PEMBROKE, N.C. – The King Univerrsity baseball team dropped a pair of Conference Carolinas games Saturday afternoon, falling 18-5 to #21 UNC Pembroke in the first game and 7-2 in the second game of the day.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #21 UNC Pembroke 18, King 5; #21 UNC Pembroke 7, King 2
LOCATION: Sammy Cox Field; Pembroke, N.C.
RECORDS: King 12-26, 2-20 Conference Carolinas; #21 UNC Pembroke 31-10, 15-7 Conference Carolinas
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- After UNCP scored in the first to take an early lead, the Tornado responded in the top of the third, scoring two runs on a hit.
- Nick Valentin started with a walk, before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Matthew Swigert was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners.
- Ethan Hawkins hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Valentin and tying the score at one.
- After a strikeout, Renwick stepped up to the plate and laced a double down the left field line, allowing Swigert to score and putting King in front, 2-1.
- The Tornado would add two more in the fourth, with Hilliard scoring on a double steal before Swigert singled to right field, scoring Swigert and further stretching the lead to 4-1.
- The Braves offense would score five runs on three hits in the fourth to take a 6-4 lead.
- Hawkins would hit his first home run of the season in the seventh, but UNCP scored twice in the bottom of the frame to extend their lead to 12-5.
- UNCP would score six more in the eighth to take an 18-5 lead, which would hold as the final score.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Branden Kunz (5-2) 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher: Rhode Kirkland (3-2) 5.0 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
Save: Kasen McCawley (1) 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The Braves started the game by scoring a run in the first, two in the second and one in the third to go ahead 4-0.
- After allowing two more runs in the fourth, the Tornado scored their first run of the game in the fifth, when Bonney singled to right field, eventually reaching third on a throwing error, which allowed Hawkins to advance to second.
- Hall then stepped up to the plate and singled into left field, scoring Bonney and putting runners on the corners with two outs.
- Renwick then doubled, scoring Hawkins and moving Hall to third, while also pulling King to within 6-2.
- The Tornado got a pair of runners in the sixth, with Bonney singling and Valentin drawing a walk, but were unable to score. King would go down in order in the seventh to close the game.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Jonathan Jacobs (6-2) 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO
Losing Pitcher: Jakob Brown (1-7) 3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Michael Kocen was 3-for-4, with a double.
- Spencer Faulkner went 4-for-9, with seven RBI, a double and a triple.
- Ethan Ott was 4-for-6, with four RBI
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Renwick and Hilliard had hits in both games, and now they both have nine-game hitting streaks, with Hilliard's also being his longest of the season.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado and Braves will close the series Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
