Jayden Berkin, Sports Reporter
Game 1
Joey Rezek drove in four runs on two hits to help the lead the UNC Pembroke baseball team to an opening series victory over the Sheperd Rams Friday night. After the Rams went up early on the Braves the bats for UNCP came alive as the Braves put on an offensive clinic to take a commanding 20-5 win over the Rams.
The Rams got on the board first in the top of the second inning with an Aiden Greaney homerun to center and Trey Sine followed with an RBI single to bring home a runner to make it 2-0 early. The Rams wasted no time making it 3-0 in the third with a solo homerun by Idris Carter. Down 3-0 heading into the second half of the third the Braves needed an answer, and they got one.
The Braves turned the game around in the bottom of the third, scoring nine runs on six hits to quickly make it 9-3 Braves. The biggest blow done to the Rams in that explosive third inning was double roped to right field to bring three runs across.
The Braves picked up the scoring in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer by Rezek to make it 12-3 and then a wild pitch by the Rams brought a runner home making it 13-3. The Rams got back on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh with a two-run shot by Connor Deweess making it 13-5.
The Braves responded in the bottom half of the inning scoring seven runs on five hits starting with a Kody O’ Connor double that brought a runner home, Rezek had a double of his own bringing two runners across the plate and Jake Bradley had a double that brought home two runs to make it 19-5. The Braves finished off scoring with a runner scoring on an error to make it 20-5 after seven complete. The Braves would close the game out in the ninth and pick up the win.
Spencer Ledford got the win for the Braves pitching five innings giving up six hits and three runs while striking out seven and walking three. Walker Case came in for an inning giving up zero hits and zero runs while striking out one. Chase Jernigan came in to close out the game for the Braves and picked up the save, going three innings, giving up two hits and two runs while striking out five and walking one.
Game 2
The UNC Pembroke Baseball team rallied together to defeat the Shepherd Rams Saturday afternoon in the first game of the doubleheader. After a scoreless game to start the Braves, bats came alive to pull away with the 8-4 win and clinch the three-game series against the Rams.
Despite a slow start from both teams as both sides went scoreless through the first four innings, the Braves kicked off the bottom of the 5th inning in explosive fashion. To start the bottom of the fifth Micheal Dolberry II hit a RBI single to right to bring home a runner to put the Braves on the scoreboard, making it 1-0. Following this, Jake Bradley reached on an error, and went on to steal second base while Dolberry stole 3rd. Again, another Brave walked. Carlos Amezquita advanced to second, Bradley advanced to third and Dolberry scored all after a wild pitch to make the score 2-0.
With bases loaded, Spencer Faulkner hits a sacrifice fly for bringing home a runner to score, making it 3-0 Braves. Amezquita advances to third. On the next bat, Chase Hudson advances to third on an error and Amezquita scores on a wild pitch to make it 4-0. Isaias Villarrea reached on an error and Hudson scored to wrap up the 5th inning with 5-0 lead for the Braves.
The Braves scoring didn’t stop there, as Jenner scored on a wild pitch in the 6th inning, The Rams managed to get on the board to start the seventh on an RBI double to left center that brought a runner across home plate to make it 6-1. The Braves added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh when Villarrea knocked a double to center to make and then Jenner with a single that brought a runner home off an error. The Rams hit a three-run homer in the ninth to make it 8-4 but the Braves closed things out for the win.
Luke Barrow got the win for the Braves going five innings giving up zero hits and zero runs while striking out seven batters and walking three. Jake Inman came in for relief and picked up the save pitching four innings giving up eight hits and four runs while striking out seven and walking one.
Game 3
The UNC Pembroke baseball brought out the brooms Saturday evening when they defeated the Shepherd Rams in the final game of the three-game series. After trailing early, the Braves rallied in the middle of the innings to take down the Rams 16-7 and complete the series sweep to improve to 6-0 and on the year.
The Rams got things going in the top of the first when they capitalized on a couple errors early by the Braves making it 2-0 and then added to their score on another error by the Braves making it 3-0 before the Braves had an answer. Blake Hinson got the Braves on the board in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. Carlos Amezquita grounded out into a double play but not before bringing home a run to make it 3-2 with the Rams still ahead.
To the bottom of the fourth we go where UNCP managed to tie the game at 3-3 with a Jake Bradley double. In the fifth for the Braves Isaias Villarreal and Andrew Jenner each had doubles of their own that brought two runners home making it 5-3 UNCP. The diamond Braves had a productive sixth inning with a single by Amezquita and a runner scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-3. Amezquita scored on a wild pitch and Jenner roped an RBI single to left and Hinson hit a triple to right bringing home three to put the Braves up 12-3 heading into the seventh.
The Rams added some runs to their score in the sixth seventh and eighth inning to cut the Braves lead down to 12-7 but not before the Braves closed out their scoring in the bottom of the eighth with a Rezek double and Hinson triple each bringing in a run and a Bradley single and a sacrifice fly made it 16-7. Braves got three outs in the ninth to close out the win.
Jacob Smith got the win for the Braves going 2 2/3 innings giving up three hits and zero runs while striking out two and walking one. Kasen McCawley closed things out for the Braves giving up two runs while striking out three.
The Braves will back at home on Tuesday when they welcome Claflin University to town for a 3 p.m. game.