NORMAN BREAKS CAREER HITS RECORD AS FURMAN TOPS UNCA 9-3
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Furman scored seven runs in the fourth inning and that was more than enough to down UNC Asheville, 9-3 at Greenwood Field Wednesday afternoon. In the win, senior Derek Norman collected three hits to break the school’s career hits record.
Norman, a Knoxville, Tenn. native, has 247 career hits, which tops the old
record of 245 held by Jim Morrill, who played for the Paladins from 1995-1998.
The win by the Paladins (6-10) broke a long losing streak at Greenwood Field against the Bulldogs. Prior to Wednesday, Furman had not won at UNCA since the 1991 season as the victory broke an 11-game losing streak at Greenwood Field.
The Paladins seized control of the game in the fourth as they sent 11 men to the plate against two UNCA pitchers. Norman led off with a single. Dominic Franchini followed with a two-run homer for a 2-0 Paladin lead. A.J. Davidiuk doubled had an RBI-double later in the inning for a 3-0 Furman lead.
With the bases loaded and one out, Andrew Greene singled to left and all three runs scored on the play as Asheville left-fielder Todd Coggins had an error on the play. Greene was credited with two RBI on and Furman led 6-0. Greene scored on a sacrifice fly from Craig Caudill to put the Paladins in front, 7-0.
Betsill scored on the front of a double steal in the fifth to pad the lead to 8-0 before the Bulldogs rallied in the fifth to get back in the game.
Ben Kerr hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to 7-2. Furman starter Case Cassedy then allowed a two-out single to Matt Roberts and a walk to David Williams to put runners on first and second. Cassedy was lifted for reliever Ryan Hodkinka. Hodinka allowed a run-scoring single by Steve Sherman to cut the lead to 7-3.
Hodinka pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth and got the side out in the seventh to earn the victory. The left-hander raised his record to 1-2.
Furman added a run in the seventh on a run-scoring single from Greene as the Paladins led 9-3.
Davidiuk led Furman at the plate as he went 4-for-5 with a double. Norman went 3-for-4, while Greene added two hits and three RBIs.
The Paladins begin Southern Conference play this weekend when they host Georgia
Southern in a three-game series. The first game is set for Friday at 7:00 p.m.
at Furman Baseball Stadium