University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Saturday, March 2
Asheville, NC
11:00 AM
UNC Asheville
3-7
7
vs
3
Iona
0-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Iona
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
3
6
3
UNC Asheville
0
2
1
0
0
3
0
1
0
7
9
2
Photo by: Camryn Bounds-Hutchens
Baseball Sweeps Home Doubleheader Over Iona, 7-3 and 9-2
03.02.2019 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – After weather forced changes to the weekend schedule, UNC Asheville baseball swept the Saturday doubleheader over Iona, as the Bulldogs claimed 7-3 and 9-2 victories over the Gaels at Greenwood Field.
BULLDOG BITES
Game One Highlights
UNC Asheville earned the early 2-0 lead in the second frame, as Carmine Pagano and Andrew Friedholm each tallied a sacrifice fly.
Joe Gruszka extended the Bulldogs' lead to three, as he tallied a RBI single up the middle in the third frame.
Iona pulled the deficit to only one run, 3-2, in the top of the fifth inning.
However, UNC Asheville retaliated an inning later with two runs, as the
Bulldogs took advantage of an Iona fielding error and a Chris Troost RBI single.
The Gaels added a run in the seventh to make it a three-run lead for the Bulldogs, 6-3.
Friedholm added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a RBI single to left field, which secured the 7-3 victory for the Bulldogs.
Two-way player Greg Gasparro had a game-high three hits, as two of those hits were doubles.
Carmine Pagano also posted a two-hit game, including a double. The senior shortstop recorded a RBI and a run scored.
Friedholm finished the game going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. He also swiped second base on a delayed steal.
Troost and Gruszka added RBI hits, as they both finished the contest going 1-for-4.
Jordan Carr twirled 5.1 innings and allowed just one earned run. He scattered just three hits and struck out five.
Ethan Tressler continued his success on the mound, as the sophomore posted 1.2 innings of work and didn't surrender a hit, run or walk.
Kole Harris closed the door with a one-inning performance. He also struck out one Gael in the ninth inning.
Game Two Highlights
The Bulldogs again struck early, as they posted two runs in the first inning of the second game. Dominic Freeberger plated Gasparro on a RBI double, while Freeberger eventually scored on a throwing error by the Iona shortstop.
The Gaels answered in the top of the second with a run, as Stephen Furman connected with a RBI single through the right side. The run-scoring hit made the game 2-1, UNC Asheville.
Asheville plated a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth, as Danny Wilson and Harris each had RBI singles. Wilson scored Freeberger in the inning, while Harris plated Wilson from third base.
Down 4-1, Iona made it a two-run game, as the Gaels scored a run on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.
The Bulldogs continued their hot offensive attack, as they finished the game with five unanswered runs. Harris posted another run-scoring hit, as the junior plated two runs off his single to center. Lankford posted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning, and he earned another RBI in the eighth inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk. Pagano closed the 5-0 run and sealed the 9-2 victory with a sacrifice fly in the two-run eighth inning for Asheville.
Five Bulldogs had multi-hit games, as Gasparro posted yet another multi-hit performance. He finished the second contest on Saturday with two hits and two runs scored. The junior had five hits and three runs scoring in the two-game Saturday for Asheville.
Harris had a dominating performance at the plate, as he smacked two hits en route to earning three RBIs. He also had a team-high three walks in five plate appearances.
Freeberger also collected a two-hit game, as the rookie touched home a game-high three times. He also tallied a RBI and a walk.
Lankford and Pagano rounded out the two-hit games for the Bulldogs. Lankford added two RBIs, a run and two walks, while Pagano touched home once and plated one RBI.
Wilson also had a strong performance, as he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks and a run scored.
Junior right-handed pitcher Blake Brown started the game, and he worked 5.2 innings and allowed just two runs. He scattered four hits and struck out two.
Jacob Edwards continued his success on the bump, as the rookie held the Gaels scoreless in 3.1 innings of relief. He allowed just two hits and struck out three en route to earning his first career save.
With the two wins, UNC Asheville advances to 4-6 on the season, while Iona falls to 0-9.
What's Next?
UNC Asheville will take a few days off before hosting Western Carolina in a midweek contest on Wednesday, March 6. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
BULLDOG BITES
Game One Highlights
UNC Asheville earned the early 2-0 lead in the second frame, as Carmine Pagano and Andrew Friedholm each tallied a sacrifice fly.
