CVCC plays at Walters State on Tuesday,
at home Wednesday against Montreat JVs
HobbsDailyReport.com
Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) puts a nine-game wins streak on the table when it returns to baseball action with a Tuesday doubleheader at Walters State in Morristown, Tenn.
CVCC SCHEDULE: http://gocvcc.com/sports/bsb/2018-19/schedule
The Red Hawks — ranked No. 18 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll — are 19-8 overall after beating USC Salkehatchie twice – 15-2 and 3-1 — and last Wednesday on the road.
Walters State is ranked No. 2 in the NJCAA and is 26-5 and has won nine of its last 10 games.
Tuesday’s doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.
CVCC’s next home games are Wednesday against the Montreat College junior varsity. The doubleheader at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton begins at 5 p.m.
CVCC 3, USC Salkehatchie 1
Trailing by a run through five innings, the Red Hawks rallied with three late-inning runs to complete a doubleheader sweep.
USC Salkehatchie took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when shortstop Pierceson Nance doubled and later scored on a wild pitch by CVCC starting pitcher Chris Banks.
CVCC had just two hits and left three runners stranded over the first four innings.
Banks allowed just three hits and struck out six in 3 1/3 innings.
Timothy Davila relieved Banks in the fourth inning, working out of a jam with runners on second and third base to keep the deficit at 1-0.
The Red Hawks tied it in the fifth inning, loading the bases on back-to-back singles by catcher Cole Chapman and and a walk by Stephens before second baseman R.J. Conner scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Davila remained poised, dodging trouble again in the bottom of the fifth inning by stranding Indians runners on first and second base to keep it at 1-all.
After a scoreless and hitless sixth inning by both teams, the Red Hawks completed a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, loading the bases on a walk by Lyda, a double to left field by Stephens and a walk by Conner before freshman left fielder Jackson Brown delivered the eventual game-winning two-run single to left field.
Sophomore reliever Greg Collins closed, retiring two of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh inning on strikeouts to earn his first save of the season.
Davila picked up the win, improving to 2-0. He gave up two hits, no walks or runs and struck out four batters in 2 2/3 innings.
CVCC 15, USC Salkehatchie 2
The Red Hawks had 12 hits – including two each by Vinny Consolo, Mason Lyda and Ryan Healy — to win.
CVCC scored at least one run in every inning except for one.
Sophomore right fielder Trent Jones opened the game’s scoring in the first inning with a two-RBI double.
The Red Hawks added five runs in the second inning, including a two-run single by Stephens and an RBI single by first baseman Tyler Campbell that made it 7-0.
Consolo added the first of his two run-scoring doubles in the fourth inning — a two-bagger down the right-field line that scored Campbell. Designated hitter Kevin Gonzalez added an RBI sacrifice fly in the inning to push CVCC’s advantage to 9-0.
After Rod Munoz scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the fifth inning, Consolo’s two-run double to left field scored David Kennedy and Healy to extend the Red Hawks’ advantage to 12-0.
The Indians broke up the shutout bid in the bottom of the fifth inning when first baseman Zachary Hayes reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring shortstop Pierceson Nance.
Healy answered that for CVCC in the top of the sixth inning, driving in Lyda on a double to left field. CVCC scored two more runs in the seventh — an RBI single by Lyda and catcher Willie Gordon scored on a passed ball.
CVCC starting pitcher Andrew Patrick improved to 3-0 after he allowed four hits, one walk and struck out four in four innings.
Elijah Carr and Austin Blevins finished the final three innings for the Red Hawks, combining to allow three hits, two earned runs, two walks and six strikeouts.
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information