Salisbury, N.C. — The 4th-ranked Catawba College baseball team exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning in its series-opening win over Wingate in a matchup of the top two teams in the South Atlantic Conference standings at Newman Park on Friday night.
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Wingate 8-7
- Both teams hit a homer and four extra-base hits
- Catawba's pitchers allowed two runs on seven hits and five walks, striking out 13; the Bulldogs' staff allowed nine runs on eight hits and eight walks, striking out four
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Seth Sharpe earned the win on the mound with three scoreless innings, allowing three hits
- Colt Wilkins struck out a season-high 10 batters in five innings, allowing two runs
- Matthew Connolly clubbed his team-leading eighth homer of the season, driving in two and scoring two
- Jake Dunlap drove in three on a double in the seventh
- Sam Hunter picked up the go-ahead hit with two outs in the seventh
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Connolly got the scoring started with a one-out solo homer in the second
SIXTH INNING
- Wingate's Tanner McCammon answered with a leadoff solo homer in the sixth
- A two-out cue-shot double down the right field line scored another run for Wingate to take a 2-1 lead
SEVENTH INNING
- Nathan Chrismon walked to lead off the seventh
- He was bunted over to scoring position as the tying run
- A hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases with one out
- Brandon Crabtree drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly
- Hunter sent an RBI single the opposite way to give Catawba the 3-2 lead
- Connolly's bases-loaded walk brought home another score to make it 4-2
- Dunlap's bases-clearing double down the left field line break the game open at 7-2
- Ty Hubbard brought home another on an RBI double to lead 8-2 after seven
EIGHTH INNING
- Logan Dyer led off the eighth with a single; he moved to second on an HBP and third on a wild pitch
- Hunter Atkins drove him home on a sac fly, leading 9-2
UP NEXT
- Catawba and Wingate finish up the three-game set with a doubleheader on Saturday; game one is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch
