University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
3-5
Western Carolina
4-4
Asheville Falters at Western Carolina
02.27.2024 | Baseball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team entered the ninth inning ahead 5-3, but the Catamounts of Western Carolina posted three runs in the bottom of the ninth to perform a 6-5 comeback Tuesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A leadoff single followed by back-to-back walks loaded the bases up for WCU with one out. A double to deep center field would score two to tie the game at five. With runners in scoring position, an intentional walk would load the bases before Cal Barna would come in for relief. Barna got the second out of the inning with a liner back to him, but a bases-loaded walk would help the Cats score the walk-off run.
ASHEVILLE'S RUN PRODUCTION
Western got on the board first with a solo homer in the second, but a 2-run home run in the third inning from Robbie Burnett, his fifth of the season, helped Asheville take a 2-1 lead. In the same inning, a wild pitch helped bring Dylan Bacot home to extend Asheville's lead to 3-1.
Western added a run following a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, but Ben Hemphill's second double of the day in the sixth inning helped score Michael Groves and Ty Kaufman.
BULLDOGS IN THE BOX
Hemphill led Asheville with two hits and recorded two RBIs. Burnett also finished with two RBIs; his lone hit of the day came from his homer. Corbin Lanowitz, Cameron Johnson, Groves, and Kaufman each recorded a hit.
Groves got his second start of the season and went four innings, giving up just one hit and one run (earned). Six Bulldogs followed in relief, with Sam Thompson suffering the loss.
UP NEXT
Asheville returns to action on Saturday, March 2, as the Bulldogs host Siena in doubleheader action. Game one is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jonathan Todd (1-0)
L: Thompson, Sam (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hemphill, Ben 2
HR: Burnett, Robbie 1
RBI: Burnett, Robbie 2 ; Hemphill, Ben 2
SH: Abrams, Kohl 1 ; McGinnis, Coleman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burnett, Robbie 1 ; Bacot, Dylan 1 ; Groves, Michael 1 ; Kaufman, Ty 1 ; Hemphill, Ben 1
CS: Burnett, Robbie 1
HBP: Bacot, Dylan 1 ; Johnson, Cameron 1
Batting:
2B: Trent Turner 1 ; James Hinson 1
HR: James Hinson 1
RBI: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Jack Spyke 1 ; James Hinson 3 ; Mason Holton 1
SF: Zach Ketterman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trent Turner 2 ; Jack Spyke 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; James Hinson 1 ; Kyle Harbison 1
SB: Hayden Friese 1
CS: Tafton Hensley 1
HBP: Tafton Hensley 1 ; Hayden Friese 1
