HobbsDailyReport.com
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) won its opening conference baseball series over the weekend, beating host Bryant & Stratton College in two of the three games.
The Red Hawks, ranked No. 11 in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, won 4-2 and 11-0 on Sunday after Bryant & Stratton won the first game 6-4 on Saturday.
CVCC (13-7, 2-1) plays the Limestone junior varsity Wednesday at the Legion Fairgrounds in a doubleheader that begins at 2 p.m. The Red Hawks beat Limestone’s JVs 5-0 and 12-0 on the road on Feb. 14.
Bryant & Stratton 6, CVCC 4 (Saturday)
The Red Hawks watched an early three-run lead evaporate in a two-run loss in the series opener against the Bobcats.
After a Kevin Russell RBI single gave Bryant & Stratton an early 1-0 lead through one inning, CVCCC responded with a four-run second inning, including an RBI single by R.J. Conner, an RBI double by Cory Watt and a RBI ground out by Jimmy Marcelli.
Bryant & Stratton slowly whittled CVCC’s lead away, scoring one run in the third, fifth and sixth innings and two runs in the fourth inning to take the lead.
Bobcats starting pitcher Seth Houston held Red Hawks at bay and gained a win after allowing five hits and striking out 10.
CVCC pitcher Julian Smith suffered his first loss of the season, allowing three hits, four runs (three earned) and six walks, and he struck out nine.
CVCC 4, Bryant & Stratton 2 (Sunday)
Tied at 1 through eight innings, the Red Hawks scored three runs in the ninth inning and held off a late charge by the Bobcats.
Bryant & Stratton took a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single from Kevin Urena.
CVCC tied it in the top of the third inning on an RBI single from Marcelli that scored Matt Yarbrough.
The game remained tied until the ninth inning when Watt’s leadoff home run to left field broke the tie for good. The Red Hawks added two insurance runs in the inning on RBI singles from Willie Gordon and Matt Tilley.
The Bobcats loaded the bases in the ninth inning and scored a run on a bases-loaded walk before
Kevin Finzer came on to earn a save.
Red Hawks starting pitcher Harry Hatcher, a sophomore, allowed three hits, one earned run, three walks and struck out five.
Nic Messina relieved Hatcher in the seventh inning, earning his second win of the season after he allowed one hit, one earned run, three walks and struck out two.
CVCC 11, Bryant & Stratton 0 (Sunday)
The Red Hawks had 15 hits en route to their fourth shutout win of the season.
Freshmen Tyler Campbell and Garrison Burress led CVCC with three hits and three RBIs each. Campbell hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning and Burress hit a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Marcelli also drove in three runs for the Red Hawks on two hits, including a double in the fourth inning.
CVCC starting pitcher Trae Starnes allowed just three hits, three walks and struck out one to earn the victory. Conner Hewell closed out the last inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information