Wednesday, March 31, 2010
{The Blue Banner}
Page 17
Bulldogs earn first Big South Conference win of the season
By Justin Greenwood
Staff Writer
JSGREENW@UNCA.EDU
The UNC Asheville baseball team
gave Big South Conference rival Lib
erty University all they could handle
last weekend with a 2-1 series win.
The first game of the three-game se
ries was a nail biter with the score tied
3-3 at the top of the eighth inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, senior
Justin Schumer reached first base on a
walk then quickly made it back around
to home to put UNCA in the lead 4-3.
“I knew if our offense got back to
where it was at the start of the sea
son we would have a good weekend,”
Schumer said.
The Bulldogs (2-4 BSC) were able
to capitalize on Liberty’s errors, add
ing another run to the scoreboard with
two outs in the bottom of the eighth,
pushing the lead to 5-3.
The Flames (1-2 BSC) were able
to add a run in the top of the ninth in
ning on a Bulldogs’ error, but closing
pitcher Ryan Dull sealed the win for
UNCA, earning himself his first save
of the season.
“Our strategy was to stay consistent
with our strong pitching and defense,”
Schumer said.
Left-handed freshmen pitcher Drew
Spear threw eight innings for the Bull
dogs, and picked up his first win of the
season. Along with his first wiii of the
season, the Bulldogs picked up their
first conference win.
“We know that conference wins
lead to the conference tournament,
Steven Hall - Assistant Photography Editor
Maureen McManus - Staff Photographer
Top, Dan Weller delivers a strike early on against Liberty. Mike
Vaughn knocks a hit down the third base line in the second game of
UNCA’s three-game series against the visiting Liberty Flames.
which is our main objective right now,”
Schumer said.
The second game proved to be a de
fensive matchup as both teams pitch
ing decided the flow of the game.
Dull came out on top for the Bull
dogs, pitching a complete game while
earning himself a third win for the sea
son.
Steven Evans, a junior right-handed
pitcher for the Flames, earned his first
loss of the season.
Despite Liberty’s strong defensive
effort, UNCA managed to keep the
game tied in the bottom of the ninth.
With the game tied at one run each,
Schumer stepped up to the plate and
dropped a solo bomb in what was one
of his most clutch hits of the season.
“I try to put our team in a position
to win every game we possibly can,”
Schumer said. “I try to lead by exam
ple on and off the field. I’m not much
of a talker, so I try to do the right thing
in the classroom and on the baseball
field.”
According to Schumer, these series
wins boost the team’s chance of a post
season.
“Making the conference tourna
ment gives us a shot at the NCAA tour
nament as well,” he said.
Coaches called upon Schumer to
help the Bulldogs on both the offen
sive and defensive sides of the ball, as
he was the starter for the final game of
the series.
“Coach Rembert keeps the starters
on a seven day schedule to prepare us
for starting,” Schumer said. “Mentally,
I like to go over the lineup I am going
to face the night before and review the
scouting report.”
Although Schumer was prepared,
UNCA could not muster any offense
and Liberty went on to the win the fi
nal game 7-3, taking away the hope the
Bulldogs had for a series sweep.
UNCA next travels to USC Upstate
tonight before returning home to play
against conference rival VMl.
Loss
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
teams of Matt Waissen/Jonas Brobeck
and Nonnenbroich/Nathan White both
lost on 8-3 decisions.
The final duo of Rees and Langeard
saw their first action as partners since
Langeard’s injury. Despite losing 8-4,
Rees said that he is confident the pair
is a top doubles team.
“Adrien and I have had a very start-
stop season. There’s no doubt in my
mind that we are one of the best No.
3 doubles teams in the conference,” he
said. “We’ll be working hard on dou
bles in training these next few days to
prepare for Winston-Salem State.”
Bulldog Assistant Coach Tom Hand
said he was pleased with the team split
ting the singles, but it was disappoint
ing to lose the doubles matches.
“We certainly had our chances,”
Hand said. “All the guys just came out
a little flat (in doubles). None of the
guys played their best by any stretch.
We got down early on all three courts
and just struggled uphill from there
on.”
The loss drops the Bulldogs to 3-9
on the season, including 0-2 in the Big
South Conference. The team looks to
take the first steps toward turning the
year around this Wednesday against
the Winston-Salem State Rams.
Snapped
CONTINUED FROM PaGE 15
was Smith playing at No. 1, Stepha
nie Schon at two, Devon Cavanaugh
at three, Britney Cloer at four, Nicole
Schon at five and Bottomley at six.
In doubles play, the Bulldogs
clinched the point with comfortable
wins from S. Schon and Smith, and N.
Schon and Cloer. The scores were 8-5
and 8-6, respectively.
“Getting the doubles point was
definitely good because it gave us mo
mentum for the singles,” Mateva said.
“Steph (Schon) and Leslie (Smith) es
pecially were really fired up.”
Despite their individual wins, Greg
ory stressed the victory was all because
of the solid lineup the Bulldogs boast.
“We have been up and down in dif
ferent positions in the past but the last
couple of weeks were solid,” she said.
“If you’re solid from 1-6 you’re giv
ing yourself a good chance of a win. I
think that’s why we’re finally coming
through to beat some of these teams
that we should have in the past.”
Whatever the reason. Smith said
she was definitely relieved they finally
got the win.
“It felt really good that I’ve finished
my senior year by beating them,” she
said. “It’s redemption and stuff. We not
only beat them, we killed them.”