Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – Playing for the fourth consecutive day, the Barton College baseball team dropped a pair of game to visiting Kutztown University, 9-7 and 3-1, on Tuesday afternoon at Nixon Field.
Barton's overall record fell to 14-5 after losing consecutive games for the first time this season, while Kutztown moved its season record over the .500 mark to 8-7 overall.
Game One: Kutztown 9, Barton 7 (Seven inn.)
The Bears used a six-run sixth inning, rallying with no outs, to seal a come-from-behind victory in the first game of the day.
Kutztown opened the game with two unearned runs before a double from junior Jacob Willis drove a run across as the Bears led 2-1 after the first inning. Kutztown's lead moved to a 3-1 advantage in the third inning with an RBI single from Mike Milazzo.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs erupted for four runs on four hits to take a 5-3 lead. Junior Calvin Hawke singled through the left side to drive a run in before fellow junior Tyler Garrett laced an RBI double to left field to tie the game at 3-3. Sophomore Hunter Pearre gave Barton the lead with an RBI single to score both Hawke and Garrett.
Willis led off the fifth inning with a solo home run, his second long ball of the year, before junior Blake Spangenberg scored from second on a throwing error by Kutztown's catcher to push the BC lead to a 7-3 edge.
However, in the top of the sixth inning, Kutztown's first three batters reached base without recording an out as Mike White sent a grand slam over the left field fence to tie the game at 7-7. The Bears scoring wrapped up with an RBI single before freshman Troy Maslowski came into the game and got the three outs Barton needed.
Barton put a runner in scoring positon in the bottom half of the sixth and got another hit in the seventh but could not bring a runner around to score.
Sophomore left-hander Andrew Davis got his second start of the season and allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
Redshirt-sophomore Benjamin Brann (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits without recording an out. Maslowski pitched two no-hit innings of relief, striking out four batters.
Hawke, Pearre and Willis were each 3-for-4 at the plate, combining for five total RBI. Freshman Ricks Dearing was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Garrett recorded two hits and an RBI of his own.
Game Two: Kutztown 3, Barton 1 (Seven inn.)
The second game of the Tuesday doubleheader was a pitcher's dual with Kutztown's Anthony Atticks coming out on top.
Atticks threw 6.1 innings and allowed just one run on seven hits while striking out eight batters. Reliever Pat Flynn picked up his second save of the afternoon, closing out the final 2/3 of an inning in the win.
Junior left-hander Justin Evans (3-1) was hit with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts over 5.2 innings. Freshman Ryan Pifer pitched a perfect 1.1 innings of relief with one strikeout.
The Bears scored one run each in the first, third and sixth innings as Barton scored its lone run on an RBI single from senior Ben Youngblood in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Youngblood finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while redshirt-junior Chris Davis was also 2-for-3 at the plate.
Barton and Kutztown conclude the midweek series with a single game tomorrow beginning at Noon at Nixon Field.
