March 24, 2010

Final Stats

DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- With a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the North Carolina Central Baseball team could not get the final three outs as UNC Asheville scored the contest's last two runs breaking the hearts of the Eagles with the 5-4 win on Wednesday afternoon at the Greenwood Baseball Field.

The first meeting between these two programs could not have been filled with anymore drama as their were three ties and three lead changes in the ballgame. The Eagles scored the contest's first run thanks to a two-out single from Blake Murray (Wendell, N.C.) driving in Akeem Hood (Raleigh, N.C.) putting NCCU up 1-0 in the first inning.

UNC Asheville struck the next blow tying the ballgame up at 1 apiece after Danny Baatz hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs grabbed its first lead at 2-1 in the fifth on Justin Schumer's run-scoring single.

The Eagles showed their resolve by scoring a run in both the sixth and the seventh inning snatching back a 3-2 lead. Nate Smith (Knightdale, N.C.) singled and ended up scoring on a UNCA passed ball in the sixth, while Kurt Wilson (Riverdale, Ga.) drove in Anthony Wilson (Fort Washington, Md.) on a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

UNCA tied it up in the bottom of the eighth inning at 3-3 on Schumer's second home run of the season.

The ninth inning saw two more lead changes and equally as much drama as NCCU scored what was thought to be the go-ahead run. With two outs and senior Tim McAllister (Raleigh, N.C.) standing on third base, Kurt Wilson drove in his fifth RBI of the season with a single to the left side putting the Eagles ahead at 4-3.

In the bottom of the ninth, UNC Asheville led off with a single by Cody Buch, who then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by the ensuing batter. A walk and an infield hit loaded the bases for the Bulldogs when Robert McIntosh hit a single to right center field scoring the game-winning runs and sending the Eagles to the gut-wrenching 5-4 defeat.

NCCU (0-19) had two solid pitching performances from both Joseph Cobb (Raleigh, N.C.) and Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.). Cobb had his best performance since last season where he eanred his first win in a 7-6 victory over University of Maryland Eastern Shore. In five innings of work, he scattered seven hits allowing only 2 earned runs striking out two Bulldog batters. Frye (0-4) took the loss for NCCU but has nothing to hang his head about as the freshman righty threw 3.1 innings and gave up just three earned runs with two strike outs.

Offensively, the Diamond Eagles left eight runners on base in the loss. Hood led the Eagles going 2-for-3 at the dish.

NCCU looks to regroup as they take on its second straight opponent from the "Tar Heel State" as the Diamond Eagles head to Greenville, N.C. to battle nationally ranked East Carolina University for a three-game set starting this Friday night beginning at 7:00 from Clark LeClair Stadium.

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