Ferrum, VA- The Alfred State baseball team held off Panthers to take the series sweep over Ferrum, 11-9. The Pioneers start the season 3-0.
Zach Nelson picked up the win as he pitched 3.0 innings, scattering four runs over five hits. Daniel Lewis would get the save as he came in to close. He pitched 1.2 innings not allowing a hit or run with a strikeout.
At the plate, Elijah Barinas went 3-5 with a double and two RBIs. Joshua Gardner went 1-2 for two RBIs.
After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second. The Pioneers answered with seven runs in the top of the third to take the lead. With no outs and the bases loaded Caleb Walker scored on a wild pitch. Elijah Barinas followed with a two RBI single up the middle to cut the deficit to one, 4-3. A few pitches later, Barinas would steal second, and advance to third on a wild pitch. He would tie the game on a failed pickoff, 4-4. After a walk, Jordan Hughes notched an RBI single to left field to give the Pios their first lead, 5-4. Zach Young would put in an RBI single of his own, and two batters later Walker notched an RBI single for the 7-4 lead.
The Pioneers added two more runs to their lead in the fifth. With two on and one out, Joshua Gardner notched a two RBI single to left field to take the 9-4 lead. In the top of the sixth, the Pios scored on an error to make it a 10-4 game.
The Panthers rallied in the eighth and put up five runs to make it a 10-9 game. Alfred State would add an insurance run in the top of the nineth for the 11-9 lead. That run was scored on an RBI double by Parker Drees.
The Pioneers were able to hold off Ferrum in the bottom of the ninth to get the 11-9 win. ASC will be back on the road next weekend as they head to Salisbury, MD to take on Salisbury on Friday February 21st at 1 pm.
