Bulldogs Edge Radford in 11 Innings

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Elliott Arrington singled home Ben Kerr with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning to give UNC Asheville a 5-4 Big South Conference baseball victory over Radford Saturday afternoon at Greenwood Field..(Box Score)

The Bulldogs (10-27, 2-14 Big South) scored three runs in the eighth inning to take a 4-3 lead into the ninth. Radford (10-26, 5-8 Big South) tied the game scoring an unearned run without the benefit of a hit to send the game into extra innings.

UNC Asheville is 3-0 this season in extra inning games. Kerr walked to lead off the 11th inning. After failing to sacrifice, Josh Coyle singled to left to put runners on first and second. Nathan Durham pushed a bunt past the pitcher’s mound that turned into hit to load the bases with no one out.

Arrington, who went 2-for-4 on the day, lined the game winner into the right centerfield gap of Radford reliever Michael Schurz. The victory ends an 11-game losing streak and a nine-game conference losing streak for the Bulldogs.

Graham Baughn who came into the game in relief of UNCA starter Tim Johnson in the ninth picked up the win to move to 2-2 on the year. Baughn threw three innings allowing just one hit and walking two batters. Johnson threw eight innings giving up four runs, three earned, and five hits. He struck out three but walked nine and hit two batters.

Asheville got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. Arrington led off with his first triple of the season and scored on a RBI-groundout by Justin Wilkins.

Radford tied the game in the fourth as Jesse Ross led off with a walk and would come around to score on a RBI-single by Matt Mantione.

The Highlanders took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the seventh. A hit batter and a walk had runners at first and second with one out. After a ground out moved the runners to second and third, Ross singled home Alan Ashworth and Mark Fleisher with a RBI single.

The Bulldogs answered in the eighth. Tony Wall singled, Arrington was hit by a pitch, and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Wilkins hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Chris White. Kevin Mattison singled home Arrington and moved into scoring position on an error by the left fielder.

Tony Campana, picked up his fifth hit of the day with an RBI single. Campana went 5-for-6 and has now hit safely in 14 straight games.

Ashworth and Fleisher both walked to lead off the Radford ninth. Baughn came in and committed a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases with no one out. Jonathan Spears drew a walk to score Ashworth, but a fielder’s choice and a groundball double play got the Bulldogs out of the inning still tied.

Schurz took the loss for Radford throwing one inning giving up one run on four hits. Ashworth went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Highlanders who had just six hits in the game.

The two teams will play a double header on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.