University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
5-15, 2-2
Liberty
12-8, 3-1
Madole’s Late Home Run Gives Bulldogs 7-4 Win; Splits Doubleheader at Liberty
03.23.2018 | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Redshirt sophomore Jake Madole provided the game-winning home run in the second game of the doubleheader for the Bulldogs, as the UNC Asheville baseball team split with Liberty on Friday at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.
BULLDOG BITES
Game One Highlights
Liberty plated the game's first two runs in the second inning, as it took advantage of three walks and two hit by pitches.
The Bulldogs recorded their first hit of the contest in the third inning, as Danny Wilson connected with a single to short. With two outs, Kole Harris reached on a fielding error. Wilson and Harris advanced 90 feet thanks to a balk to put two runners in scoring position for Asheville. However, they were left stranded to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.
Greg Gasparro fended the Flames off the scoreboard in the home-half of the third inning, and UNC Asheville reliever Blake Brown held the Flames scoreless in the bottom of the fourth.
Liberty put together four hits in the bottom of the fifth frame to go up 5-0. Tre Todd started the inning with a solo homer, and Tyler Galazin and Cam Locklear each posted a two-out RBI single to put the Flames up by five runs.
UNC Asheville plated its first run in the sixth inning, as Wilson connected with a sacrifice fly to right, which scored Carmine Pagano from third base.
The Flames tacked on their sixth run of the game, as Locklear posted his second two-out RBI hit of the game.
In the bottom of the eighth, Liberty posted two more runs, as Todd connected with his second homer of the game and Andrew Yacyk dropped his first hit of the contest.
With one out, Madole came in to pinch hit in hopes to start a Bulldog rally, but a Liberty 6-4-3 double play gave the Flames the 8-1 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.
Pagano had a fantastic contest, as he went 3-for-4. One of the shortstop's hit was a double, while the other two were singles. He also touched home once in the contest. Andrew Friedholm tallied the second extra-base hit for the Bulldogs, as he went 1-for-3 with a double. Wilson recorded the lone RBI for Asheville, as he went 1-for-3 in game one of the doubleheader.
Beau Nichols was the only Bulldog pitcher in game one that didn't allow an earned run. The freshman right-handed pitcher tossed 2.1 frames and scattered three hits.
Game Two Highlights
Following a quick inning for both squads to start the second game of the doubleheader, the UNC Asheville offense erupted for three runs in the top of the second inning. With the three runs, it marked the first lead for the Bulldogs in the doubleheader.
Friedholm started the second-inning rally, as he connected with an infield single. Serricchio punched a single out to left field to put two runners on base. Joe Zayatz pulled a double to right field, which scored Friedholm and put two Bulldogs in scoring position. Chris Troost poked a single to right field, which plated both Serricchio and Zayatz.
Nick Boyles held the three-run lead for the Bulldogs for the next two frames, as he stranded three Flames over the next two innings.
The Bulldogs added to their lead in the top of the fourth with a lone run. With one out, Troost reached base safely, and following a strikeout, Wilson stroked a double down the left field line to score Troost.
Liberty scored its first run in the home-half of the fourth inning off a pair of singles, and the Flames tied the game at 4-4, as they tallied two hits and three walks in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Both squads posted quiet sixth and seventh innings, as the two teams combined for one hit in the two frames.
Heading into the eighth inning, the Bulldogs sealed the victory, as Madole connected with ultimately the game-winning, three-run home run. Serricchio and Zayatz posted back-to-back walks to put two runners on base, and Madole came off the bench for the second time on Friday, as he pinch hit for Jake Catalano. Liberty countered with a reliever, but the redshirt sophomore cracked the game-winning homer to put the Bulldogs up 7-4.
Eric Whitecavage held Liberty to a silent eighth inning, and Harris slammed the door in the ninth inning to secure his third save of the season.
Six different Bulldogs tallied one hit, as three of those went for extra bases. Madole recorded UNC Asheville's only home run of the doubleheader, while Wilson and Zayatz each tacked on a double. Troost earned two of the team's seven RBIs, and Harris and Zayatz also drew a pair of walks each.
Jordan Fulbright was the first reliever for the Bulldogs, as he tossed 2.2 innings. He allowed one run and scattered three hits. Whitecavage worked 1.1 frames and only allowed one walk, and Harris posted a perfect ninth inning, as he struck out the side to earn his third save of the year.
After splitting the doubleheader on Friday, the Bulldogs move to 6-15 overall and 3-2 in league play, and Liberty moves to 12-9 overall and 3-2 in the Big South.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs and Flames conclude the three-game series on Saturday, March 24, at 12 p.m. at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BERTSCH, J. (2-2)
L: Gasparro, Greg (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Friedholm, Andrew 1
RBI: Wilson, Danny 1
SF: Wilson, Danny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pagano, Carmine 1
Batting:
2B: YACYK, A. 1
HR: TODD, T. 2
RBI: MCDYRE, T. 1 ; TODD, T. 2 ; YACYK, A. 1 ; GALAZIN, T. 1 ; ALLEN, M. 1 ; LOCKLEAR, C. 2
SF: ALLEN, M. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: TODD, T. 2 ; ALLEN, D. 1 ; YACYK, A. 1 ; EMBRY, J. 3 ; GALAZIN, T. 1
SB: EMBRY, J. 1
HBP: YACYK, A. 2 ; LOCKLEAR, C. 1
