Box Score by Cory Guinn
BURLINGTON, N.C. – The Falcons of No. 6 seed Pfeiffer University hit three home runs in eliminating the No. 5 seed Barton College baseball team with a 6-2 win on Saturday in the Conference Carolinas Tournament at Burlington Stadium.
Pfeiffer struck first with a three-run home run in the top of the second inning for an early 3-0 lead. The Barton offense broke through with its first run of the game on a sacrifice fly from senior Ben Williams in the sixth inning.
The Falcons hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning and a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to extend their lead to a 6-1 advantage.
Barton was able to load the bases with no out in the bottom of the ninth inning looking to mount a comeback. After a strikeout, junior Blake Spangenberg brought a run across the plate with a ground out before Pfeiffer forced a fly ball to end the game.
Sophomore starter Trent Fennell (4-7) was given the loss after allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.
Freshman Blake Helms pitched 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits before junior Justin Evans allowed two runs on two hits in 1/3 of an inning. Senior Ricky Jernigan pitched the final 2/3 of the game for Barton, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.
Williams and juniors Tyler Garrett, Calvin Hawke and Jacob Willis each had a hit for the Bulldogs.
Barton finishes the season with a 31-20 overall record, the second highest win total in program history, to go along with a 15-12 mark in Conference Carolinas play.
