FURMAN SQUEAKS BY UNC ASHEVILLE 9-8
Greenville, S.C.-- Senior Ryan Presnell went 2-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored to led Furman past UNC Asheville in baseball action Wednesday evening at Furman Baseball Stadium.
The Paladins opened the scoring in the first inning, putting three runs on the board off four hits. In the inning, Craig Caudill drove in Clint Hill on a sacrifice fly for the gamešs first run. Ryan Presnell followed with a RBI single to make the score 2-0. Brett Henninger then finished the scoring for Furman when his ground-out plated Presnell, giving Furman a 3-0 lead. The Paladins later scored a run in the second inning when Derek Norman singled in Cole Hubka, giving Furman a 4-0 advantage.
UNCA (14-15) cut the score to 4-1 in the third inning as Grant Rembert drove in Matt Roberts on a ground-out.
After giving up a run in the top of the fourth, Furman regained its three run lead after Cole Hubka blasted his second home run of the year to make the score 5-2.
In the fifth inning, the Bulldogs tried to rally, scoring two runs off reliever Jon Stallsmith, but a base running error by Denver Edick prevented UNCA from scoring the tying run during the inning. With runners on first and second, Curtis Moncus doubled to left field, advancing Bill Carley to third and scoring Edick. However, the Paladins appealled the play at third base, and Edick was called out for not touching the bag. The play resulted in no run for the Bulldogs, allowing Furman to maintain a 5-4 lead.
The Paladins distanced themselves from UNCA in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring a run off a Brandon Barrett double, which gave Furman a 6-4 advantage, but the Bulldogs fought back in the sixth inning, scoring two runs off reliever Coogie Freedman to knot the game at 6-6.
Furman (16-21) pulled ahead in the seventh inning after throwing errors by pitchers Jake McCongia (0-1) and Aaron Rembert allowed the Paladins to score three unearned runs, making the score 9-6.
The Bulldogs later drove in two runs in the eighth inning to cut the lead to 9-8, but Rob Purvis (6) sealed the victory for the Paladins after shutting down UNCA in the ninth.
Brian Corcoran (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief to pick up his first win of the year.
Grant Rembert went 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored to led UNCA at the plate.
The Bulldogs take the field again on Friday when they face Liberty in Asheville. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Furman next travels to Spartanburg to face upstate rival Wofford in a three-game Southern Conference series. The series begins on Friday in a 7:00 p.m. game at Duncan Park.