University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Saturday, February 29
Nashville, TN
3 PM
UNC Asheville
4
at
6
Belmont
Six Eighth Inning Runs Stun Bulldogs as UNC Asheville Drops Game Two
02.29.2020 | Baseball
NASHVILLE, TENN. – UNC Asheville baseball dropped game two of their three game series to Belmont Saturday afternoon by a score of 6-4.
The Bulldogs led for much of the game as they entered the bottom of the eighth inning up 4-0. The Bruin bats put on a show in the bottom of the eighth as Belmont scored six runs to erase the Bulldogs' lead.
Senior Blake Brown got the start for the Bulldogs and excelled in his third start of the year. Brown threw a season-high six innings and sent down a career-high 10 guys on strikes. The senior right-hander allowed only three hits and worked around five walks as he didn't allow a single run through his six innings.
Neither team could score through the first third of the ball game as the Bulldogs entered the top of the fourth inning with the game still tied 0-0.
The Bulldogs broke through in the top of fourth as they pushed three runs across to grab the early lead. Easton Jones led off the inning with a single to left field and he advanced to second as Chris Troost reached first on an error by the Bruins defense. Both runners moved up a base as Grayson Preslar laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Wade Chandler came to bat with runners on second and third with one out and singled to the shortstop to load the bases. MJ Lucas singled to left field to bring in Jones from third and keep the bases loaded for Greg Gasparro. Gasparro singled to right to push across the Bulldogs' second run of the game. Sebastian Dunn pushed across the third run of the game as the junior reached on a fielders' choice with Belmont forcing Gasparro out at second.
Belmont limited the damage to those three runs as Dominic Freeberger hit a groundball to the shortstop who flipped to second to force Dunn out to end the inning for the Bulldogs.
Jones led off the eighth inning with his second hit of the game as he doubled to left center as the Bulldogs looked to add a few insurance runs heading into the final two innings of the game. Two batters later, Preslar hit a one-out single to right field that brought Jones around to score as the Bulldogs took a 4-0 lead.
Brown was relieved after six innings by right-hander Chris Banks who pitched a stellar seventh inning as he sent down all three batters in order with two strikeouts.
The eighth inning started out just as the Bulldogs had planned with two quick outs but the Bruins started a rally after that beginning with a drop third strike that allowed the first Belmont baserunner of the inning. That single baserunner sparked the Bruin offense as eight more Bruins would reach base in the inning and Belmont would score six two-out runs as the Bulldogs watched their lead evaporate.
The two run lead was just what Belmont needed as closer Aaron Hubbell closed the door on the Bulldogs with a three up and three down top of the ninth to secure the victory for Belmont.
The Bulldogs will look to take game three of the series at Rose Park, Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs led for much of the game as they entered the bottom of the eighth inning up 4-0. The Bruin bats put on a show in the bottom of the eighth as Belmont scored six runs to erase the Bulldogs' lead.
Senior Blake Brown got the start for the Bulldogs and excelled in his third start of the year. Brown threw a season-high six innings and sent down a career-high 10 guys on strikes. The senior right-hander allowed only three hits and worked around five walks as he didn't allow a single run through his six innings.
Neither team could score through the first third of the ball game as the Bulldogs entered the top of the fourth inning with the game still tied 0-0.
The Bulldogs broke through in the top of fourth as they pushed three runs across to grab the early lead. Easton Jones led off the inning with a single to left field and he advanced to second as Chris Troost reached first on an error by the Bruins defense. Both runners moved up a base as Grayson Preslar laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Wade Chandler came to bat with runners on second and third with one out and singled to the shortstop to load the bases. MJ Lucas singled to left field to bring in Jones from third and keep the bases loaded for Greg Gasparro. Gasparro singled to right to push across the Bulldogs' second run of the game. Sebastian Dunn pushed across the third run of the game as the junior reached on a fielders' choice with Belmont forcing Gasparro out at second.
Belmont limited the damage to those three runs as Dominic Freeberger hit a groundball to the shortstop who flipped to second to force Dunn out to end the inning for the Bulldogs.
Jones led off the eighth inning with his second hit of the game as he doubled to left center as the Bulldogs looked to add a few insurance runs heading into the final two innings of the game. Two batters later, Preslar hit a one-out single to right field that brought Jones around to score as the Bulldogs took a 4-0 lead.
Brown was relieved after six innings by right-hander Chris Banks who pitched a stellar seventh inning as he sent down all three batters in order with two strikeouts.
The eighth inning started out just as the Bulldogs had planned with two quick outs but the Bruins started a rally after that beginning with a drop third strike that allowed the first Belmont baserunner of the inning. That single baserunner sparked the Bruin offense as eight more Bruins would reach base in the inning and Belmont would score six two-out runs as the Bulldogs watched their lead evaporate.
The two run lead was just what Belmont needed as closer Aaron Hubbell closed the door on the Bulldogs with a three up and three down top of the ninth to secure the victory for Belmont.
The Bulldogs will look to take game three of the series at Rose Park, Sunday at 2 p.m.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Outfielder
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
Infielder/Right-Handed Pitcher
/ Baseball
Left-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder
/ Baseball
1B/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
Infielder
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