University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, February 19
Spartanburg, SC
6 PM
UNC Asheville
0-4
7
at
8
Wofford
4-0
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UNC Asheville
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
7
13
2
Wofford
0
0
0
1
0
2
4
0
1
8
10
2
Five First Inning Runs Not Enough as Bulldogs Fall in the Ninth to the Terriers
02.19.2020 | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNC Asheville baseball fell to the Wofford, 8-7, Wednesday night as the Terriers scored a the game winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Bulldog offense came out swinging as they scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Sebastian Dunn gave UNC Asheville their first base runner of the game with a one out double to left field. After Dominic Freeberger grounded out for the second out of the inning, Brandon Lankford hit a double over the right fielder's head that scored Dunn for the Bulldogs first run of the game. Easton Jones then hit a line drive to left field that scored Lankford from second.
Chris Troost then singled through the right side and Will Barbour walked to load the bases for catcher MJ Lucas. Lucas launched a ball into the right-center field gap that cleared the bases for a three-RBI double. UNC Asheville brought all nine batters to the plate before pitcher Blake Little ever took mound. Five Bulldogs reached base with two outs in the inning and all five runs scored with two outs.
Little, making his first collegiate start, pitched around base runners in the first and second as he allowed a baserunner with two outs in the first with a hit by pitch that was quickly erased with a groundout by the Terriers cleanup hitter. The freshman right hander allowed two hitters to reach with two outs in the second before sending down Mike Brown on strikes to end the innings. Little followed that up with a three up, three down bottom of the third to send the Bulldogs to the fourth inning up 5-0.
Little allowed his first run of the ballgame in the top of the fourth as he surrendered four hits to the Terriers. He stranded two runners as he got the groundout to shortstop to end the inning.
Trey Jernigan entered on the mound for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the fifth. He allowed a couple of baserunners but ended the inning unharmed as he held the Terriers hitless in the fifth. The junior right-hander got one out in the sixth but walled two before he was relieved by Ethan Tressler. Tressler walked two and allowed one of the inherited runners to score before head coach Scott Friedholm called upon left-hander JP Perez with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth.
Perez got the first batter he faced to fly out to centerfield, which scored the runner from third. The sophomore then got the Bulldogs out of the inning with the 5-3 lead as he forced the Terriers' number three hitter, John Dempsey, to ground out to the second baseman Troost.
The Terriers took the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Wofford scored four runs on five hits. The Bulldogs also committed two errors in the inning. Kole Harris entered the game with two on and no one out in the inning. The senior right-hander loaded the bases but worked around trouble as he got the UNC Asheville to the top of eighth only down by two.
After losing the lead in the previous half inning, the Bulldogs' bats battled their way back to tie the game in the top of the eighth. Barbour led off the inning with a single before Lucas reached on an error. Grayson Preslar pinch hit next and struck out for the first out of the inning. That brought the top of the Bulldog order up as Greg Gasparro singled to left field to score Barbour.
Dunn singled to load the bases and Freeberger flied out to right bringing the Bulldog cleanup hitter to bat with the bases loaded and two outs. Lankford's patience worked out as he drew a walk to tie the game, 7-7.
Harris remained in the game to pitch the bottom half of the eighth with the game tied. The right-handed pitcher allowed one baserunner to reach on a walk but got out of the inning unscathed by striking out two and not allowing a hit.
Troost led off the top of the ninth with a single to right-center. The Bulldogs attempted to get the baserunner into scoring position with a sacrifice but Barbour couldn't get the bunt down, ultimately striking out. Troost was caught attempting to steal second base and Lucas went down on strikes to take the game to the bottom half of the ninth still tied.
Harris remained in the game to pitch the ninth inning and got the lead-off batter to fly out to start the inning. That brought the top of the Terrier lineup to bat as Brett Rodriquez walked to give Wofford the baserunner they needed. Rodriquez went on to steal second and third base before a sacrifice fly to right field brought in the winning run as Rodriquez slid in just ahead of the throw form right fielder Drew Bristow.
The Bulldogs will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on UAB in a three game set, Friday-Sunday.
The Bulldog offense came out swinging as they scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Sebastian Dunn gave UNC Asheville their first base runner of the game with a one out double to left field. After Dominic Freeberger grounded out for the second out of the inning, Brandon Lankford hit a double over the right fielder's head that scored Dunn for the Bulldogs first run of the game. Easton Jones then hit a line drive to left field that scored Lankford from second.
