When: Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Time: 5:00 pm
Where: Greenwood Baseball Field - Asheville, NC
TV/Video: ESPN+
Radio: none
Live Stats: UNCA Live Stats
Conference: Big South
Location: Asheville, NC
Colors: Blue and White
Nickname: Bulldogs
Mascot: Rocky
Students: 3,233
This season's record: 18-13 overall, 14-4 home, 4-9 away, 0-0 neutral, 5-7 Big South.
Head Coach: Scott Friedholm will begin his ninth season as the Head Baseball Coach at UNC Asheville in 2023. He was appointed head coach on June 17, 2014. Friedholm's record: 129-235 overall
The Series: Western has an overall record of 53-25 against the Bulldogs, and is 21-12 in games played in Asheville. However, the Cats are only 2-8 in the last 10 games played against the Bulldogs, and bring in a 3-game losing streak against Asheville to the game.
UNC Asheville was picked to finish fifth in the Big South preseason poll. Asheville finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 21-29-1, including a 14-9-1 record in Big South play. The 14-9-1 record in conference games matched Asheville's best finish in program history.
The Bulldogs currently stand at 4th in the conference, with a 4-5 conference record. Asheville is coming off a 1-2 weekend series against Big South foe, Gardner-Webb, splitting a doubleheader on Thursday, and losing on Friday in Boiling Springs. The Bulldogs have a win over the SoCon's ETSU (10-6), and a loss to Wofford in Spartanburg. In other common opponents, like WCU, the Bulldogs have a loss at Tennessee. The Dogs also played Eastern Kentucky, winning that series 2-1.
In Big South standings, the Bulldogs are in second place in team batting with a .285 average. Currently, Asheville has four players hitting above .300, with sophomore Robbie Burnett at .389, senior Dylan Bacot hitting 370, junior Kohl Abrams hitting 348, and sophomore Corbin Lanowitz at 317. Burnett also leads the team in home runs, with a total of 10 for the season, as well as 3 triples, and walks, with 22 base on balls to his credit. Bacot leads the team in hitting with 47 hits and 14 doubles. Another scoring threat, junior Cameron Johnson has 6 home runs and 6 doubles thus far in the season, Johnson also leads the team in strikeouts, with 32.
Currently, the Cats are at .500 (3-3) against Big South teams this season. The Cats swept Radford (3 games), but have mid-week losses to PC, Gardner-Webb, and USC Upstate. It would be nice to go above .500 with a win. I always wonder why we lose to Big South teams as most Catamount fans always declare the Big South an inferior league, especially when someone brings up the idea of WCU seeking another conference.
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WCU – Jr. RHP Dawson Elder (0-0, 18.00 ERA; 2 app., 0 GS, 1.0 IP, 1K, 3BB)
UNCA – Jr. RHP Cole Bates (0-0, 9.08 ERA; 12 app., 2 GS, 16.2 IP, 13K, 8BB)
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