UNCW Blanks Georgia Tech, 9-0, To Open NCAA Baseball Regional Play
Rob Washburn
Box Score photo courtesy of Joy Shaver
ATHENS, Ga. (May 31, 2024) – RJ Sales and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout and catcher Bryan Arendt provided all of the offense UNCW would need with a second-inning grand slam as the second-seeded Seahawks blanked Georgia Tech, 9-0, in the NCAA Baseball Athens Regional on Friday night.
UNCW (40-19) advances to play #7 national seed Georgia in the winner’s bracket at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Georgia Tech will face Army in an elimination game at Noon.
Sales improved to 11-3 with a dominant performance on the mound, limiting the Yellow Jackets to three hits over 7.1 innings while striking out six. Luke Craig struck out both batters he faced in the eighth and Baker Cox retired the side in the ninth to record the shutout.
Arendt staked UNCW to an early 4-0 advantage with a second-inning grand slam. That would be all of the offense for the Seahawks until breaking the game open with five runs in the eighth.
Arendt drove in his fifth run in the eighth when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Kevin Jones followed with a two-run single to make it 7-0 and a two-run double by Jac Croom capped the scoring.
Eight of the UNCW nine starters had at least one hit, with Trevor Marsh finishing 2-for-5.