CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A six-run sixth inning for the 49ers busts the seams on game one of the two-game series between Tech and Charlotte, as UNCC scores eight runs on eight hits on the game.
The 49ers put the first run on the board in the bottom of the first, when two straight hits by JJ Elseser and Shane Basen put runners on first and third and a sacrifice fly by Corey Shaylor to right field scored Elseser.
Tech tied the game in the top of the third as Chad Oberacker earned a two-out walk and advanced to second on a pickoff attempt error. Zach Stephens doubled down the left field line to score Oberacker and advanced to third when Casanova Donaldson reach first on a fielding error. With runners on the corners though, Devin Rivers' hit to third caught Donaldson going to second for the third out.
Stephens led the Golden Eagles once again with three hits on five at bats, bringing in Tech's only run of the evening.
With the game tied at one-all, the 49er line-up got the bats going against freshman starter Jake McWhirter and sophomore reliever Nick Price, notching six runs on four hits to break the game open and giving Charlotte a 7-1 lead.
Three straight singles by Justin Roland, Cory Tilton and Elseser brought in the first run of the inning, while a walk to Basen loaded the bases. McWhirter nicked Shaylor to bring in another run and walked Tony Montalbano for a third before Price took the hill in relief. With the bases still loaded, J Seager's reach on a fielder's choice out at second brought in Basen, while Ross Steedley's double into left center logged the final two runs of the inning.
Charlotte put one more run up in the bottom of the sixth to set the score at the final 8-1 stand when they loaded the bases on Wade Bilbrey, in for Price, and Shaylor earned an RBI walk. With the bases still loaded though, Bilbrey was able to induce a groundout to first to leave three 49ers stranded at the end of the inning.
McWhirter shouldered the loss after the first two innings, having allowed seven runs on five hits and logging one strikeout. The performance marked his first loss on the season, putting his record at 0-1 and Tech's at 4-9 overall.
T Barnette earned the win to lift his record to 2-0, and Charlotte's to 10-2. He allowed one run on four hits, striking out two.
The teams will finish out the series tomorrow in game two, set for 3 p.m.
