University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
24-26, 10-15
High Point
20-32, 12-12
Bulldogs Hit Three Home Runs but Drop Opener to High Point, 6-4
05.18.2023 | Baseball
The three home runs hit by the Bulldogs on Thursday came from Tony Castonguay, Michael Groves, and Dylan Bacot. Drew Bristow drove in a run, while Kohl Abrams reached base twice as well to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games. Furthermore, by knocking in a run with his home run, Bacot is now just one RBI shy of matching the single season RBI record of 59.
The Bulldogs used four pitchers on Thursday. Blake Little started the game and pitched the first 2.1 innings and allowed four runs on six hits. Bryce Fisher pitched the bulk of the game for Asheville totaling four innings, allowing two runs on three hits to go with three strikeouts. Cole Schiff and Chris Sabo also held High Point scoreless in their respective appearances on Thursday.
High Point would jump out to an early lead on the Bulldogs in Thursday's matchup. A bases loaded walk in the bottom of the first pushed across the game's first run to make it 1-0 High Point. A three-run home run in the third inning from the Panthers grew their lead to four, 4-0.
Facing a four-run deficit, the Bulldogs began to chip away in the fifth. Castonguay connected for his second home run of the season to cut High Point's lead to 4-1. Asheville got within one run after Bacot drilled one over the left field wall and Bristow drove in Cameron Johnson with a single in the sixth. The comeback would be complete in the seventh when Groves launched a ball over the right field wall to tie the score at 4-4. The home run by Groves was his 10th of the 2023 season.
High Point regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Back-to-back doubles made the score 5-4 Panthers before an RBI single grew Hight Point's advantage to two, 6-4.
Facing another deficit, the Bulldogs did not muster any offense in the eighth or ninth and the Panthers finished off the 6-4 win.
Asheville, now 24-26 on the season, and High Point will play game two of the series on Friday night with first pitch set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HALLADAY, Braden (4-3)
L: Fisher, Bryce (3-4)
S: WILLIAMS, Dalton (2)
Batting:
2B: Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Castonguay, Tony 1
HR: Bacot, Dylan 1 ; Groves, Michael 1 ; Castonguay, Tony 1
RBI: Bacot, Dylan 1 ; Groves, Michael 1 ; Castonguay, Tony 1 ; Bristow , Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bacot, Dylan 1 ; Groves, Michael 1 ; Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Castonguay, Tony 1
SB: Osio, Fermin 1
Batting:
2B: MATTHEWS, Patrick 1 ; SUTTON, Blake 1
HR: ECHAZARRETA, Miggy 1
RBI: SUTTON, Blake 2 ; ECHAZARRETA, Miggy 3 ; SINGSANK, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: AHALT, Brett 1 ; STUART, Adam 1 ; MATTHEWS, Patrick 1 ; SUTTON, Blake 2 ; ECHAZARRETA, Miggy 1
SB: SINGSANK, Cole 1 ; DESLAURIERS, Josh 1
