WILSON, N.C. − Erskine College continued its assault on Barton College pitching Saturday, blasting five more home runs in a 13-1 Conference Carolinas baseball victory at historic Fleming Stadium.

The Flying Fleet, which came into the weekend series ranked second nationally in home runs, might have overtaken first place after leaving Wilson with 10 more. Erskine (33-9, 15-5) also kept itself in contention to overtake Mount Olive for first place in the conference, remaining just a half-game behind as those two teams prepare to play each other for league supremacy next weekend. Barton, meanwhile, had hoped to take at least one game from the Flying Fleet in order to increase its chances of making the conference tournament it will host in two weeks. After blowing a lead in the final inning of game two on Friday, the Bulldogs (19-21, 9-12) desperately needed a win to separate themselves from the pack battling for fifth and sixth in the league. However, Erskine let Barton know early on Saturday that it would not be improving its record at the Fleet's expense. The very first batter of the game, Greg Huff (McDonough, GA, Henry County High School), gave Erskine a lead it would never relinquish, lifting a 1-2 pitch from Barton starter James Holmes (3-2) over the fence in left field. Three batters later, first baseman John Bolding (Pickens, SC, Pickens HS) did the same, blasting his fourth home run in as many games to give the Fleet an early 2-0 lead.

Luke Danielewicz (Spartanburg, SC, Dorman High School) led off the Erskine second inning the same way, ripping a home run to left for a 3-0 lead, and he would hit his second of the game the very next inning, part of an eight-run outburst that put the game out of reach early for Barton. Bolding also homered for the second time in the game in the big third inning, and drove in another run with a single after the Fleet batted around in the frame. Chas Anthony (Pickens, SC, Pickens High School)added a two-run single during the inning. By contrast, Barton had just two runners reach scoring position off of Erskine starter Mo Seay (Anderson, SC, Westside HS) (2-0), who went 6 1/3 innings, scattering seven hits, walking one and striking out one. The Bulldogs avoided the shutout when they scored on a bases-loaded groundout by Braxton Lewis in the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Daughtry and Kevin Carty each had two of Barton's 11 hits in the game. Bolding and Bryan Fogle (Lexington, SC, Lexington High School) each had three hits for Erskine, with Huff, Danielewicz and Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, SC, Byrnes HS)each chipping in a pair of hits.

Barton will return to action on Tuesday night when it hosts Wingate University in a 7 p.m. game at Fleming Stadium. Erskine will visit Lander University for a 6 p.m. contest on Tuesday.

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