Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Junior first baseman Collins Cuthrell crushed a go-ahead grand slam and senior pitcher Phillips Williams later drilled a two-run shot to ensure his victory on the mound as Barton College defeated Erskine College 7-4 in Conference Carolinas baseball action on Friday afternoon at Nixon Field.
The Bulldogs improved to 10-14 overall and 2-8 in the league with the series opening victory. Barton – winners of five of its last seven games – will host the Flying Fleet for two more games on Saturday beginning at Noon. Erskine slipped to 18-11 overall including 6-6 in conference play.
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Spiers Miller and Dillon Rudio led off with consecutive walks to help jumpstart Barton's comeback. After a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Mitchell Wheeler, Williams was able to draw the Bulldogs third base on balls in the frame to load the bases. Cuthrell then stepped into the batter's box and drilled a towering grand slam over the scoreboard beyond the left field fence to propel the hosts into the lead at 5-4.
Cuthrell, who has hit a home run in three of the Bulldogs last five games, moved into a tie for third place in league with six round-trippers on the season (trailing the two leaders by just one dinger). The Rocky Mount, N.C., product also took over the BC team lead with 20 RBI after producing the big blow.
Williams tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth when he smacked a high bolt down the right field line that stayed fair by about five paces. Williams' fourth four-bagger increased Barton's cushion to 7-4 heading into the ninth.
Williams, a 6-foot-2 lefty from Gibson, N.C., also had a strong performance on the mound for win in each of his last two starts. Williams (2-1) went a season-long 8 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out four. Williams was one out away from his first complete game when he issued his third walk of the day and was pulled for senior reliever Christian Oliver, who was able to get a groundout on a full count offering to his first batter faced to end the game. Oliver was credited with his first save with the potential tying run on deck when he toed the rubber.
Erskine wasted little time getting on the board with junior Chase Corn leading off the game with a single, senior Phillip Herring bunting him over to second and senior Drew Willingham knocking him in with a single.
Barton tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second with an unearned run. Cuthrell led off with a single and aggressively moved over to third on a single to left by sophomore Avery Harper before trotting home on a booted ball by the Fleet's second baseman.
The Flying Fleet regained the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on a single off the bat of sophomore Austin Gambrell. Erskine pounded out nine hits but a leadoff double in the sixth by sophomore Logan Galliher was the Fleets only extra base hit off Williams. Galliher later scored on another single by Gambrell for the visitor's fourth tally before Barton fought back with the long ball. Gambrell had three RBI.
Cuthrell (2-for-4), Harper (2-for-4) and Williams (1-for-3) accounted for all five of Barton's hits to all extend their current hit streaks. Williams (.312) is riding a team best 10-game hit streak, Cuthrell (.305) follows hitting safely in nine straight contests and Harper (.316) trails with a still noteworthy eight consecutive game hit streak.
