University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Saturday, March 18
Asheville, N.C.
3 PM
UNC Asheville
8-9, 0
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Winthrop
8-11, 0
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Winthrop
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UNC Asheville
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Photo by: UNC Asheville
Bulldogs Bounce Back With 4-3 Win Over Winthrop Saturday
03.18.2017 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – It didn't take the UNC Asheville baseball team long to shake off the rocky start to the Big South Conference opening series. The Bulldogs bounced back Saturday and took game-2 of the series with Winthrop 4-3 at Greenwood Field.
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Joe Zayatz (2-0) continued his strong return as he pitched 5.0 innings to earn the win on the mound, and it all started in the first inning as he and the Bulldog defense sat the Eagles down in order. Zayatz threw just 10 pitches in the top of the first, including getting the leadoff batter out on a first-pitch foul ball that catcher Andrew Friedholm gathered in just feet from the backstop.
The Bulldogs (8-9, 1-1 Big South) then jumped at an opportunity to take an early lead by scoring a run in the bottom of the first. Second baseman Chris Troost drew a five-pitch walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and then made it to third on a single through the left side by Joe Tietjen. With runners on the corners and no outs, Danny Wilson laced a single to right-center field to score Troost.
In the bottom of the fourth, senior right fielder Kyle Carruthers hit his first home run of the season and it proved to be a laser right over the left field fence. The solo shot put the Bulldogs up 2-0 on the Eagles (8-11, 1-1 Big South).
Asheville wrapped up its scoring drive in the bottom of the fourth when Joe Tietjen hit a single RBI through the left side to score Carruthers from third and freshman Brandon Lankford followed suit a couple batters later as he sent a tall hopping single to the Winthrop shortstop, scoring Troost.
Winthrop was able to battle back in the late innings, scoring a single run in the seventh and two in the eighth. However, the Bulldog pitchers found ways to get out of jams and the defense stood firm.
Tietjen, Lankford and Carruthers all collected multiple hits in the game led by Lankford's 3-for-4 outing and an RBI. Carruthers went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and his one RBI. Tietjen went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, moving him one away from a tie for seventh all-time in career bases swiped.
For Winthrop, only Brandon Fite managed a multi-hit outing as he went 2-for4 at the plate. The Eagles as a team collected six hits compared to nine by the Bulldogs.
Zayatz held the Eagles batters to just one hit, a double in the second inning, and no runs scored. He struck out two batters in the winning effort. Justin Woods came on to pitch the final inning, earning his third save of the year.
Nate Pawelczyk (2-1) suffered his first negative decision of the season, pitching 5.0 innings while giving up six hits and two earned runs.
BULLDOG BITES
EVENING THE SERIES: With Saturday's 4-3 win, the Bulldogs evened the three-game series with the Eagles, setting up a crucial rubber game on Sunday.
TOP-10 AND MOVING UP: With his two stolen bases on Saturday, senior Joe Tietjen moved to within just one run of a tie for seventh all-time in program history in the category. The centerfielder has swiped 33 over his illustrious career.
EXTRA BASES: Brandon Lankford and Kyle Carruthers both went for extra bases on Saturday. Lankford, the freshman third baseman, now has 13 extra-base knocks on the year, including eight doubles. He leads the team in both categories. Saturday's home run was the first of the season for Carruthers and his first extra-base hit of 2017.
UP NEXT
UNC Asheville and Winthrop will close out the three-game series on Sunday, March 19. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Greenwood Field.
QUOTABLES
"We did a good job on the mound today and it started with Joe Zayatz. We only walked one guy and gave up just one extra-base hit. We also played good defense on top of that and that gives you a chance every time. Offensively, we had better at-bats throughout the lineup. Kyle Carruthers, Brandon Lankford and Joe Tietjen had good days at the plate. We now need to put it behind us and focus on tomorrow's game and a chance to win a series." - Scott Friedholm
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Joe Zayatz (2-0) continued his strong return as he pitched 5.0 innings to earn the win on the mound, and it all started in the first inning as he and the Bulldog defense sat the Eagles down in order. Zayatz threw just 10 pitches in the top of the first, including getting the leadoff batter out on a first-pitch foul ball that catcher Andrew Friedholm gathered in just feet from the backstop.
