ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Gregory Ryan, Jr. swatted his team-best seventh home run of the season, but UNC Asheville outslugged Longwood baseball on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs (15-7, 2-3 Big South) took down the Lancers (7-18, 0-5 Big South) 13-4 to win the series with a flurry of runs in the middle innings.
SCORE:
R H E
LWU 4 8 0
AVL 13 16 1
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Lancers struck first by scratching across a run in the third inning in their sixth straight road game.
Dylan Wilkinson drew a leadoff walk, and he advanced all the way to third.
Tanner Thomas poked a sacrifice fly ball to center field for a 1-0 lead.
Dylan Bacot led the charge back for Asheville. He had one of his four base hits to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and Asheville plated a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead.
That jumpstarted the Bulldogs, and Asheville scored 12 runs in four innings to break the game open. Bacot and Michael Groves combined to drive in six runs for Asheville.
Ryan cranked a two-run home run in the top of the seventh for Longwood, but the damage had been done.
Ryan Douglas (4-0) earned the win for Asheville after only surrendering one unearned run in 5.0 innings. He struck out seven against three hits and three walks.
Ryan Miller (1-3) took the loss for the Lancers. He struck out four but gave up two runs on five hits and a walk in 3.2 innings.
WHAT THEY SAID:
"We've got to continue to grow and improve as a team," said Longwood Head Coach
Chad Oxendine. "We tell the guys that everything matters, and we have to keep focusing on those details throughout the game against a good Asheville team. We get another chance to do that again tomorrow, and I know our guys will keep fighting."
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Ryan hit his seventh home run of the season, a mark that leads the team.
Ethan Barnes went 2-2 at the plate after coming on as a pinch hitter.
James Nelson added a pair of base knocks after going 2-4 at the plate.
UP NEXT:
The two teams play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The game will be aired on ESPN+.
#GoWood #HorsePower