for Asheville.
However, the lead didn't last for long as Samford came roaring back in the bottom of the frame with runs scored off a wild pitch, back-to-back home runs and a double.
Despite the blow, Asheville stuck to its game plan and steadily worked over the remaining innings to overcome the deficit.
In the top of the fifth, sophomore Danny Wilson batted in fellow sophomore Carmine Pagano. A few batters later, freshman Brandon Lankford smashed a home run to left field, setting the score at 4-3 in favor of Samford, but setting up a whole new ballgame.
With a new lease on life, the Asheville Bulldogs tied the game up at 4-all in the top of the sixth when Pagano singled to right-center field, scoring redshirt junior Tanner Bush.
The next two and a half innings passed by scoreless, despite both squads putting men on. But in the top of the ninth, Asheville loaded the bases with two outs and redshirt freshman Jake Madole came in to pinch hit. Despite being an underclassman, Madole showed a lot of patience and drew a walk, driving Pagano in for the go-ahead run. Justin Woods followed suit and also drew a walk to score freshman Chris Troost to give the Bulldogs an insurance run.
Troost led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance and one run scored. In total, six different Bulldogs registered a hit while Pagano scored two runs.
Senior left-handed pitcher Spencer Orr got the start on the mound for Asheville and pitched a solid 5.1 innings, including striking out two batters. Freshman Kole Harris came in to record the win and gave up just one hit while striking out the first two batters he faced to pick up his first collegiate win. Woods earned the first Bulldog save of the season, pitching the final frame.
Tristan Wildra was the pitcher of record for Samford, pitching 2.0 innings while giving up two unearned runs.
BULLDOG BITES
FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON: The Asheville Bulldogs recorded the first win of the season Sunday afternoon.
UNDERCLASSMEN CARRYING THE LOAD: While senior Joe Tietjen got things started with a solo homer in the top of the fourth, three freshmen and two sophomores carried the load down the stretch. Freshman Brandon Lankford was the first freshman to record a home run on the season. Fellow true freshman Chris Troost went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and dual threat Kole Harris came on to record the win on the mound with 2.0 innings of pitching. Sophomore Carmine Pagano scored a pair of runs and batted in another while Danny Wilson batted in another run.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPONENTS' MISCUES: Samford committed three errors Sunday afternoon. Off of those three errors, the Asheville Bulldogs scored four unearned runs.
QUOTABLES
"It's nice to get the win today so we can enjoy the bus ride home, but we still have a lot of work to do. We need to do a better job of taking care of the ball and not giving away free bases. It's time for us to get back to work on Tuesday." - Scott Friedholm
UP NEXT
Asheville will continue the season-opening nine-game road stretch this week with four games in Spartanburg, S.C. The Bulldogs will first travel to USC Upstate on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for a 4 p.m. first pitch. Asheville will then play three games at Wofford against Dayton, James Madison and the host Terriers over the span of three days.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Kole (1-0)
L: Tristan Widra (0-1)
S: Woods, Justin (1)
Batting:
2B: Woods, Justin 1
3B: Bush, Tanner 1
HR: Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Tietjen, Joe 1
RBI: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Tietjen, Joe 1 ; Madole, Jake 1 ; Woods, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pagano, Carmine 2 ; Troost, Chris 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Tietjen, Joe 1 ; Bush, Tanner 1
SB: Tietjen, Joe 1
HBP: Lankford, Brandon 1
Batting:
2B: T.J. Dixon 1 ; Ben Carrick 1
HR: Kevin Williams, Jr. 1 ; Ayrton Schafer 1
RBI: Kevin Williams, Jr. 1 ; Ayrton Schafer 1 ; Ben Carrick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Troy Dixon 1 ; Kevin Williams, Jr. 1 ; Ayrton Schafer 1 ; Grant Colton 1
CS: Branden Fryman 1 ; Greg Mula 1
HBP: Ayrton Schafer 1 ; Jordan Fucci 1 ; Greg Mula 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
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