‘Cats Score a Pair Wins vs. Bryant and UNCA

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DAVIDSON, N.C. — Sam Payne went a combined 5-for-7 with four RBIs and Ian Horkley pitched six solid innings in the night cap of the second game as the Davidson baseball team scored 7-6 and 4-2 wins over Bryant and UNC Asheville on Saturday at Wilson Field.

Payne led the offense in the first game with a 3-for-4 afternoon and a couple of RBIs, including driving in the game-winning run as Davidson (8-4) came back to win with a single run in the eighth inning.

After the Wildcats had taken a 5-2 lead in the fifth, UNCA (3-5) put up its own four-run inning in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. Danny Baatz led off with a home run down the left field line, and Zinman (sacrifice fly), Jonny Eaker (single) and Jordan Lurie (single) each drove in a run.

Davidson got the score knotted up in the sixth as Tommy Piacenza drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second by Michael Zeblo and scored on an RBI single from Payne.

The Wildcats then took a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth as Coleman Barron took a leadoff walk, was sacrificed over by Piacenza, bumped to third by a wild pitch and sacrificed on a hit by Payne.

Matt Sliwiak (1-1) was credited with the win after he shut down the Bulldogs in the final two innings on one hit, one walk and a strikeout.

The first two innings saw Asheville plate single runs, but the Wildcats scored one of their own in the bottom of the first. First baseman Danny Weiss drove an 0-2 pitch into right center field to score center fielder Drew Gadaire, who singled and stole second to get into position.

The Bulldogs though, reclaimed the lead in the top of the second with a leadoff home run down the left field line by Beau Zinman.

Asheville had chances in both the third and fourth, but the Wildcat defense turned a double play to end the third and left fielder Payne threw out a runner at second before Thomas Middour (5.2 innings- 6 runs, 5 unearned) sat down Zinman on strikes to end the fourth.

The Wildcats took their 5-2 lead behind four runs on six hits in the fifth. Payne led off with a base hit to left and moved to second on a balk to get into position for sophomore James Cerbie, who plated him with a double to left. Gadaire and Weiss followed with base knocks to load the bases with no outs, and designated hitter Will General drove in a pair with a single up the middle. Andrew Barna hit into a double play, but Barron drove in the fourth run on an infield single before getting caught stealing to end the scoring.

Horkley (2-0) led the Wildcats to the game-two win with six solid innings to pick up his second win of the year. He allowed just one run on three hits and struck out two Bulldogs.

The Wildcats gave Horkley all the run support he would need in the bottom of the second inning when they dented the plate four times on five hits. Barna singled to left center to start the inning and then stole second, but was tagged out a home later on Seth Freeman's fielder's choice to the pitcher. Jake Berman, who singled after Barna, went to third on the fielder's choice and scored the 'Cats first run on a Zeblo double to right field. Payne then doubled to center field to drive in Freeman and Zeblo for a 3-0 lead, and he went on take third on a stolen base later and scored on Cerbie's RBI single for a 4-0 advantage.

Bryant (0-5) got to Horkley in the top of the sixth with two runs and nearly tied the game, in the seventh, but Mike Frongello came in relief of Brian Russell and got out of a bases loaded jam. Bryant had loaded the bases on a hits batter, single and walk, but Frongello closed the door by grabbing a comebacker to the mound to hold the score at 4-2.

Andy Bass then tallied the 'Cats first save of the year with a perfect ninth inning.

Winners of eight of their last 10 contests, the Wildcats will close out their weekend with a 1 p.m. game vs. Bryant on Sunday, Mar. 7 at Wilson Field.

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