University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Liberty
Baseball Travels to Liberty for Big South Conference Showdown
03.22.2018 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – After a solid conference-opening series at Radford last weekend, the UNC Asheville baseball looks to carry that momentum, as the Bulldogs travel to Liberty for a three-game Big South Conference showdown beginning on Friday, March 23 at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.
BULLDOG BITES
Projected Starting Pitchers
Friday Game One: So. LHP Greg Gasparro (1-2, 4.55 ERA) vs. R-Sr. RHP Jackson Bertsch (1-2, 5.08 ERA)
Friday Game Two: Sr. RHP Nick Boyles (0-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Fr. RHP Brady Stamper (1-1, 4.95 ERA)
Saturday: R-So. LHP Jordan Carr (2-2, 4.56 ERA) vs. TBA
About the Bulldogs
UNC Asheville enters the weekend series with 5-14 overall and 2-1 in the Big South Conference. In their conference-opening series at Radford, the Bulldogs won the first two contests to open conference play on a positive note.
During the series at Radford, Brandon Lankford connected with a pair of home runs en route to four total hits in the three-game set. Andrew Friedholm also had a stellar weekend, as the junior tallied six of the team's 16 RBIs. The Greer, S.C. native recorded two hits, as one of the hits was a three-run home run. Carmine Pagano and Chris Troost each contributed a trio of hits, as the duo each touched home twice.
Gasparro had the best start for the Bulldogs this weekend versus the Highlanders. The sophomore left-handed pitcher twirled 8.2 innings on Friday, where he scattered seven hits, allowed three earned runs and struck out four. Boyles also had a strong start, as he went four innings with three strikeouts in his second start of the season. Jordan Fulbright and Blake Brown each had strong relief appearances on the mound. Fulbright twirled three innings, walked one, recorded three strikeouts and didn't allow a run to score. Brown also tossed three frames, where he struck out four opponents and didn't allow a hit or run.
Scouting Liberty
The Flames enter the conference showdown with a 11-8 overall record and a 2-1 mark in Big South Conference play. Liberty, like Asheville, won its conference-opening series, as the Flames traveled to Boiling Springs, N.C. and won two games over the Runnin' Bulldogs. At the Liberty Baseball Stadium, the Flames are an impressive 9-3.
DJ Artis is the biggest prospect on the Flames roster, as he was named the Big South Conference Preseason Player of the Year and also tabbed to the 2018 Golden Spikes Watch List. The junior outfielder is currently hitting at a .314 clip in 19 starts. He has recorded six doubles, three triples, 20 hits and has swiped 10 bases. Leading Liberty in batting average is Tre Todd with a .362 mark in 19 starts. He has a team-high three home runs and has recorded 10 extra-base hits and 25 RBIs. Todd has also drawn 26 walks and has struck out 17 times.
The Bulldogs will face right-handed pitcher Bertsch on Friday, and the redshirt senior is 1-2 on the year and totes a 5.08 ERA. He has accumulated 28.1 innings and has struck out 22 opponents. On Saturday, Brady Stamper will start for the Flames. The freshman from Middletown, Del. has a 1-1 record and a 4.95 ERA. He has limited opponents to a .264 batting average and has totaled 21 strikeouts in 20 innings of work.
Out of the bullpen, Garret Price and Zach Brockman are the go-to relievers for Liberty. Price has appeared in 10 games and has a 1-1 record with a 3.18 ERA. He has totaled 17 innings and has struck out 26 batters. He has also limited opponents to a .203 batting average. Brockman has also appeared in 10 games and totes a 1-0 record and a 5.94 ERA.
How to Follow the Series Live
Friday's doubleheader at Liberty will be streamed on the Liberty Flames Sports Network/Big South Network. The stream links can be found by clicking HERE. Saturday's contest will not be streamed. However, live stats for all three games will be available, and the links can be found by clicking HERE.
