University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Queens (N.C.)
Baseball Falls to Queens in 12-Inning Contest
03.05.2024 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Tuesday night's midweek contest between the UNC Asheville Bulldogs and Queens University Royals was on pace to finish with a 10-1 victory in the Royals' favor, but a 9-run ninth inning from Asheville pushed the game into extra innings where Queens would go to earn the victory in the 12th inning 11-10.
EARLY SCORING
Queens' offense came out aggressive in the top of the first, scoring three runs to take an early 3-0 lead. Asheville responded in the bottom of the second with an RBI single from Ben Hemphill, scoring Ty Kaufman. Queens responded with two runs in the third and five in the fourth to take a 10-1 lead.
ASHEVILLE'S NINTH INNING RUN
With no outs in the bottom of the ninth, Hemphill led off with a double down the left field line, and Kohl Abrams followed with his first home run of the season over the left field fence to make the score 10-3.
Robbie Burnett drew a four-pitch walk, and Dylan Bacot followed with his first home run of the season, making it a five-run ballgame. A pitching change for the Royals followed Bacot's homer, but another pitching change was quickly made as Corbin Lanowitz was hit by a pitch, and Cameron Johnson was walked to put runners on first and second. Queens' third pitcher of the inning faced Michael Groves, who singled into right field to load the bases.
With one out, Brock Mercado and Hemphill would draw back-to-back bases-loaded walks to score Lanowitz and Johnson before Abrams would reach base following a hit by pitch to score Groves (10-8). The Royals would bring out their fourth pitcher of the inning to face Burnett, who drew his second four-pitch walk of the inning to score Mercado, and Bacot would follow with a walk to bring home Hemphill and tie the game at 10.
With bases still loaded, Queens was able to turn a double play to get out of the inning and prevent the Asheville walk-off.
QUEENS EARNS EXTRA INNING WIN
Neither team found a way to push a run across in the 10th and 11th innings, but the Royals took a one-run lead in the top of the 12th following a Bulldog error and two hits from Queens.
Bacot and Lanowitz connected for back-to-back hits in the bottom of the frame, but Asheville was unable to push a run across.
IN THE BOX
Abrams led Asheville's offense with three hits and three RBIs. Bacot followed with two hits, three RBIs, and three walks, and Hemphill connected for two hits, two RBIs, and a walk. Lanowitz, Groves, and Kaufman all connected for a hit. Burnett walked three times and had one RBI, and Mercado had three walks and an RBI. In total, Asheville recorded 14 walks, compared to Queens' six.
Nine pitchers took the mound for Asheville, with Groves getting his third start of the season. Nic Melton and Nick Bruno both threw three scoreless innings, with Melton giving up one hit and striking out two and Bruno giving up two hits and striking out four. Bruno recorded all three outs in the 10th inning, catching two batters looking and one swinging. Isaac Gonzales came on to pitch in the 11th for Asheville and inherited runners on second and first but kept the Royals from scoring with a pop-up to first, a fly out to right field, and a strikeout to end Queens' threat.
UP NEXT
Asheville will return to action on Friday, March 8, as the Bulldogs begin their three-game weekend series with Niagara. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3 p.m.
