Hines’ RBI single lifts Hawks in bottom of the 9th
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N.C. Wesleyan | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
|
Huntingdon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Junior Josh Hines hit a two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Gunnar Peters and give the Huntingdon baseball team an 8-7 win over North Carolina Wesleyan on Friday in the second round of the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament.
The seventh-seeded Hawks (21-16) will play fourth-seeded Maryville (28-13) in the winners bracket finals on Saturday at 11 a.m. Central. The winner will advance to the conference championship on Sunday.
Huntingdon scored one run in each of the first six innings on Friday, but trailed 7-6 in the eighth inning. The Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when Alec Raley doubled to score Patrick Kucera.
Tied in the bottom of the ninth, Peters reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mason Throneberry drew a walk before third-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan (23-17) recorded the second out of the inning.
Coleson Taylor drew a walk to load the bases and bring Hines to the plate. Hines ended the game with a single to right field.
Hines finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs. He was one of four Hawks to record three hits. Raley was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Kucera was 3-for-4 with four runs and two stolen bases and Jordan Criswell was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
Huntingdon finished with 15 hits.
Anthony Spivey hit a solo home run, his seventh homer of the season, in the third inning. Peters and Landon Sessions each scored one run and Throneberry drove in one run.
Kucera (3-0) earned the win in 6 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out four, walked five, gave up two hits and allowed one earned run.