| Seahawks Fight Off 5-Error Outing For 14-8 Win | ||||
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Courtesy: Joe BrowningThe Seahawks improved to 30-9-1 while the Eagles fell to 6-26.
Seahawk senior Brett Braxton (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs, all unearned, on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. It was Braxton’s first win since Apr. 7, 2006, when he defeated William & Mary.
NCCU sophomore starter James Jordan (2-2) was saddled with the loss for the Eagles after allowing 12 runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Joining Appel, who finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, with a 3-hit outing was senior Nate Hall, who homered twice and drove in three runs. Senior Mark Carver also homered, scored three runs and drove in two.
Junior Robert Landis collected two hits and four runs batted in for the Eagles while freshman David Scott rapped out three hits, scored twice and knocked in two of his own.
UNCW scored three in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Appel drilled a 2-run homer, his fourth of the season, and Hall knocked in Carver, who tripled, with a sacrifice fly.
Freshman Blake Murray plated sophomore Brian Brice with a ground out in the second for NCCU’s first run.
Appel added a RBI single in the second and Carver followed with a 2-run blast, his 15th of the season, to make it 6-1. Hall was not to be out done as he connected on his 10th round tripper in the next at bat.
Senior Justin Barefoot led off the bottom of the third with his seventh homer of the season as UNCW extended its lead to 8-1.
After retiring the first to batters in the fifth, Seahawk freshman starter Justin Bradley allowed a single to junior Oliver Jenkins and then walked sophomore Justin Goodson. A double steal moved the runners up and Scott singled to right to knock in two and narrow the deficit to 8-3. NCCU then loaded the bases off sophomore reliever Bryan Booth and Landis followed with a 2-run single up the middle to make it 8-5.
UNCW answered with four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning with sophomore Mike Rooney and Hargrave knocking in runs with RBI single and Appel driving in two with a double to cap the scoring.
Hall’s second homer of the game led off the sixth and extended UNCW’s lead to 13-5.
The Eagles cut into their deficit with three unearned runs in the eighth as the Seahawks committed three errors in the inning. Landis drove into two runs with a bases-loaded single to highlight the inning.
The Seahawks continue their 9-game homestand this weekend with a 3-game series against New York Tech, beginning on Friday at 7 p.m.
Notes: UNCW improved to 17-2 at home this season ... Five home runs were one short of their season-high of six at Hofstra (Mar. 14) ... UNCW committed five errors for the fourth time this season ... NCCU recorded just four ground ball outs on the evening ... The Eagles entered the game with a .909 fielding percentage, but did not commit any errors.
