PEMBROKE, N.C. – A two-run single by Nick Salisbury in the fourth inning broke open a 3-all tie and helped the University of North Carolina Pembroke out-slug Flagler College 10-7 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.
UNC Pembroke improved to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in the Peach Belt. Flagler fell to 7-9 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
After a Stibel Aleman Saba three-run home run in the third inning staked the Braves to a 3-0 lead, the Saints answered with three runs of its own in the fourth to tie the score.
Frankie Sagarese hit a two-run single and later scored on a RBI-single by
Bryce Evans.
But the Braves countered with another three-run inning in the fourth with Salisbury's two-run single and that was followed by an RBI-single by Roberto Rivera which chased Flagler starter
Dustin Dye (1-3) from the game.
Hayden Buffkin belted a solo homer in the fifth inning to give UNCP a 7-3 lead.
Cole Odrejka hit a two-run single in the sixth to close the deficit to 7-5, but the Braves answered with three more runs in the home half of the sixth to jump out to a 10-5 advantage.
Rivera paced the 14-hit attack by the Braves with three singles, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Nick Debo singled twice and scored two runs while C.J. White collected a pair of singles and scored a run. Salisbury, the ninth hitter in the order, had two singles, two RBI and scored a run.
UNCP hit 11 singles in the game.
Lane Johnson (2-1) pitched five-plus innings, scattered 10 hits and allowed three runs. Alex Britt earned his third save of the season after pitching a scoreless 1.1 innings with three strikeouts.
The Saints pounded out 16 hits, 12 of which were singles, and they stranded 12 base runners.
Evans led Flagler by going 3-for-6 with a double, one RBI and three runs scored.
James Jean went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, scored a run and drove in another.
Kolin McMillen singled twice and knocked in a run while Ondrejka finished with two singles and two RBI.
Igor Baez singled, doubled and scored a run.
Jabe Molinaro had two singled and he scored a run.
Dye tossed 3.1 innings and allowed eight hits and six earned runs.
Flagler will look to salvage the rubber game tomorrow (March 6) at 1 p.m.