PEMBROKE, N.C. – Barton (20-17, 11-9) and UNC Pembroke (25-11, 15-5) split a Conference Carolinas baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field. The Bulldogs won the first contest by a 7-4 score while the Braves took the nightcap, 5-2, to salvage the split. UNC Pembroke is ranked No. 24 in NCAA Division II.
Game One – Barton 7, UNC Pembroke 4
Barton sophomore catcher
Cody Naylor (Locust, N.C.) hit a solo home run and junior outfielder
Ryan McIsaac (Millville, N.J.) hit a two-run double as part of a three-run fifth inning to break a scoreless tie to lead the Bulldogs to the win.
McIsaac finished with three runs batted in and senior
Alex Hart (Raleigh, N.C.) improved to 6-2 on the year after earning the win on the mound. Hart pitched into the eighth inning while sophomore
Tanner Halvorson (Eau Claire, Wis.) threw a scoreless ninth for his third save of the year. Halvorson also drove in two runs in the win.
The Braves' Wellington Guzman (Raleigh, N.C.) hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning but Trystan Kimmel (Denver, Colo.) (5-3) was tagged with the loss.
Game Two – UNC Pembroke 5, Barton 2
Trailing by a 1-0 score in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Braves broke through with a four-run frame highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Trent Harris (Raleigh, N.C.). UNCP's Spencer Faulkner (Rolesville, N.C.) added two hits and two RBI in the win.
The Braves' Evan McLean (Greenville, N.C.) improved to 5-1 after earning the win while Landen Smith (Archdale, N.C.) was credited with his fourth save of the year.
Barton sophomore outfielders
Raymond Paniagua (Blue Springs. Mo.) and
Carelle Gonzalez (Bridgeton, N.J.) both drove in runs while senior
Jared Davis (Poquoson, Va.) fell to 4-4 after taking the loss for the Bulldogs.
The two teams will wrap up the league weekend series on Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.