Joe Gruszka extended the Bulldogs' lead to three, as he tallied a RBI single up the middle in the third frame.
Iona pulled the deficit to only one run, 3-2, in the top of the fifth inning.
However, UNC Asheville retaliated an inning later with two runs, as the
Bulldogs took advantage of an Iona fielding error and a Chris Troost RBI single.
The Gaels added a run in the seventh to make it a three-run lead for the Bulldogs, 6-3.
Friedholm added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a RBI single to left field, which secured the 7-3 victory for the Bulldogs.
Two-way player Greg Gasparro had a game-high three hits, as two of those hits were doubles.
Carmine Pagano also posted a two-hit game, including a double. The senior shortstop recorded a RBI and a run scored.
Friedholm finished the game going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. He also swiped second base on a delayed steal.
Troost and Gruszka added RBI hits, as they both finished the contest going 1-for-4.
Jordan Carr twirled 5.1 innings and allowed just one earned run. He scattered just three hits and struck out five.
Ethan Tressler continued his success on the mound, as the sophomore posted 1.2 innings of work and didn't surrender a hit, run or walk.
Kole Harris closed the door with a one-inning performance. He also struck out one Gael in the ninth inning.
Game Two Highlights
The Bulldogs again struck early, as they posted two runs in the first inning of the second game. Dominic Freeberger plated Gasparro on a RBI double, while Freeberger eventually scored on a throwing error by the Iona shortstop.
The Gaels answered in the top of the second with a run, as Stephen Furman connected with a RBI single through the right side. The run-scoring hit made the game 2-1, UNC Asheville.
Asheville plated a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth, as Danny Wilson and Harris each had RBI singles. Wilson scored Freeberger in the inning, while Harris plated Wilson from third base.
Down 4-1, Iona made it a two-run game, as the Gaels scored a run on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.
The Bulldogs continued their hot offensive attack, as they finished the game with five unanswered runs. Harris posted another run-scoring hit, as the junior plated two runs off his single to center. Lankford posted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning, and he earned another RBI in the eighth inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk. Pagano closed the 5-0 run and sealed the 9-2 victory with a sacrifice fly in the two-run eighth inning for Asheville.
Five Bulldogs had multi-hit games, as Gasparro posted yet another multi-hit performance. He finished the second contest on Saturday with two hits and two runs scored. The junior had five hits and three runs scoring in the two-game Saturday for Asheville.
Harris had a dominating performance at the plate, as he smacked two hits en route to earning three RBIs. He also had a team-high three walks in five plate appearances.
Freeberger also collected a two-hit game, as the rookie touched home a game-high three times. He also tallied a RBI and a walk.
Lankford and Pagano rounded out the two-hit games for the Bulldogs. Lankford added two RBIs, a run and two walks, while Pagano touched home once and plated one RBI.
Wilson also had a strong performance, as he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks and a run scored.
Junior right-handed pitcher Blake Brown started the game, and he worked 5.2 innings and allowed just two runs. He scattered four hits and struck out two.
Jacob Edwards continued his success on the bump, as the rookie held the Gaels scoreless in 3.1 innings of relief. He allowed just two hits and struck out three en route to earning his first career save.
With the two wins, UNC Asheville advances to 4-6 on the season, while Iona falls to 0-9.
What's Next?
UNC Asheville will take a few days off before hosting Western Carolina in a midweek contest on Wednesday, March 6. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carr, Jordan (1-2)
L: Hansen, Stephen (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Picone, Brian 1
RBI: Kinsey, Fran 1 ; Switalla, Niko 1 ; Picone, Brian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Becker, Derek 1 ; Picone, Brian 2
HBP: DeMaio, Joe 1 ; Gorman, Michael 1
Batting:
2B: Gasparro, Greg 2 ; Pagano, Carmine 1
RBI: Gruszka, Joe 1 ; Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Friedholm, Andrew 2 ; Troost, Chris 1
SF: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Friedholm, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gasparro, Greg 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Wilson, Danny 1 ; Edwards, Jacob 2 ; Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Friedholm, Andrew 1
SB: Friedholm, Andrew 1
CS: Gasparro, Greg 1 ; Edwards, Jacob 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Left-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Left-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder
/ Baseball
Infielder/Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ BaseballLeft-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder
/ BaseballCatcher/Utility
/ Baseball
Utility/Right-Handed Pitcher
/ BaseballInfielder
/ Baseball
Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Infielder
/ BaseballUtility/Right-Handed Pitcher
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