ASHEBORO, N.C.-Seniors Aaron Watkins and Jordan Smith both hit a home run and drove in five RBI as the Barton College baseball team swept Lenoir-Rhyne University in a non-conference doubleheader by scores of 4-1 and 15-5 at McCrary Park, home of the Asheboro Copperheads.
The Bulldogs won two consecutive games for the first time in 2011 as Barton improved its overall record to 6-11. The Bears have lost eight straight slipping to 3-17.
Watkins, a first baseman from Newport News, Va., was 5-for-7 including three doubles and a home run. Smith, a left fielder from Longmont, Colo., was 3-for-6 with two walks, one homer, and one stolen base.
The middle infield duo of junior Chris Rawlings (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Collins Cuthrell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) ripped four hits apiece. Rawlings swiped three bases and Cuthrell drilled two doubles.
GAME ONE: Barton 4, Lenoir-Rhyne 1
Junior right-handed Bentley Massey (Wilson, N.C.) earned his second straight win and Smith belted a two-run homer as Barton secured the opener 4-1.
Smith put the designated hosts for game one ahead with his blast to left in the third. A two-run double by Watkins in the fourth doubled up Barton's advantage.
Lenoir-Rhyne prevented the shutout big with its lone run in the top of the fifth on a single and a two-out double.
The Bears got a leadoff walk to start the seventh that ended Massey's day. Junior Stephan Arcieri (Roswell, Ga.) – who leads LR batting over .400 and was 3-for-3 against Massey – stepped into the batter's box but lefty specialist Dave Koppenheffer (Asheville, N.C.) struck him out. BC sophomore closer Mitchell Frazier (Oxford, N.C.) recorded the final two outs with the potential game-tying run on deck to pick up his second save of the season.
Massey (2-2) scattered seven hits and fanned seven Bears in six-plus innings of work.
Barton was held to just six hits but five were for extra bases including Smith's long ball, a pair of doubles from Watkins, and two-baggers by Rawlings and freshman Mitchell Wheeler (Elm City, N.C.).
GAME TWO: Barton 15, Lenoir-Rhyne 5
Cuthrell had four of the Bulldogs 16 hits as Barton scored a season-high 15 runs to complete the twin bill sweep with a 15-5 win in the nightcap.
Barton became the visitors in the second game and immediately kept the momentum. Rawlings led off the game with a bunt single and a stolen base before moving to third on a ground out. Freshman Zac Crumpler (Wilson, N.C.) walked and then took off for second. Lenoir-Rhyne made a throw down to second which immediately sent Rawlings safely home on the delayed double steal. Crumpler scored the second Bulldog run on a double by Watkins.
The Royal Blue and White pulled away with eight runs in the third that was highlighted by a three-run homer over the right field fence by Watkins, who finished 3-for-4 with four RBI. Wheeler later added an RBI-double before Barton finished off the surge with three consecutive run producing singles off the bats of Rawlings, Smith, and junior Ryan Daughtry (Princeton, N.C.).
Barton scored a total of six unearned runs because of three LR errors including a pair in the fourth to build a 12-1 cushion.
Lenoir-Rhyne threatened with bases loaded opportunities in three of the last four innings but a trio of Bulldog relievers kept the Bears to just four more runs. Barton tacked on three final runs in the sixth that featured a sacrifice fly by Rawlings and a two-run double by Smith.
Sophomore Christian Oliver (Gordonsville, Va.) was credited with his second win in relief of junior starter Matt Watson (Lucama, N.C.), who was unable to go the four needed innings by a starter in a seven-inning game.
