University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
1-2
Lipscomb
2-1
Carr, Pitching Staff Dazzles in First Win of the Season for Bulldogs
02.18.2018 | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Redshirt sophomore Jordan Carr and the UNC Asheville baseball pitching staff dazzled on Sunday, as the Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season, 6-3, over Lipscomb at Dugan Field.
BULLDOG BITES
Just like yesterday's matchup against the Bisons, sophomore catcher Joe Gruszka opened the game in the first inning with a solo home run to right field. Ironically, the count on the Fayetteville, Ga. native was 2-0 in both situations.
Carr, who sat out last season due to injury, was phenomenal in his first inning of work, as he only needed 11 pitches. In the first frame, the Pasadena, Md. native recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
The Bulldogs threatened to extend their one-run lead in the second after drawing a walk and a single. However, the Bulldogs couldn't capitalize on the scoring chance.
In the top of the third, UNC Asheville doubled its lead thanks to a Lipscomb error. Sophomore Kole Harris started the inning with a four-pitch walk, and he advanced to second on his first stolen base of the season. Gruszka was able to advance to third and eventually scored thanks to a Lipscomb throwing error.
Carr continued his success on the bump, as he did not surrender a hit in the next two frames.
The Bulldogs doubled their lead for a second time, as they took advantage of a pair of hits and errors. Gruszka started the two-run fifth with a single, and he advanced to second on a fielding error. After a groundout, Brandon Lankford reached on a fielding error, and as a result of the Lipscomb miscue, Gruszka was able to touch home. Jake Madole walked to put two runners on, and Chris Troost smacked the first pitch he saw up the middle to make it a 4-0 game for Asheville.
Lipscomb started to find a rhythm offensively in the bottom half, as it opened the frame with three straight hits. However, Carr drew up a double play to limit the damage to one run.
Following the seventh inning stretch, the Bisons made it a one-run game (4-3), as Lee Soloman connected with a two-RBI double.
The Bulldogs quickly retaliated in the top of the eighth, as they scored a pair of runs. Already with a hit in the game, Danny Wilson connected with a solo homer to left-center. The Bisons walked the next three Bulldogs, and Carmine Pagano made it hurt with a RBI single to center to make it 6-3.
The Bisons started to mount a comeback, as they started the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles, but Eric Whitecavage needed only 10 more pitches to retire the next three batters in order, unscathed.
After a quick top of the ninth, Harris came in to close the game after playing left field for eight innings. The sophomore needed 14 pitches to secure the 6-3 victory for the Bulldogs. The save was the fourth of his career and the first of the season for UNC Asheville.
Carr (1-0) finished the contest twirling 5.1 innings, while scattering five hits. He allowed one earned run and struck out six Bisons with only 61 pitches. Tripp Barfield, Austin Fahr, Ethan Tressler and Whitecavage combined to toss 2.1 innings without allowing a run.
Four Bulldogs - Gruszka, Pagano, Troost and Wilson - all had two-hit performances in the series finale. Gruszka smacked his second home run of the season, while Wilson tallied his first homer of the year. The foursome also collected all four of Asheville's RBIs.
As a team, UNC Asheville put five of its nine leadoff batters on base.
With the win, UNC Asheville moves to 1-2 overall, and Lipscomb suffers its first loss, as it drops to 2-1.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs will take two days off, as they prepare for a mid-week game with Wofford. The two teams will meet in Spartanburg, S.C. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carr, Jordan (1-0)
L: THOMPSON, Noah (0-1)
S: Harris, Kole (1)
Batting:
HR: Gruszka, Joe 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1
RBI: Gruszka, Joe 1 ; Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Troost, Chris 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gruszka, Joe 2 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1 ; Friedholm, Andrew 1 ; Harris, Kole 1
SB: Harris, Kole 1
CS: Pagano, Carmine 1
HBP: Gruszka, Joe 1 ; Madole, Jake 1
PO: Wilson, Danny 1
Batting:
2B: SOLOMON, Lee 1 ; SORRELLS, Cade 1 ; MARTINEZ, Josh 1
RBI: SOLOMON, Lee 2 ; BASHLOR, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MARTINEZ, Josh 1 ; BASHLOR, Chris 1 ; THOMAS, Blake 1
HBP: BASHLOR, Chris 1
PO: MARTINEZ, Josh 1
