Baseball Loses at UNC Pembroke
PEMBROKE, N.C. - UNC Pembroke rallied for four quick first-inning runs as the seventh-ranked Braves registered their sixth consecutive victory with an 11-2 victory over visiting Mars Hill on Wednesday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field. MHC fell to 12-17 on the year while UNCP improved to 21-3 on the year.
UNCP got three hits apiece from both Keith Whitman (3-for-3, 3 R) and Josh Haley (3-for-5, 2 R), with newcomer Brandon Huffman driving in a pair and scoring once on a perfect 2-for-2 hitting line with a walk. Whitman was also hit by pitch in his first two trips to the plate. Junior Eitan Maoz collected a pair of hits as well, driving in a run and scoring twice to highlight a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
Mars Hill got multi-hits from four different players. Dalton Hardee drove in both of the visitors runs on a team-best 3-for-4 tally. Brandon King, Rusty Smith and Coty Pate recorded two hits apiece in the contest.
Brian Willis (1-2), whose last start came in the midst of a league series against USC Aiken in April of 2009, struck out five and scattered five hits across three innings of work to grab the win in a pre-determined pitching rotation. Five other pitchers saw time for the Braves on the hill as well. Ben Hunt (0-1) yielded 10 hits and eight runs (six earned) in his first start of the season to take the loss for the Lions.
UNCP sent its entire order to the plate in the midst of a four-run first inning, and then pushed its lead out to 6-0 with two more runs in the third. Joe Mangum's two-run double would push the advantage out to 8-0 after five, but Hardee spoiled the shutout in the top of the next frame on a two-run single off of Allen.
