Salisbury, N.C. —- For the fourth time in program history, the Catawba College baseball team is headed to the Division II College World Series! The Catawba Indians captured the Southeast Regional title in a shutout 8-0 win over Georgia College at Newman Park on Saturday afternoon.
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Georgia College 10-5
- The Catawba Indians recorded both extra-base hits
- Catawba left five runners on base; GCSU stranded 11 runners
- Both teams committed two errors
- The Catawba Indians had three of five stolen bases in the game
- Catawba's pitchers threw nine shutout innings on five hits and four walks, striking out five; the Bobcats' staff allowed eight runs on 10 hits and five walks, striking out four
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Payne Stolsworth got the win, throwing eight shutout innings, allowing just five hits and three walks with five strikeouts to earn his 11th win of the season
- Dylan Driver hit a bases-clearing triple and scored
- Cole Hales went 2-for-5 with two runs scored
- Cooper Bryson added two hits with a run driven in and a run scored
- Bo Rusher drove in a pair of runs
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Catawba loaded the bases with no outs in the second
- Hales scored on a double play to get Catawba on the board
- Ty Hubbard ripped a two-out single to bring home a second run and take a 2-0 lead
SIXTH INNING
- Hales singled and stole second with one out in the sixth
- After moving over to third on a flyout, Bryson delivered with a two-out RBI base hit to add an insurance score
SEVENTH INNING
- Sam Hunter's double put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh
- Rusher scored both runs on a single the other way
EIGHTH INNING
- A walk loaded the bases for Catawba with one out
- Driver drove a bases-clearing triple to center field with two outs to break the game open with three RBI
HEAR FROM COACH GANTT
- "We had great pitching today. When the other team doesn't score as much, it makes it much easier on the offense. With Payne [Stolsworth], if you get him early, he's still going to settle in, but if you don't get him early, then he's really going to get good… It's a testament to this team, because we did it without having the National Pitcher of the Year or National Player of the Year. The pieces of the puzzle fit well and they play for each other and I think that's what is special about this team.
UP NEXT
- The Catawba Indians head to the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C. for the NCAA Division II National Championships June 1-8
- Stay tuned into catawbaathletics.com for updates on the next opponent, game day and game time
