Asheboro, N.C. —- The sixth-ranked and top-seeded Catawba College baseball team utilized redshirt junior Malachi Cloud's heroic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off second-seed Wingate in the opening game of the South Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship Series at McCrary Park in Asheboro, N.C.
TEAM STATISTICS
- Wingate out-hit Catawba 12-10
- The Catawba Indians hit three of four home runs and three of five extra-base hits
- The Bulldogs committed the lone error of the game
- Catawba left five runners on base; Wingate stranded 10
- The Catawba Indians recorded both stolen bases in the contest
- Catawba's pitchers allowed five runs on 12 hits and four walks, striking out seven; the Bulldogs' staff allowed six runs on 10 hits, striking out 11
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Seth Sharpe earned the win on the mound, tossing 3.1 shutout innings with just three hits allowed, striking out five
- Hunter Atkins was 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored
- Brandon Crabtree went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored
- Sam Hunter picked up two hits, stole a base and scored
- Cloud came up with the walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST INNING
- Tanner McCammon's RBI double got Wingate on the board in the first
- Crabtree and Hunter singles put two runners on for Catawba in the bottom half
- Atkins' three-run homer put the Catawba Indians ahead 3-1
SECOND INNING
- Reed Benemati's two-run single tied the game at 3 in the second
THIRD INNING
- Crabtree regained the lead for Catawba in the third with a leadoff solo homer
SIXTH INNING
- Will Farrell's two-run homer put the Bulldogs ahead 5-4 in the sixth
- Catawba responded by loading the bases with nobody out in the sixth
- Nathan Chrismon's RBI sac fly tied the game at 5
NINTH INNING
- With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Cloud's blast to straightaway center field gave Catawba the win in game one
UP NEXT
- Catawba will go for the SAC Tournament crown with a win tomorrow; first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. with the if-necessary game set for 4 p.m.
