Box Score
WILSON,
N.C.-The North Greenville University baseball team
scored the first three runs and then held off a late Barton rally including a
bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to win the Conference Carolinas
series opener 3-2 at Fleming Stadium on Friday evening.
The Crusaders improved to 24-15
overall and 13-6 in the league. The Bulldogs dropped to 12-24 and 4-13. The two
teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader at Nixon Field on Saturday
beginning at Noon.NGU took advantage of a pair of
BC errors that led to two unearned insurance runs.
The first half of the game
featured a pitcher's duel between Crusaders senior Drew Provence and Bulldogs
junior Christian Oliver. Provence (4-1) scattered six hits over six scoreless frames
to eventually earn the win. Oliver (2-3) went seven strong allowing just one
earned run on four hits and six walks while fanning three.
North Greenville got on the
board with two runs in the sixth. A two-out walk by junior Adam Taylor and a
single by senior Derek Fulmer set up the scoring situation before senior David
Frazier provided the first run. Frazier belted a ground ball off the glove
diving first baseman that trickled just beyond first base. Taylor was able to
score from second base on the play as an errant throw home sailed to the
backstop which then allowed Fulmer to score.
Barton's second error that
allowed the Crusaders leadoff hitter to reach base in the eighth proved costly
as freshman Allen Staton ripped a two-out RBI-double in the right field gap.
Senior Ryan Daughtry ended the Crusaders shutout bid with a solo home run to right field with two
outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Barton made things interesting
in the bottom of the ninth that got started with singles Clay Martin and Tyler Barrington. Senior reliever Nate Richards was able to get the first
two outs on a couple of ground ball fielder's choices before loading the bases
with a walk to senior Chris Rawlings. Richards then issued a second straight base on balls to
junior Phillip Williams that plated pinch runner JT Virant and pull the Bulldogs to within one.
Cuthrell – who entered the
contest riding a 16 game hit streak – came up with the bases loaded as Barton's
leading hitter but flew out to left field to end the rally. Cuthrell's streak
ended at 16 games after going 0-for-5.
Barrington and Daughtry were
both 3-for-4 to account for six of the Bulldogs 10 hits.
Richards earned his second save
of the season after keeping the Crusaders ahead for the final three innings.
NGU senior leadoff hitter Markus Duckworth was
2-for-4 with two stolen bases.
