University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
10-28, 5-12
Winthrop
19-22, 11-7
Four Bulldog Relievers Post Scoreless Outings in 3-0 Loss at Winthrop
04.21.2018 | Baseball
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Despite four Bulldog relievers posting scoreless outings, the UNC Asheville baseball team dropped a 3-0 decision on Saturday to Winthrop at the Winthrop Ballpark.
BULLDOG BITES
Highlights
Joe Zayatz started the game quickly for UNC Asheville, as the senior clocked a single to lead the game off. After a fielder's choice, Danny Wilson was able to reach second on a wild pitch. Carmine Pagano forced a walk, which put two runners on base. Asheville was able to move the two Bulldogs into scoring position with two outs, but Brandon Lankford grounded out to leave the two stranded.
Asheville was able to put two runners on base again in the second inning, as Chris Troost reached on a fielding error. After getting two outs, Kole Harris singled through the right side to put two on base, but they were stranded after a Zayatz fly out.
Winthrop took advantage in the bottom of the second, as it tallied a run on two hits. Dillon Morton and Cale Gibson led off with back-to-back singles. Connor O'Brien drew a one-out walk to force the bases loaded. Scout McFalls capitalized with a walk, which plated Morton. However, Greg Gasparro worked out of the jam by forcing a 6-4-3 double play to leave a pair of Eagles stranded.
Winthrop tacked on a pair of runs in the home half of the third behind three hits and a Bulldog error. Brandon Fite smacked a leadoff single, and after advancing to second on a balk, Tyler Halstead cracked a double to right center to score his teammate. Morton plated Halstead from second on a single to right field.
The Bulldogs tried to start a rally in the top of the fourth, as Lankford and Tyler Serricchio each smacked a single. However, Lankford was called out on a double play, and Serricchio was left stranded at second base.
Jesse Juday, who came on in relief, tossed the first 1-2-3 inning for Asheville in the fourth frame, which held the Eagles off the board for the second time in the contest.
The Bulldog relief corps continued to mow down the Eagles. Austin Fahr, who worked 1.1 frames, struck out one batter and only allowed a single, which came in the sixth inning. Ethan Tressler worked a lone inning, where he struck out one Eagle and only allowed a two-out single in the seventh. Tripp Barfield worked around a leadoff double in the eighth, as he struck out two batters.
Despite the strong relief outing for Asheville, the Bulldog offense couldn't capitalize, as it was limited to just one hit in the final five innings.
Zayatz was the lone Bulldog to post a multi-hit game, as he poked a pair of singles. Lankford, Serricchio and Harris were the other three Bulldogs to record a hit, as all went for singles as well.
Relievers Juday, Fahr, Tressler and Barfield combined for 5.2 innings, as they totaled three hits allowed, no runs, one walk and four strikeouts.
Gasparro (1-6) was pinned with the loss, despite allowing just two earned runs, and Zach Peek (4-4) earned the win for Winthrop, after tossing eight scoreless frames. Riley Arnone picked up the save, which is his fifth of the season.
UNC Asheville drops to 10-28 overall and 5-12 in the Big South, and Winthrop moves to 19-22 overall and 11-6 in league play.
What's Next?
UNC Asheville looks to salvage game three of the series, as the Bulldogs and Eagles square off on Sunday, April 22, at 1 p.m. in Rock Hill.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: PEEK, ZACH (4-4)
L: Gasparro, Greg (1-6)
S: ARNONE, RILEY (5)
Base Running:
CS: Gruszka, Joe 1
Batting:
2B: SPIRES, MITCH 1 ; HALSTEAD, TYLER 1 ; MORTON, DILLON 1
RBI: HALSTEAD, TYLER 1 ; MCFALLS, SCOUT 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FITE, BRANDON 1 ; HALSTEAD, TYLER 1 ; MORTON, DILLON 1
SB: SPIRES, MITCH 1
