Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Cory Guinn
DUE WEST, S.C. – The Barton College baseball team concluded a three-game series with Erskine on Saturday afternoon as the Fleet took game one 4-2 before the Bulldogs secured a 6-1 victory in the final game of the weekend at Grier Field.
Barton's record now stands at 7-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Erskine falls to 11-1 overall and 2-1 within the league.
Game One: Erskine 4 Barton 2 (Seven inn.)
The first game of the day was a pitcher's duel for the better part of seven innings as only three pitchers were used by the two teams, combining to allow just six runs on 11 total hits.
Barton was sat down in order to begin the game before Erskine's Brandon Overstreet led off with a triple in his first at-bat and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 Fleet lead after one inning of play.
Erskine scored two more runs in the fourth inning on RBI singles from Brandon Wooten and Tanner Lollis before adding the final run of the game in the fifth when Overstreet scored from third base on a wild pitch.
A two-run home run from the bat of senior Avery Harper put the Bulldog on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning, however, Erskine's Zach McAllister closed the door to earn his second save of the season.
Senior left-hander Kyle Rufer (1-2) was stuck with the loss, after allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks in a complete game effort on the mound.
Harper led Barton at the plate, finishing 1-for-3 with a run score, two RBI and his second home run of the season as junior Ben Williams was 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored of his own.
Game Two: Barton 6 Erskine 1
The final game of the weekend series began again as a battle on the mound as Barton starting pitcher Zach Breen and Erskine starting pitcher Austin Gambrell kept donuts on the scoreboard for the first four and a half innings of play.
Erskine struck first on an RBI double from the bat of Overstreet in the bottom of the fifth for a 1-0 lead before the Bulldog offense came alive.
Sophomore Blake Spangenberg and senior Spiers Miller forced back-to-back walks to open the seventh inning of play before freshman Hunter Pearre was inserted into the game as a pinch runner for Spangenberg. The two runners advanced to third and second, respectively, on a sacrifice hit by senior JT Bunce.
With one out on the board, sophomore Calvin Hawke put the ball in play to drive in Barton's first run of the game on a ground out to short. Miller scored on the ensuing at bat when redshirt-senior Mitchell Wheeler reached on an error as Barton led 2-1 after the top of the seventh inning.
The Bulldogs again took advantage of an Erskine fielding error when sophomore Jacob Willis reached on a miscue by the right fielder and advanced to third. Fellow sophomore Andrew Webster followed with an RBI single to put the Bulldogs ahead by two runs before Pearre reached on a fielder's choice and Bunce walked to load the bases.
Hawke cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to put Barton ahead 6-1after the top of the eighth, leaving Breen to shut the door and secure the win on the road.
Breen (2-0) was dominate on the mound in his fourth start of the season, allowing just one run on five hit with five strikeouts in a complete game performance, throwing 108 pitches over nine innings of work.
Webster was the leader on offense in game two, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and RBI and a walk, while Hawke was 1-for-4 with four RBI and his second double of the season. Wheeler, Williams and Spangenberg each recorded a hit in the contest as well.
The Bulldogs return home for a non-conference matchup with UNC Pembroke on Wednesday, February 25 at 2:30 p.m. at Nixon Field in Wilson.
