University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
2-6
Florida State
9-0
Pagano Totals Two Hits; Bulldogs Fall to No. 5 Florida State
03.02.2018 | Baseball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Junior infielder Carmine Pagano totaled a pair of hits on Friday, but the UNC Asheville baseball team fell to No. 5 Florida State, 9-2, at Dick Howser Stadium.
BULLDOG BITES
To open the game, the Bulldogs scored a run off a RBI double from Pagano, which marks the seventh straight game they have done so this season.
Joe Gruszka started Friday's game with a five-pitch walk, which extended his on-base streak to eight games. Pagano followed with the first Bulldog hit of the game, as he stroked an opposite-field double off the fence. Gruszka turned on the burners, as he scored from first base and gave UNC Asheville the early 1-0 lead over nationally-ranked Florida State.
The double extended Pagano's hit streak to seven straight and and his on-base streak to eight games.
Senior left-handed pitcher Jordan Fulbright found his groove quickly in the game, as he sat down the first two batters he faced. Following a walk and a passed ball, FSU's Cal Raleigh knocked a triple to plate his teammate. Drew Mendoza followed with a double on the third pitch he saw to give FSU its first lead of the game, 2-1.
Over the next two innings, both teams put runners in scoring position, but neither team could plate a run.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Noles took advantage of four walks, as they struck for three runs to advance their lead to 5-1.
The Bulldogs retaliated in the top of the fifth, as they scored runs with two outs. Gruszka and Pagano connected with back-to-back singles, and Chris Troost pulled a single through the right side to move the deficit to three (5-2).
Following a 1-2-3 inning for the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth, the Seminole offense erupted for four runs off three hits and two walks.
Despite being down 9-2, UNC Asheville continued to battle as it put two runners on base in the top of the seventh. Joe Zayatz started the frame with a walk. After a strikeout, Zayatz recorded his first stolen base of the season. Gruszka was the second Bulldog player to reach base, but neither player would touch home, as the Seminole reliever struck out the final two Bulldogs to end the threat.
In the final two innings, the Bulldogs continued to put runners on base, but they couldn't cut into the seven-run deficit.
Pagano was the lone Bulldog to record a multi-hit performance, as he knocked a double and a single in the series opener at Florida State. The two-hit game was Pagano's fourth multi-hit performance of the season.
Gruszka contributed a hit, which extended his hitting streak to eight games. Cody Wilson, Troost and Harris each recorded a hit, as the Bulldogs combined for six total hits. Of the six hits, two went for extra-bases.
Three Bulldog pitchers - Jesse Juday, Brandon Harris and Trey Jernigan - held the Seminoles scoreless in their outings. Brandon Harris and Jernigan each tallied a strikeout in their respective inning of work.
With the 9-2 loss on Friday, UNC Asheville falls to 2-6 on the year, while No. 5 Florida State moves to 9-0 overall.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs continue their three-game set in Tallahassee on Saturday. Game two of the series between UNC Asheville and Florida State is slated to begin at 6 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SANDS, C. (3-0)
L: Fulbright, Jordan (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Harris, Kole 1
RBI: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Troost, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gruszka, Joe 2
SB: Zayatz, Joe 1
HBP: Garner, Julius 1
Batting:
2B: CAVANAUGH, K 1 ; RALEIGH, C. 1 ; MENDOZA, D. 2 ; SWANSON, C. 1
3B: RALEIGH, C. 1
RBI: LUECK, J. 2 ; RALEIGH, C. 4 ; MENDOZA, D. 2 ; SWANSON, C. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LUECK, J. 1 ; APLIN, R. 2 ; RALEIGH, C. 2 ; MENDOZA, D. 1 ; WELLS, S. 1 ; SWANSON, C. 2
