HobbsDailyReport.com
SMITH
JAMESTOWN – Two home runs by Garrison Burress and one-hit pitching with 14 strikeouts by Julian Smith powered Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) past Guilford Tech 5-1 on Saturday in baseball.
The Red Hawks (24-9, 8-3 Region X) won at Jamestown Ragsdale High to complete a three-game series sweep.
CVCC ran its win streak to six games and will next play a Monday exhibition game at 6 p.m. against the Hickory Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium. Admission is free.
BURRESS
Burress hit a solo home run to left field in the first inning against Guilford Tech before the Red Hawks’ lead grew to 2-0 in the third inning when Cory Watt singled and later scored on a wild pitch.
CVCC added two more runs in the fifth inning on an RBI ground out by Jimmy Marcelli and Burress’ second home run.
Watt expanded the Red Hawks’ lead to 5-0 in the seventh inning with an RBI double that scored Rod Munoz.
Smith kept Guilford Tech’s batters off balance by recording 15 first-pitch strikes over his seven innings. He earned his team-leading fifth win of the season, allowed just one hit, two walks and struck out a season-high 14.
CVCC closer Kevin Finzer relieved Smith in the eighth inning. He faced eight batters the rest of the way, striking out four.
The Titans (2-23, 0-12 in Region X) managed to break up the shutout bid in the ninth inning, scoring a run on an error in right field after a single by Jesse Lowery. Finzer got the last out on a fly ball to the outfield.
— Reported by CVCC Sports Information