MISENHEIMER, N.C. - With 11 RBI, junior infielder Frankie Vasquez set a new program single-game NCAA-era record and matched a USA South Conference mark that has stood for 22 years, propelling the Brevard College baseball team (12-8, 5-1 USAS) to its second-straight USA South series win over Pfeiffer University (8-10, 1-5 USAS). Behind Vasquez's performance, BC won 19-9 in the first game of Sunday afternoon's doubleheader before a 13-8 defeat at the hands of the Falcons.
Sunday's doubleheader at Joe Ferebee Field in Misenheimer, North Carolina concluded a slugfest of a three-game series between the Tornados and Falcons. Brevard scored 40 runs to Pfeiffer's 34 over the course of the three-game set.
GAME ONE: BREVARD 19, PFEIFFER 9
Despite an early unearned run scored by the Falcons in the bottom of the first inning, the Tornados struck for an equalizer in the top of the second as Nico Bartolotti brought CP Pyle around to score on an RBI single, tying things up at 1-1.
Consecutive singles by Lucas Granata and Luke Morton were followed by an RBI double by Logan Clark that brought Granata across to score. Cale Oehler drew a walk to load the bases before Vasquez launched a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence for his first career grand slam, as BC opened up a 6-1 lead in the top of the third inning.
Hayden Jennings drew a walk and was advanced to second on Bartolotti's sacrifice bunt before Logan Sawyer notched an RBI single, extending the Tornado advantage even further to a six-run margin, 7-1.
A two-out single was all the Falcons could muster in the bottom of the third, as Jacob Thompson (1-1) and the Tornado defense maintained the six-run edge through three frames.
Oehler continued his big weekend at the plate, launching a two-run homer down the right-field line that scored Clark after a leadoff walk began the top of the fourth inning, as Brevard claimed stake to an eight-run lead early 9-1. A caught stealing followed by a strikeout prevented further damage by BC in the top of the fourth.
Vasquez continued his stellar day at the dish in the top of the fifth inning, clearing the bases with a three-RBI triple to bring his RBI tally to seven for the day, as Brevard grew its lead even further to an 11-run margin, 13-2. Pfeiffer used a solo and two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to cut into the deficit slightly, 13-5, through five innings played.
Hatcher Bailey came on in relief of Thompson in the bottom of the sixth, shutting down the Falcons after two straight leadoff baserunners with a double play and an infield popup.
Vasquez launched his second home run of the game in the top of the seventh, lifting a two-run shot to left-center field to push BC's lead back up to 10 runs, 15-5.
A solo home run and RBI single in the bottom of the seventh brought Pfeiffer within eight runs, and the Falcons scored two more in the bottom of the eight before loading the bases up with one out down six runs, 15-9. BC brought in Andy Fahringer, who got a fielder's choice and swinging strikeout to prevent further damage by the hosts.
BC capped off its massive win with a four-run ninth inning, as Vasquez set a new program NCAA era record and matched a 22-year USA South Conference single-game record with a two-RBI double, bringing his game total to 11 RBI with a total of four extra-base hits as the Tornados clinched the series with a 19-9 victory.
Vasquez highlighted an unbelievable offensive showing for the Tornados, who scored 19 runs on 16 hits with eight total extra-base knocks. Vasquez went 4-for-6 with his record-setting 11 RBI, four extra-base hits (two home runs, two doubles), and three runs scored. Freshman designated hitter Nico Bartolotti added three hits at the dish with a double and an RBI, and Granada, Oehler, and Pyle all had two-hit performances. Eight different Tornados notched base knocks in the win.
Pfeiffer's Wilson Lohrer had a team-high three hits and hit one of three Falcon homers alongside Robbie Brown and Zach Ferrell.
GAME TWO: PFEIFFER 13, BREVARD 8
Pfeiffer used two seperate stretches of scoring five unanswered runs to push itself ahead of the Tornados in the series finale, ultimately taking a 13-8 win to secure the first conference win of 2024 for the Falcons.
Oehler capped off a stellar three-game performance by going 4-for-5 in the series finale, totaling a double and four RBI. Over the course of the three-game set, the Concord, North Carolina junior went 11-for-14 with nine RBI, five runs scored, two home runs and a double.
Despite the loss, BC's offense still contributed 15 hits. Granata, Morton, Pyle, Logan Sawyer, and Vasquez all had two-hit outings, with Sawyer launching his second home run of the year.
Ferrell led the charge for the Falcons with a three-hit outing, while four Falcons had multiple hits and three left the ballpark with home runs.
Blake Altschuler was the starter for Brevard in the series finale, lasting four innings giving up 10 hits and five runs in the no-decision. Kalen Milstead (1-3) was the pitcher of record for the Tornados, while Bartolotti saw his first career action on the mound and Aaron Burchett also worked for BC.
Vasquez picked up right where he left off in game one of the DH, notching an RBI single in the top of the first that gave BC the early edge, 1-0. Pfeiffer scored five unanswered runs however, with two in the first and three in the third to open up a 5-1 advantage.
Granata singled home Pyle in the top of the fifth before Oehler's bases-clearing, three-RBI double tied the ballgame back up, 5-5.
Pfeiffer's offense was unable to be contained, however, as the hosts broke the tie with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth followed by four more runs in the bottom of the sixth, as the second 5-0 scoring stretch for the Falcons of the game gave PU a 10-5 margin.
Sawyer's solo HR in the top of the seventh was followed by a Logan Clark RBI groundout and a Oehler RBI single, as BC found itself back down by just two runs, 10-8. Pfeiffer found all the insurance it would need in the bottom-half of the seventh with a RBI single and two-run homer, as the hosts clinched their first conference win of 2024, 13-8.
The Tornados are back in action next weekend to go toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan University in a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 29 at 6 p.m. in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
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-BC-