BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Justin Banks went 3-for-4 with a home run while
Aaron Rea struck out ten in seven innings, but it was not enough as the Coppin State baseball team dropped a 3-2 extra-inning affair to UNC Asheville on Saturday afternoon in game one of a doubleheader at Moss Stadium on the campus of Gardner Webb University. The Eagles fell in the nightcap, 5-0, despite allowing just one hit in the seven-inning game.
Inside the Numbers
- Justin Banks had three of Coppin's four hits while Corey Treyes had the other. Toran Smith was the only other Eagles player to reach safely, drawing a pair of walks. Banks and Conner Walker scored the lone runs for CSU.
- Aaron Rea had the best showing of the young season, allowing just two runs on six hits over 7.0 innings while fanning ten Bulldogs.
- Bradley Tuttle allowed just one hits over the next two innings with a pair of strikeouts before Nico Felber came in for the tenth where he allowed the winning run.
- Greg Gasparro had three hits and two runs for UNC Asheville while Chris Troost had a pair of hits and drove in the winning run with a single.
- Jacob Edwards gave up two runs in seven innings while JP Perez threw three scoreless innings in relief.
How it Happened
- UNC Asheville took the early 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the first but Caden Walton tied the score with an RBI groundout to first base in the second to score Conner Walker. Walker reached on an error to lead start the second and advanced all the way to third on a throw.
- Aaron Rea held the Bulldogs scoreless over the next three innings and pitched with the lead in the fourth as Justin Banks led off the top half with a solo home run, his second round-tripper of the season.
- The Bulldogs tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the fifth as Rea fanned four of his final six batters, keeping the score deadlocked at 2-2.
- Coppin threatened to take the lead in the ninth as Banks singled to lead off the frame. After a sacrifice bunt by Mike Dorcean, and an intentional walk issued to Smith to set up a possible double play, Walton reached on a throwing error to load the bases. The final out was set up as the catcher threw behind Banks at third to end the frame.
- Bradley Tuttle allowed a baserunner in the ninth but got leadoff hitter Greg Gasparro to fly out to send the game to extra innings.
- CSU went down in order in the tenth as the Bulldogs got a walk-off single to win it in the bottom half.
Inside the Numbers
- Coppin managed just one base hit in game two, as did UNC Asheville who took advantage of four Eagles errors.
- Conner Walker had the lone hit for the Eagles while also drawing a walk. Corey Treyes, Justin Banks and Toran Smith were also issued free passes while Marcos Castillo was hit by a pitch.
- Anthony Martinez got the start and allowed just two earned runs without giving up a hit while walking three and striking out four. Nico Felber gave up just one hit in his one inning of relief.
How It Happened
- Conner Walker had the only base hit through the first five innings, but UNC Asheville took advantage of a pair of errors in the fifth to score an unearned run on a sacrifice bunt.
- Corey Treyes reached on an error to start the sixth and Marcos Castillo was hit by a pitch, but a double play ball stopped the momentum. After a walk, the Eagles failed to capitalize, leaving two runners on base.
- UNC Asheville was able to take advantage of more CSU miscues in the sixth to score four runs and picked up a two-run double for its lone hit of the game.
Up Next: Coppin will look to salvage a game in the three-game series as they face UNC Asheville at 1 pm on Sunday, March 8.
