Zack Ciboth, Sports Ediotor
The UNC Pembroke Braves baseball team are your 2024 Conference Carolinas Champions after defeating the Belmont Abbey Crusaders Monday morning in the championship game. The Braves jumped on the Crusaders early and rode a hot start all the way to a 10-0 win in seven innings.
The Braves have won their first Conference Carolinas title since joining the Conference Carolinas and have won their first Conference title since winning the Peach Belt title in 2011.
The Braves got things rolling early with a two-run homer in the first inning from Joey Rezek to make it 2-0. They then kept the barrel pary rolling in the third with a Michael Dolberry double, Rezek double, and a two-run homer from Spencer Faulkner to quickly put the Braves up 6-0.
The Crusaders still had no response for the Braves as we headed to the fourth inning where the Braves continued to add to their lead with a Rezek single making it his third RBI of the game and putting the Braves up 4-0. Both sides went quiet over the course of the next two innings with the Crusaders remain scoreless and the Braves holding onto that 8-0 lead heading into the seventh.
Will Hood made it 10-0 Braves with an RBI single of his own that plated two runs. With the 10-run rule in effect the Braves just needed three more outs to claim the win and that’s what they forced a groundout to seal the win and claim the championship in seven innings.
HL Smith got the start for the Braves and picked up the win going 4 2/3 innings pitched giving up four hits, zero runs, walking one and striking out seven. Kasen McCawley came into relief and went 2 1/3 innings giving up zero hits and zero runs while striking out one.
As for Conference awards, Rezek is the Tournaments Most Outstanding Player. For the All- Tournament selections the Braves were represented by Kody O’Connor, Jonathan Jacobs, Andrew Jenner, and Chase Jernigan.
The Braves will now turn their focus to the NCAA Tournament where they will await their seed in the selection show with a time, location, opponent and dates all to be determined