PEMBROKE — The UNC Pembroke softball team was firing on all cylinders on Sunday afternoon to key the program’s first sweep of the season taking both games from Emmanuel in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader at the UNCP Softball Field. Emmanuel struck first scoring two runs in the first inning, but the Braves put up three runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the sixth inning to help fuel the 6-3 victory.
EU and UNCP each scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning in the nightcap, but a walkoff home run from Jai Deese in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Braves the 4-3 win the secure the series sweep.
In the opener, Emmanuel’s Ellee Varner and Lexi Jordan both singled to the outfield to start the game, as Jaryn Gibson would plate the first run with an RBI single up the middle. A deep sacrifice fly from Alyssa Adams scored Jordan to give Emmanuel an early 2-0 lead.
Marijo Wilkes got the Braves’ fourth inning started with a single up the middle, but Olivia Hall lit up the scoreboard with a two-run blast over the left field fence. Kynley Brewer beat out a bunt and advanced to second on a throwing error. A double from Jai Deese scored Brewer to tie the game at 3-3.
Kynley Brewer reached on an infield single in the sixth before a two-run bomb from Deese gave UNCP a 6-3 lead.
Deese had two hits and three RBIs for the Braves, Hall had three RBIs and Brewer was 4-for-4 at the plate. Kinsley Sheppard (6-7) earned the win.
Varner and Jordan each finished with two hits for Emmanuel. Maddie Edwards (6-5) was the losing pitcher.
In the nightcap, Emmanuel’s Isabel Harrison drew a fourth-inning walk, stole second, and scored on a single up the middle from Aggie Bennett. Bennett advanced to third on a groundout and would score on a single up the middle from Lexi Jordan to give the Lions a 3-1 lead.
Emma Eckhart reached first after being hit by a pitch in the bottom half of the inning and scored on a triple to the outfield gap from Kaitlyn King. Kynley Brewer scored King with a single through the left side to tie the score at 3-3.
Deese walked it off in the seventh on the second pitch of the at bat with a homer over the left field fence.
Deese had three more hits in the nightcap, with five in the doubleheader, and Brewer had two more hits, totaling six for the day. Summer Bullard (6-9) earned the win.
Varner, Bennett and Jordan each had two hits and an RBI for the Lions. Macy Kelley (4-7) took the loss.
Braves drop finale at Mount Olive
The 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke baseball chipped away at a 3-0 deficit, eventually taking a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the 8th, but couldn’t hold on as Mount Olive picked up another late-inning win and the series sweep as the Braves fell 5-4 Sunday afternoon at Scarborough Field.
Carlos Amezquita’s two-out, two-RBI single in the eighth gave the Black & Gold a brief lead, before the Trojans answered with two runs of their own to retake the lead 5-4.
The Braves (21-9, 7-8 CC) dropped to 18-33 in the all-time series against the Trojans (20-8, 11-3 CC), as well as falling to 5-6 when playing on the road this season.
Mount Olive jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-run first-inning single from Alden Cottle.
UNCP’s Jake Bradley blasted a solo shot in the seventh to cut the Trojan lead to 3-2.
Joey Rezek worked a leadoff eighth-inning walk, Kody O’Connor followed with a single, and they both moved up 90 feet on a groundout before Amezquita’s go-ahead two-run single for the Braves.
In the bottom of the inning, Josh Kabayama drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole 3rd, and scored to tie the game on Lane McLean’s RBI double. Davis Halstead added his second pinch-hit RBI single of the weekend to give the Trojans the 5-4 lead.
O’Connor had three hits and an RBI for the Braves. Jonathon Jacobs allowed six hits and three runs with two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings, earning a no-decision, while Jacob Smith (2-2) took the loss.
Cottle led Mount Olive with two hits and two RBIs and McLean had a double and two RBIs. Trojans starter Erik Johnson allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, Greyson Linderman (2-1) got the win and Andrew Ledbetter earned his third save.
The Braves will be back in action Tuesday, March 26 as they return home to host Catawba. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
UNCP track & field has productive day at Trojan Challenge
After breaking the women’s indoor pole vault school record earlier this year, freshman Carina Fiorucci added her name to the record books again by breaking the outdoor pole vault school record to highlight an impressive showing by the UNC Pembroke track & field teams Friday at the Adidas Trojan Challenge in Mount Olive.
Fiorucci cleared 3.20 meters in her record-breaking jump, McKylee Mosby took second in the 100-meter hurdles, while Madison Gibson finished third in the 100-meters to round out the top-three finishers on the women’s side.
On the men’s side, the Braves took first, second, and third in the 100-meters, with Braylon Brooks, Ny’lon Fair-Steele, and Makhel Henry leading the way, respectively. Sean Townes took first in the 400-meters, while Travon Morrow took second in the 200-meters, with Brooks right behind him in third. Cole Thomas won the pole vault, while Sean Todd and Lucas Nervo took second and third, respectively, in the 800-meters. Kelvin Kibet finished second in the 5000-meters, with Antony Kigen behind him in third, while Delsin Burkhart was third in the 1500-meters. Will Clancey placed second in the 3000-meter steeplechase, while David Bunker (long jump), Kendrick Lewis (triple jump), and Cedric Douglas (shot put) all took third in their respective events to highlight the top-three finishers.
In all, 12 new personal bests were established at the event by the Braves.
