Box Score by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – The Falcons of Pfeiffer University scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning but the Barton College baseball team held on for a 10-9 Conference Carolinas victory at Nixon Field on Friday afternoon.
Senior right-hander Zach Breen (5-2) won his final start in Wilson after allowing five runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts in six innings on the mound.
Freshman left-hander Andrew Davis allowed four runs (one earned) on just one hit with four walks and two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief, while fellow freshman Paschal Ammons struck out the final batter of the game in 1/3 of an inning for his first career save.
Breen retired the Falcons in order to begin the first inning of play before the Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the inning for an early 3-0 lead.
Senior Spiers Miller drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. After sophomore Jacob Willis was hit by a pitch, junior Nick McKinney hit a double to right center to bring Willis across the plate before scoring himself on an errant throw by Pfeiffer's catcher.
A five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from senior Izzy Perez, put the Falcons ahead 5-3 in the top of the third inning. However, a sacrifice fly from senior Avery Harper and an RBI single from Calvin Hawke tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom half of the frame.
With one out in the fourth, Miller singled through the left side and Willis doubled to right field to put runners in scoring position. McKinney then hit his second double of the game to left field to score both runners and give the Bulldogs a 7-5 lead.
The Barton lead stretched to a 9-5 advantage in the fourth following RBI singles from sophomore Andrew Webster and senior Mitchell Wheeler.
Barton added its final run of the game on an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh from sophomore Tyler Garrett for a 10-5 lead with just two innings remaining in the game.
In the ninth inning, Pfeiffer's first batter struck out swinging before the next two batters walked. Following a fly out to right field, Pfeiffer's Cole McGraw was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a walk drove in a run for the Falcons.
Pfeiffer's Xavier Rodriguez reached on an error by the Barton defense to score another run as an RBI single from Connor Baldy brought the Falcons to within one run of a tie. Ammons was inserted into the game and walked the first batter he faced before ending the game on a swinging strikeout.
McKinney was 3-for-5 at the plate with three doubles, three runs scored and two RBI to lead the Bulldog offense.
Webster turned in a 3-for-4 performance with a walk, an RBI and runs scored, while Garrett was 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and his 17th stolen base of the season. Miller finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, as Harper, Hawke and Wheeler were each 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk and an RBI.
Barton and Pfeiffer will conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at noon at Nixon Field that holds postseason implications for the Royal Blue and White. Thirteen Bulldogs will be honored in a ceremony before the first game as Barton will recognize all of its departing seniors.
