University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
9-6
Niagara
9-5
Bulldogs Hold off Niagara Rally on Sunday to Complete Weekend Sweep
03.10.2024 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -Â UNC Asheville Baseball held off a ninth-inning rally at Greenwood Field on Sunday (Mar. 10) to complete the weekend sweep over Niagara by a score of 11-8.
Asheville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, with a Corbin Lanowitz single to right field scoring Robbie Burnett and Lanowitz later scoring on a single to right center by Cameron Johnson. Asheville would pad its lead in the second inning with three more runs, the first coming on a Kohl Abrams squeeze bunt that scored Ty Kaufman. Burnett would step to the plate and proceed to mash a two-run bomb to center to score Brock Mercado and put the lead at 5-0. Kaufman would increase the lead in his next at-bat with a double down the left field line that scored Lanowitz and Johnson. Niagara got three runs in their half of the fourth, before Asheville seemed to pull away with four runs in the home half of the fifth. A Mercado double to left center would bring home Lanowitz and Michael Groves, before a Ben Hemphill sacrifice fly scored Kaufman. Mercado would come in to score on a wild pitch later in the inning. Niagara mounted a rally in the ninth with five runs, before the Bulldogs were able to shut the door and secure the victory.
Burnett and Lanowitz each had three hits in the game, while Johnson, Kaufman and Mercado each had two hits and Groves also had one. Lanowitz scored three runs in the game, while Burnett, Kaufman and Mercado each scored twice and Johson and Groves each scored once. Burnett, Kaufman and Mercado each drove in two runs, while Abrams, Lanowitz, Johnson and Hemphill each brought home one run. Groves (1-0) picked up the win on the bump, scattering three runs and seven hits through five innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Nick Bruno fired two innings of hitless relief, allowing three walks. He was followed by one scoreless inning from Bryce Fisher, who punched out two in the frame. Jacob Strmiska and Sam Thompson pieced together the ninth inning to close the game out.
The Bulldogs (9-6) return to the diamond on Tuesday (Mar. 12) at Liberty in non-conference action. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. from Lynchburg, Va., with video and live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com.  Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Groves, Michael (1-0)
L: Kobitowich, Brady (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Groves, Nick 1 ; Rataczak, Eric 1 ; Mauro, Vincent 1 ; Torresan, Matt 1
HR: Schrader, Gavin 1
RBI: Groves, Nick 1 ; Desjardins, Brady 1 ; Rataczak, Eric 1 ; Ward, Matt 1 ; Schrader, Gavin 2 ; Kozar, Rees 1 ; Torresan, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Groves, Nick 1 ; Desjardins, Brady 1 ; Rataczak, Eric 1 ; Ward, Matt 1 ; Schrader, Gavin 1 ; Corl, Kelly 1 ; Mauro, Vincent 1 ; Torresan, Matt 1
Batting:
2B: Groves, Michael 1 ; Kaufman, Ty 1 ; Mercado, Brock 1
HR: Burnett, Robbie 1
RBI: Abrams, Kohl 1 ; Burnett, Robbie 2 ; Lanowitz, Corbin 1 ; Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Kaufman, Ty 2 ; Mercado, Brock 2 ; Hemphill, Ben 1
SH: Abrams, Kohl 1 ; Groves, Michael 1
SF: Hemphill, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burnett, Robbie 2 ; Lanowitz, Corbin 3 ; Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Groves, Michael 1 ; Kaufman, Ty 2 ; Mercado, Brock 2
SB: Burnett, Robbie 2 ; Lanowitz, Corbin 1 ; Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Kaufman, Ty 2
CS: Kaufman, Ty 1
HBP: Kaufman, Ty 1
