UNCW Returns To CAA Title Game With 6-1 Win

5/27/2016 3:43:15 PM

Rob Washburn

Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (May 27, 2106) – Three UNCW pitchers combined on a two-hitter as the top-seeded Seahawks advanced to the title game of the CAA Baseball Championship with a 6-1 victory over #6 College of Charleston on Friday afternoon at the Ballpark at Patriots Point.

UNCW (39-15), which captured its fourth CAA Championship in 2015, will make its seventh appearance in the finals at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Cougars (31-25-1) return to action at 7 p.m. tonight in an elimination contest against either #2 William & Mary or #5 Northeastern.

Seahawks’ freshman Alex Royalty (8-2) earned the victory after giving up one run on two hits over 5.0 innings. Sophomore Austin Easter didn’t allow a hit and fanned five over the next three frames before Jared Gesell closed it out in the ninth. The UNCW hurlers surrendered just two singles on the afternoon and allowed only one runner to reach second base after the third inning.

Freshman starter Evan Sisk (1-2) suffered the loss for CofC despite a strong outing. The Cougars’ left-hander scattered seven hits and gave up a pair of runs over 8.0 innings and struck out five.

UNCW held a narrow 2-1 advantage before scoring four times with two outs in the ninth. Robbie Thorburn delivered the big blow with an RBI triple that sailed over the head of the leftfielder to make it 3-1. Kennard McDowell followed with a run-scoring single and Steven Linkous delivered a double down the left-field line that expanded the Seahawks’ lead to four. Linkous later scored his school-record 72^nd run of the season.

Linkous, who leads the CAA with a .388 batting average, finished 4-for-5, while Brian Mims, Gavin Stupienski and Daniel Stack each had a pair of hits for the Seahawks. Catcher Erven Roper and third baseman Tommy Richter had the only two hits for CofC.

Both teams got off to fast starts. Linkous opened the game with a bunt single, advanced to third on a Mims base hit to right, and scored on a Stupienski sacrifice fly. CofC answered back in the bottom of the first as Ryan Brown drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on Roper’s two-out RBI single to right.

UNCW moved back on top in the third. Mims lined a two-out double to the right-center gap and Stupienski followed with an RBI single to right that gave the Seahawks a 2-1 advantage.