GASTONIA, N.C. – The No. 8 seed Erskine College baseball team (27-24, 15-14 CC) defeated the No. 1 seed North Greenville University (40-11, 24-6 CC) by a score of 9-2 on Day 2 of the 2024 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championships at CaroMont Health Park on Thursday afternoon to send the Fleet into the winners' bracket.

Jorge Pascual's three-run home run capped a five-run second inning for Erskine, who never looked back as they took down the regular season champions in Conference Carolinas.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning from freshman starting pitcher, Alex Heintz, the Fleet offense came roaring to life. Tyler Smith led off the second with a single, and David Hernandez followed with a single to start the rally. Carlos Gonzalez dropped down a bunt, and NGU made an errant throw trying to get the lead out at third, allowing Smith to score to open the scoring. Jude Littrell beat out an infield single, scoring Hernandez, before Jorge Pascual crushed a three-run blast over the center field wall as Erskine exploded for five runs in the second. NGU got on the board in the third, but Josean Sanchez got that run right back with an RBI single in the fourth. In the fifth inning, Daniel Hernandez and Gonzalez each delivered RBIs to extend Erskine's lead to 8-1. The Crusaders loaded the bases in the next half-inning, but Heintz induced a double play and got a popout to limit the damage to just one run. Caleb Dix relieved Heintz heading into the sixth inning and posted a pair of scoreless frames. The Fleet added another run in the eighth on a bunt single from David Hernandez that plated Ben Maskin, and Noah Palmese sealed the win, facing the minimum in eighth and ninth innings as Erskine took down the regular season champions on Thursday.

THE PLAYER
Freshman starting pitcher Alex Heintz allowed just five hits and one earned run over five quality innings on the mound against a high-powered North Greenville offense, with Heintz totaling seven strikeouts in his first postseason outing of his collegiate career.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine advances into the winners' bracket of the tournament, where the Fleet will take on No. 4 seed UNC Pembroke (39-12, 19-11 CC)

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