Box Score
by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C.-Tyler George's walk-off double capped a late-inning Barton rally and gave the Bulldogs a 4-3 victory over visiting Bloomsburg University Tuesday in a non-conference meeting at Nixon Field.
George, a freshman from Aliquippa, Pa., put a dagger into the heart of a team from his home state when he laced a 1-1 offering from Bloomsburg reliever Matthew Dean (1-1) into the right field corner, scoring Clay Martin with the game-winning run.
Martin had just tied the game one batter earlier, driving a 3-1 pitch over the head of Huskies centerfielder Brad Smith and off the fence, scoring pinch-runner JT Virant from second base. Virant had run for Zac Crumpler, who led off the ninth with a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Collins Cuthrell had moved Virant into position to tie the game on Martin's hit.
Barton (7-15) had trailed 3-0 entering the eighth, but the Bulldogs scored twice in the bottom of the frame to set the stage for the ninth-inning heroics. George led off that effort by reaching base on an error, and moved to third on Spiers Miller's double into the left field corner. Three batters later, Chris Rawlings delivered a two-out single to center, driving in both runners.
The comeback helped make a winner of Ducan Everett (1-1), who tossed three innings of scoreless relief, giving up just two hits and walking one while striking out a pair of Huskies.
Bloomsburg (8-6) had grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on Nickolas Eversole's first home run of the season, a blast to center off Barton starter Phillip Williams. Jarrod Kramer, who also scored on the play, had reached to lead off the inning on a bad-hop single to third.
The Huskies added another run in the seventh to take a 3-0 lead and chase Williams. Smith led off the frame by ripping a single off of Williams' ankle, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out error.
Williams went six innings for the Bulldogs in his first start of the year, allowing five hits and walking two while striking out three. He was helped by the Barton defense, which turned double plays in each of the first two innings.
However, he was not helped by the Barton base-running. The Bulldogs had three runners picked off base in the contest, two on catcher-to-first throws. Those plays helped Bloomsburg starter Mike Streisel maintain his shutout. Streisel went six scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and walking three while striking out six.
Kramer led the Huskies at the plate, collecting three of Bloomsburg's seven hits. Rawlings had two of Barton's eight hits.
Barton returns to action on Friday, when it will host Erskine College in a Conference Carolinas contest beginning at 2 p.m.
