March 1, 2007

Boxscore

LAURINBURG, N.C.—Knights junior Michael Eastwood (Grantsboro, N.C.) hit his first home run of the season but blasts by senior Jeff Adams (Laurinburg, N.C.) and freshman Derek Funk (Asheboro, N.C.) led the visiting University of North Carolina at Pembroke baseball team to a 10-2 non-conference victory over St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Thursday afternoon at Clark Field.

Funk drilled a two-run homer to right in the fourth while Adams added his own two-run towering shot to center in the fifth as the Braves improved to 11-5 on the season. The home runs were the first of the season for both Funk and Adams.

Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Eastwood ended the shutout bid with a solo rocket over the left field fence for the Knights (7-9 Overall).

Pembroke jumped out quickly with a single run in each of the first three innings. Junior Josh Bentley (Lenoir, N.C.) had an RBI-single in the second while a junior Jason Morales (Fayetteville, N.C.) sacrifice fly in the third drove in the third Braves run.

Junior Stuart Champion (Shallotte, N.C.) had his own sacrifice fly in the fourth before Funk’s home run. Champion added his second RBI of the day with a single in the fifth that drove in senior Jay Bowman (Welcome, N.C.).

Freshman Andrew Bizjak (Mt. Airy, Md.) drove in the Knights final run in the fifth with a bases loaded fly ball to right field that allowed junior Eric Stone (Laurinburg, N.C.) enough time to tag up and cross home from third.

The Braves added one last late run in the ninth on a senior Chris Beck single to left that plated Morales to extend the UNCP’s final margin of victory to eight runs.

Freshman starter Brian Willis (Hope Mills, N.C.) struck out 10 Knights batters en route to his first collegiate victory for Pembroke. Willis (1-0) allowed just two runs on five hits and three walks while fanning 10 over six innings of work

St. Andrews freshman leftie Mark Dlugokienski (Naples, Fla.) took the loss after giving up three runs on seven hits in three innings of action from the mound.

Adams led the Braves 15 hit attack with a game-high three base knocks while five other Pembroke players hit safely two times apiece.

Junior Josh Day (Bessemer, N.C.) was a perfect 2-for-2 for the Knights picking up his second multi-hit game in as many days.

St. Andrews will host CVAC rival Barton College in a three-game conference series this weekend. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 12 Noon while Sunday’s finale is slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.