University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
0-4
Tennessee
3-1
Baseball Battles with No. 9 Tennessee
02.20.2024 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The UNC Asheville baseball team outhit No. 9 Tennessee in the Bulldogs' first midweek game of the season, but a sacrifice fly late in the game for the Volunteers helped Tennessee win 3-2.
The Bulldogs outhit the Volunteers 9-to-5, with Kohl Abrams and Cameron Johnson recording multi-hit games with two apiece. Robbie Burnett, Corbin Lanowitz, Michael Groves, Ty Kaufman, and Ben Hemphill each chipped in a hit, with Hemphill's hit being a solo home run, his first as a Bulldog.
T4 | Cameron Johnson with his second hit of the day! #ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/lFxHCjLQG0
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) February 20, 2024
Asheville had seven pitchers take the mound, with Groves getting the start on the bump. Sam Thompson, Jacob Strmiska, Nic Melton, Jacob Williams, Isaac Gonzales, and Branden Barna all made relief appearances.
The Bulldogs got the first run of the day with an RBI single to right-center from Johnson, driving in Abrams in the top of the first. The Volunteers answered in the second with a solo home run to even the score 1-1. Tennessee took the lead with an RBI single through the left side an inning later.
In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs answered back with Hemphill's solo homer, tying the score 2-2. Two innings later, a sacrifice fly would help Tennessee retake the lead, and Asheville was unable to respond.
T5 | SOLO HOME RUN BEN HEMPHILL!
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) February 20, 2024
Bulldogs even the score 2-2! #ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/ec2e8fT8af
Tennessee had runners in scoring position four separate innings before Asheville's defense and pitching helped end the Volunteers' scoring threat.
E8 | Branden Barna with a big strikeout to send us to the 9th! 😤#ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/RHkEI4wqoP
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) February 20, 2024
Up next, Asheville will host Bellarmine in its home series opener Feb. 23-25. First pitch of game one on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Austin Hunley (1-0)
L: Williams, Jacob (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Hemphill, Ben 1
RBI: Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Hemphill, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abrams, Kohl 1 ; Hemphill, Ben 1
Batting:
2B: Blake Burke 1
HR: Kavares Tears 1
RBI: Hunter Ensley 1 ; Christian Moore 1 ; Kavares Tears 1
SF: Hunter Ensley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dylan Dreiling 1 ; Kavares Tears 1 ; Bradke Lohry 1
HBP: Dalton Bargo 1
