By Sean Hancock
UNCP baseball picked up a high-scoring home win against Mercy University at Sammy Cox Field. The Braves won 13-9.
The game was a shootout for the first 5 innings. The Braves jumped ahead, scoring 2 runs in the first inning when shortstop Daniel Stephens scored on a wild pitch, and right fielder Jacob Smith scored on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Morgan Padgett.
The momentum swings continued in the fourth. Mercy evened the score at 6–6 on N. Scaperott’s two-RBI single. UNC Pembroke countered with a three-run frame: Padgett’s RBI single plated Smith, Steele drew a bases-loaded walk, and another wild pitch allowed Padgett to score, extending the lead to 9–6.
The story of the game was a lack of pitching and defense. The Braves gave up 8 earned runs and totaled 5 errors; Daniel Stephens accounted for three of those errors.
Mercy scratched across an unearned run in the ninth after a throwing error, but the Braves closed the door to secure the 13–9 victory.
Stephens led UNC Pembroke’s offense, driving in four runs and scoring multiple times, while Padgett added key RBIs. Mercy’s Koch paced the Mavericks with a homer and several RBIs, but defensive lapses proved costly.
The Braves look to improve on their defense and stay consistent on their offense.
