University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
10-7
VMI
9-10
Team Effort Paves Way for Bulldogs in Series Opening Victory
03.15.2024 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first from Kohl Abrams set the tone for Friday night's contest, as the UNC Asheville baseball team defeated VMI 8-6 at Greenwood Field.
IN THE BOX
Abrams' homer, his third of the season, was one of 13 hits for Asheville. Abrams joined three other Bulldogs who recorded multi-hit games, as he and Ty Kaufman had two hits apiece, and Corbin Lanowitz and Michael Groves each recorded three hits. Lanowitz recorded three runs, Abrams recorded two, and Groves and Kaufman led the team with two RBIs apiece.
LEADOFF HOME RUN KOHL ABRAMS! #ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/SY5ZKAXDin
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) March 15, 2024
Robbie Burnett, Cameron Johnson, and Brock Mercado had one hit each.
Cole Schiff recorded the win for the Bulldogs, going five innings, giving up five hits, two runs (both earned), and striking out three. Jakob Strmiska came in with bases loaded in the top of the ninth to record the final two outs and earn the save.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Asheville's defense turned three double plays in three of the first four innings to help take a 4-2 lead over the Keydets.
T2 | DOGS LOVING TURNING TWO! #ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/JvWZWrXjA9
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) March 15, 2024
Following Abrams' homer, Groves and Kaufman had back-to-back RBI singles to score Lanowitz and Johnson and help the Bulldogs take an early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Groves doubled to left center, scoring Lanowitz, to help extend the Bulldogs' lead out 4-0.
VMI scored two runs in the top of the fourth and one run in the sixth to help bring the score back within one, but the Bulldogs posted four runs in the seventh to extend their lead by five, 8-3. Asheville's run started with back-to-back wild pitches that allowed Abrams and Burnett to score. Later in the inning, Kaufman and Mercado connected for back-to-back RBI singles to score Lanowitz and Groves.
The Keydets threatened Asheville's lead with three runs in the eighth and loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Strmiska prevented VMI from performing the upset by coming in and getting the first batter he faced to pop up to Groves and then striking out the final batter of the game.
Jacob Strmiska with the game winning K! 😤
— Asheville Baseball (@UNCAvlBaseball) March 16, 2024
Strmiska comes in with bases loaded and one out and gets the final two outs of the game to secure the victory for Asheville. #ALLinAVL #TTS pic.twitter.com/tt3sXLpcyR
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to Greenwood Field for game two of its weekend series with VMI on Saturday, March 16, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schiff, Cole (1-0)
L: Morgan, Trey (1-2)
S: Strmiska, Jacob (1)
Batting:
2B: Cook, Brett 2
HR: Fitzwater, Grayson 1
RBI: Swaim, Ty 2 ; Cook, Brett 1 ; Morgan, Trey 2 ; Fitzwater, Grayson 1
SH: Jordan, Kazuya 1
SF: Morgan, Trey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Starke, Justin 1 ; Jenkins, Cole 2 ; Swaim, Ty 1 ; Cook, Brett 1 ; Fitzwater, Grayson 1
SB: Morgan, Trey 1
HBP: Starke, Justin 1 ; Cook, Brett 1 ; Fitzwater, Grayson 1
Batting:
2B: Groves, Michael 1
HR: Abrams, Kohl 1
RBI: Abrams, Kohl 1 ; Groves, Michael 2 ; Kaufman, Ty 2 ; Mercado, Brock 1
SH: Johnson, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abrams, Kohl 2 ; Burnett, Robbie 1 ; Lanowitz, Corbin 3 ; Johnson, Cameron 1 ; Groves, Michael 1
SB: Lanowitz, Corbin 1
HBP: Gross, Matthew 1 ; Lanowitz, Corbin 1
