Salisbury, N.C. —- The 4th-ranked and top-seeded Catawba College baseball team started postseason play on Friday with a South Atlantic Conference Tournament win over eighth-seeded Newberry at Newman Park in a duel of First Team All-SAC starting pitchers.
TEAM STATISTICS
- Newberry out-hit Catawba 9-8
- The Catawba Indians recorded four of five extra-base hits, while the Wolves had the lone homer
- Newberry committed both errors in the game
- Catawba left six runners on base; the Wolves stranded seven
- Both teams recorded a stolen base
- Catawba's pitchers allowed four runs on nine hits and one walk, striking out 10; Newberry's staff allowed six earned runs on eight hits and four walks, striking out six
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Nathan Chrismon was 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored
- Cole Hales added a double and a walk with two RBI and two runs scored
- Sean Shelly doubled to drive in two
- James Dunlap recorded a pair of hits; Sam Hunter stole a base and scored twice
- Payne Stolsworth got the win, allowing four runs in 6.2 innings, striking out six
- Brandon Rodgers picked up the seven-out save, giving up just two hits and punching out four
HOW IT HAPPENED
FOURTH INNING
- Two batters after a lightning delay that lasted nearly an hour, Chrismon ripped a double down the left field line to score the game's first run in the fourth
SIXTH INNING
- Kade Faircloth singled and stole second to lead off the sixth for Newberry
- Wilson Wages' sac fly tied the game at 1
- A hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out in the sixth
- A potential inning-ending double play turned into a two-base error for Catawba, scoring two and pushing the lead to 3-1
- Shelly followed with a two-run double to take a 5-1 stronghold
SEVENTH INNING
- Parker Mergo's RBI single brought the Wolves within three
- Cooper Gentry's two-run homer took Catawba's lead down to 5-4
- Hales answered with a two-run double to the opposite field in the seventh
- Catawba added insurance on Chrismon's two-out RBI double
UP NEXT
- Catawba takes on Limestone in the winner's bracket game at 11 a.m. on Saturday