The Bulldogs (8-9, 1-1 Big South) then jumped at an opportunity to take an early lead by scoring a run in the bottom of the first. Second baseman Chris Troost drew a five-pitch walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and then made it to third on a single through the left side by Joe Tietjen. With runners on the corners and no outs, Danny Wilson laced a single to right-center field to score Troost.
In the bottom of the fourth, senior right fielder Kyle Carruthers hit his first home run of the season and it proved to be a laser right over the left field fence. The solo shot put the Bulldogs up 2-0 on the Eagles (8-11, 1-1 Big South).
Asheville wrapped up its scoring drive in the bottom of the fourth when Joe Tietjen hit a single RBI through the left side to score Carruthers from third and freshman Brandon Lankford followed suit a couple batters later as he sent a tall hopping single to the Winthrop shortstop, scoring Troost.
Winthrop was able to battle back in the late innings, scoring a single run in the seventh and two in the eighth. However, the Bulldog pitchers found ways to get out of jams and the defense stood firm.
Tietjen, Lankford and Carruthers all collected multiple hits in the game led by Lankford's 3-for-4 outing and an RBI. Carruthers went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and his one RBI. Tietjen went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, moving him one away from a tie for seventh all-time in career bases swiped.
For Winthrop, only Brandon Fite managed a multi-hit outing as he went 2-for4 at the plate. The Eagles as a team collected six hits compared to nine by the Bulldogs.
Zayatz held the Eagles batters to just one hit, a double in the second inning, and no runs scored. He struck out two batters in the winning effort. Justin Woods came on to pitch the final inning, earning his third save of the year.
Nate Pawelczyk (2-1) suffered his first negative decision of the season, pitching 5.0 innings while giving up six hits and two earned runs.
BULLDOG BITES
EVENING THE SERIES: With Saturday's 4-3 win, the Bulldogs evened the three-game series with the Eagles, setting up a crucial rubber game on Sunday.
TOP-10 AND MOVING UP: With his two stolen bases on Saturday, senior Joe Tietjen moved to within just one run of a tie for seventh all-time in program history in the category. The centerfielder has swiped 33 over his illustrious career.
EXTRA BASES: Brandon Lankford and Kyle Carruthers both went for extra bases on Saturday. Lankford, the freshman third baseman, now has 13 extra-base knocks on the year, including eight doubles. He leads the team in both categories. Saturday's home run was the first of the season for Carruthers and his first extra-base hit of 2017.
UP NEXT
UNC Asheville and Winthrop will close out the three-game series on Sunday, March 19. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Greenwood Field.
QUOTABLES
"We did a good job on the mound today and it started with Joe Zayatz. We only walked one guy and gave up just one extra-base hit. We also played good defense on top of that and that gives you a chance every time. Offensively, we had better at-bats throughout the lineup. Kyle Carruthers, Brandon Lankford and Joe Tietjen had good days at the plate. We now need to put it behind us and focus on tomorrow's game and a chance to win a series." - Scott Friedholm
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zayatz, Joe (2-0)
L: PAWELCZYK, Nate (2-1)
S: Woods, Justin (3)
Batting:
2B: THOMAS, Babe 1
RBI: FITE, Brandon 1 ; LIPSCOMB, Hunter 1 ; SULLIVAN, Jake 1
SH: SULLIVAN, Jake 1
SF: LIPSCOMB, Hunter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SPIRES, Mitch 1 ; LIPSCOMB, Hunter 1 ; MULKEY, Matthew 1
CS: CRUMLEY, Jason 1
HBP: THOMAS, Babe 1
Batting:
2B: Lankford, Brandon 1
HR: Carruthers, Kyle 1
RBI: Tietjen, Joe 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Carruthers, Kyle 1
SH: Pagano, Carmine 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Troost, Chris 2 ; Carruthers, Kyle 2
SB: Tietjen, Joe 2
HBP: Lankford, Brandon 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
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