HobbsDailyReport.com
ALLENDALE, S.C. – After splitting a doubleheader on Wednesday with USC Salkehatchie on the road, the Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) baseball team will head into weekend action on Friday afternoon.
The Red Hawks, after winning 5-2 and then falling 5-0 in Allendale, S.C., face USC Union on Friday at 4 p.m. in a nine-inning game at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton. The game was moved up after originally being scheduled for Sunday.
CVCC and USC Union will also play two seven-inning games on Saturday, the first at 1 p.m. at Henkel-Alley Field.
The Red Hawks are off to a 7-2 start.
CVCC’s Tyler Campbell connects for a hit in Wednesday’s doubleheader in South Carolina./CVCC PHOTO
CVCC 5, USC Salkehatchie 2
Behind two hits each by David Graves, Cory Watt and Tyler Campbell, the Red Hawks defeated the Indians by three runs.
CVCC took the lead in the top of the fourth inning on a double steal when Watt stole second base and Graves stole home
plate for the game’s first run.
Two batters later, Campbell drove in Watt on a single to extend the Red Hawks’ advantage to 2-0 through four innings.
The Indians answered in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single from catcher Asher Smith that scored Cody Adams to cut CVCC’s advantage to 2-1.
The Red Hawks answered back quickly when Graves connected with his second home run of the season to left field to lead off the sixth inning.
CVCC shortstop Garrison Burress also scored a run on a single in the inning for a 4-1 lead.
After the Red Hawks gained an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning on an error, USC Salkehatchie mounted a furious late-game rally.
Despite loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, closing pitcher Kevin Finzer sealed the victory for the Red Hawks by getting the final out on a fly out to center field.
Finzer earned the save and relief pitcher Chris Banks picked up his first victory.
USC Salkehatchie 5, CVCC 0
CVCC made four errors and the Indians registered a shutout victory in the second game.
The Red Hawks had just five hits, two by Campbell.
USC Salkehatchie scored two runs in each of the first two innings off starter Madisyn Bolin.
Nick Anderson led the charge for USC Salkehatchie with one hit and two RBIs, and Indians starting pitcher Dylan Brazil earned a win with a complete game. He walked one and struck out seven.
— Reported by CVCC Sports Information