University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, February 23
Asheville, NC
3 PM
UNC Asheville
20
vs
3
Bellarmine
Big Fifth Inning Powers Bulldogs Past Bellarmine on Friday
02.23.2024 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville Baseball team was powered past Bellarmine by a big fifth inning on Friday (Feb. 23), as the Bulldogs routed visiting Bellarmine 20-3 in the opening game of the non-league series at Greenwood Field. Today marked first time Asheville had scored at least 20 runs in a game since last season, when the Bulldogs defeated Radford 22-10 on May 13, 2023.
Bellarmine struck first in the game as Reed Blaszczyk blasted a solo home run to center to give the Knights a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Michael Groves would lead off the bottom of the second with a double, before later scoring on a passed ball to tie the score. Groves gave Asheville the lead in the third when he lined a double into the right field corner to score Cameron Johnson and Robbie Burnett.
The teams would trade blank frames until the bottom half of the fifth, when Asheville erupted for nine runs to pull away in the contest. Corbin Lanowitz drew a four-pitch walk to start the frame, before Johnson was hit by a pitch and the pair later advanced on a passed ball. Groves drove home Lanowitz with a single to left, before Ty Kaufman lined a single off of Bellarmine's pitcher to score another run. Groves would score on a sacrifice fly from Brock Mercado, before the lineup turned over and Kohl Abrams eventually scored on yet another passed ball. Burnett would lash a single through the right side to bring home Ben Hemphill, before Lanowitz batted for a second time in the inning and mashed a three-run bomb over the right center field wall to leave Asheville ahead 12-1 through five.
Bellarmine countered with two runs in the sixth, before Asheville responded with three of its own in the home half of the frame. An Abrams single up the middle brough home Kaufman, before Burnett singled to right to bring home Hemphill. Canon Pierce would deliver his first career extra base hit and runs batted in with a pinch-hit two-run double later in the inning, scoring Dylan Bacot and Burnett.
Asheville would bring the game to its final score offensively in the seventh, with Owen Michelson scoring on an Abrams single and Abrams and Kolby Watson scoring on a Matthew Gross double.
Asheville pounded out a season-high 17 hits in the win, led by three each from Abrams, Bacot and Groves. Burnett added two hits in the game, while Gross, Lanowitz, Pierce, Johnson, Kaufman and Mercado each had one hit. Abrams and Burnett each scored three runs, while Bacot, Lanowitz, Johnson, Groves, Kaufman and Hemphill each scored twice. Michelson and Watson each crossed the plate once. Cole Schiff (1-0) picked up his first win of the season, tossing 5.1 innings holding Bellarmine to three runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Sam Thompson fired 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and one walk with one strikeout. Jake Young recorded a scoreless inning with one hit and one walk, while Cal Barna fired a hitless ninth with one punchout.
The Bulldogs return to action tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 24) for the middle game of the series with Bellarmine. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field, with live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com. Â
Â
Bellarmine struck first in the game as Reed Blaszczyk blasted a solo home run to center to give the Knights a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Michael Groves would lead off the bottom of the second with a double, before later scoring on a passed ball to tie the score. Groves gave Asheville the lead in the third when he lined a double into the right field corner to score Cameron Johnson and Robbie Burnett.
The teams would trade blank frames until the bottom half of the fifth, when Asheville erupted for nine runs to pull away in the contest. Corbin Lanowitz drew a four-pitch walk to start the frame, before Johnson was hit by a pitch and the pair later advanced on a passed ball. Groves drove home Lanowitz with a single to left, before Ty Kaufman lined a single off of Bellarmine's pitcher to score another run. Groves would score on a sacrifice fly from Brock Mercado, before the lineup turned over and Kohl Abrams eventually scored on yet another passed ball. Burnett would lash a single through the right side to bring home Ben Hemphill, before Lanowitz batted for a second time in the inning and mashed a three-run bomb over the right center field wall to leave Asheville ahead 12-1 through five.
Bellarmine countered with two runs in the sixth, before Asheville responded with three of its own in the home half of the frame. An Abrams single up the middle brough home Kaufman, before Burnett singled to right to bring home Hemphill. Canon Pierce would deliver his first career extra base hit and runs batted in with a pinch-hit two-run double later in the inning, scoring Dylan Bacot and Burnett.
Asheville would bring the game to its final score offensively in the seventh, with Owen Michelson scoring on an Abrams single and Abrams and Kolby Watson scoring on a Matthew Gross double.
Asheville pounded out a season-high 17 hits in the win, led by three each from Abrams, Bacot and Groves. Burnett added two hits in the game, while Gross, Lanowitz, Pierce, Johnson, Kaufman and Mercado each had one hit. Abrams and Burnett each scored three runs, while Bacot, Lanowitz, Johnson, Groves, Kaufman and Hemphill each scored twice. Michelson and Watson each crossed the plate once. Cole Schiff (1-0) picked up his first win of the season, tossing 5.1 innings holding Bellarmine to three runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Sam Thompson fired 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and one walk with one strikeout. Jake Young recorded a scoreless inning with one hit and one walk, while Cal Barna fired a hitless ninth with one punchout.
The Bulldogs return to action tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 24) for the middle game of the series with Bellarmine. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field, with live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com. Â
Â
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
U/RHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
U
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballHighlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville vs Presbyterian (Game 3)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville at Presbyterian (Game 2)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville at Presbyterian (Game 1)
Tuesday, May 28
Highlights || Baseball || UNC Asheville vs Gardner-Webb (Game 3)
Monday, May 13