Chris Troost then singled through the right side and Will Barbour walked to load the bases for catcher MJ Lucas. Lucas launched a ball into the right-center field gap that cleared the bases for a three-RBI double. UNC Asheville brought all nine batters to the plate before pitcher Blake Little ever took mound. Five Bulldogs reached base with two outs in the inning and all five runs scored with two outs.
Little, making his first collegiate start, pitched around base runners in the first and second as he allowed a baserunner with two outs in the first with a hit by pitch that was quickly erased with a groundout by the Terriers cleanup hitter. The freshman right hander allowed two hitters to reach with two outs in the second before sending down Mike Brown on strikes to end the innings. Little followed that up with a three up, three down bottom of the third to send the Bulldogs to the fourth inning up 5-0.
Little allowed his first run of the ballgame in the top of the fourth as he surrendered four hits to the Terriers. He stranded two runners as he got the groundout to shortstop to end the inning.
Trey Jernigan entered on the mound for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the fifth. He allowed a couple of baserunners but ended the inning unharmed as he held the Terriers hitless in the fifth. The junior right-hander got one out in the sixth but walled two before he was relieved by Ethan Tressler. Tressler walked two and allowed one of the inherited runners to score before head coach Scott Friedholm called upon left-hander JP Perez with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth.
Perez got the first batter he faced to fly out to centerfield, which scored the runner from third. The sophomore then got the Bulldogs out of the inning with the 5-3 lead as he forced the Terriers' number three hitter, John Dempsey, to ground out to the second baseman Troost.
The Terriers took the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Wofford scored four runs on five hits. The Bulldogs also committed two errors in the inning. Kole Harris entered the game with two on and no one out in the inning. The senior right-hander loaded the bases but worked around trouble as he got the UNC Asheville to the top of eighth only down by two.
After losing the lead in the previous half inning, the Bulldogs' bats battled their way back to tie the game in the top of the eighth. Barbour led off the inning with a single before Lucas reached on an error. Grayson Preslar pinch hit next and struck out for the first out of the inning. That brought the top of the Bulldog order up as Greg Gasparro singled to left field to score Barbour.
Dunn singled to load the bases and Freeberger flied out to right bringing the Bulldog cleanup hitter to bat with the bases loaded and two outs. Lankford's patience worked out as he drew a walk to tie the game, 7-7.
Harris remained in the game to pitch the bottom half of the eighth with the game tied. The right-handed pitcher allowed one baserunner to reach on a walk but got out of the inning unscathed by striking out two and not allowing a hit.
Troost led off the top of the ninth with a single to right-center. The Bulldogs attempted to get the baserunner into scoring position with a sacrifice but Barbour couldn't get the bunt down, ultimately striking out. Troost was caught attempting to steal second base and Lucas went down on strikes to take the game to the bottom half of the ninth still tied.
Harris remained in the game to pitch the ninth inning and got the lead-off batter to fly out to start the inning. That brought the top of the Terrier lineup to bat as Brett Rodriquez walked to give Wofford the baserunner they needed. Rodriquez went on to steal second and third base before a sacrifice fly to right field brought in the winning run as Rodriquez slid in just ahead of the throw form right fielder Drew Bristow.
The Bulldogs will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on UAB in a three game set, Friday-Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rasesh Pandya (1-0)
L: Harris, Kole (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Dunn, Sebastian 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Lucas, MJ 1
RBI: Gasparro, Greg 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 2 ; Jones, Easton 1 ; Lucas, MJ 3
SH: Troost, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dunn, Sebastian 1 ; Lankford, Brandon 1 ; Jones, Easton 1 ; Troost, Chris 1 ; Barbour, Will 2 ; Lucas, MJ 1
CS: Troost, Chris 1
HBP: Lankford, Brandon 1
Batting:
RBI: Brett Rodriguez 1 ; Hudson Byorick 3 ; Alec Cargin 1 ; Andrew Orzel 2 ; Matty Brown 1
SH: Matty Brown 1
SF: Hudson Byorick 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Brett Rodriguez 1 ; Lawson Hill 1 ; Colin Davis 2 ; Alec Cargin 2 ; Matty Brown 2
SB: Brett Rodriguez 3 ; Alec Cargin 1 ; Andrew Orzel 1
HBP: Hudson Byorick 1 ; John Dempsey 1 ; Nolen Hester 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballInfielder/Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Left-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder
/ Baseball
Utility/Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball1B/OF
/ Baseball
Infielder
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
Right-Handed Pitcher
/ BaseballInfielder
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