Baseball Team
Brian Westerholt / Sports On Film
The Saints rallied to picked up a 4-2 win over Erskine on Tuesday behind solid pitching performances from two freshmen.
2
Erskine ERSKINE 14-14
4
Winner Limestone LU 4-27
Erskine ERSKINE
14-14
2
Final
4
Limestone LU
4-27
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Erskine ERSKINE 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 3
Limestone LU 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 X 4 9 0

W: Stewart, Jeremiah (1-3) L: Cassell, Parker (1-2) S: Roberts, Michael (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Ernest Meyers, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Saints Rally Behind Dominant Pitching Performance

GAFFNEY, S.C. – Trailing 2-0 midway through Tuesday's nonconference game, the Limestone University baseball team rallied behind solid pitching performances from a pair of freshmen by chipping away with single runs in each of the final four frames to double up Erskine College, 4-2, at Founders FCU Stadium.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 4, Erskine 2
Records: Limestone (4-27), Erskine (14-14)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Freshman starter Noah Barozzino (Cornelius, N.C.) tossed a gem for his first career win
  • He scattered two runs and six hits over 7.2 innings of work while logging six strikeouts
  • Freshman reliver Hunter Potzner (Gainesville, Ga.) threw 1.1 scoreless innings for the save
  • Sophomore Peyton Reel (Clover, S.C.) finished with a hit, a sacrifice bunt, and two RBIs
  • Junior Brandon Billesberger (Cochrane, Alberta) added two base knocks and a stolen base
  • Junior James MacCallum (Atlanta, Ga.) went 2-for-4 at the dish with a run scored
  • Sophomore Bradley Turner (Cayce, S.C.) drove in the tying run after being hit by a pitch
  • Freshman Peter Adams (North Augusta, S.C.) was hit by a pitch and ripped off a base
  • Sophomore Gianni Lombardo (Statham, Ga.) had a hit, a walk, and a sacrifice hit
  • Limestone outpaced the Flying Fleet in the hit column, 9-7, despite not having any extra base hits
  • Small ball was used to perfection with three sacrifices, three stolen bases, and three infield hits
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Innings 1-3
 
Barozzino sat down the side in order in the first before Billesberger extended his hit streak to 14 straight games by slapping a one-out single through the right side. He ended up on third following a stolen base and a throwing error, but the Saints were unable to capitalize as the next two batters were retired quietly.
 
Erskine would jump ahead, 2-0, in the top of the second, sending a laser beam over the wall in left for a two-run homerun. That would be the only scoring over the first three frames as Limestone left a pair stranded in the early going following the base hit by Billesberger and after Adams was plunked by a pitch.  
 
Innings 4-6
 
Using textbook small ball, the Saints were able to cut the margin in half, 2-1, in the bottom of the fifth despite not one hit getting out of the infield. MacCallum singled to third and Lombardo followed with a bunt single before Turner moved both runners over with a sacrifice to set up Reel for a third straight bunt.
 
Reel laid a squeeze down the first base line and the Erskine fielder decided to try for the out at home, but a hard slide by MacCallum knocked the ball loose to give Limestone its first tally. The Saints attempted to repeat the process with a fourth straight bunt, but the Fleet were able to get the runner at home this time.
 
The Blue and Gold scored the equalizer in the sixth though after junior Joah Nelson (Woodruff, S.C.) and sophomore Clark Burroughs (Swan Point, Md.) came through with back-to-back one-out singles. With two outs, Lombardo walked to load the bags before Turner tied the game the hard way – getting hit by a pitch.  
 
Innings 7-9
 
After Barozzino worked around a one-out double in the top of the seventh, Billesberger went the opposite way for a base hit to put the go-ahead run on base for the Saints. He then moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt before an infield hit by sophomore Brock Balsley (Cape Coral, Fla.) set up the winning run.
 
After the infield hit by Balsely – the team's third of the game – a throwing error by the third baseman allowed Billesberger to score from second, putting Limestone in front, 3-2. Barozzino would then get a strikeout and lineout in the eighth before Potzner came on in relief to strand the tying and go-ahead runs.
 
The Blue and Gold added an insurance run in the home half of the eighth following a leadoff hit from MacCallum. Graduate Brandt Cronebach (Englewood, Ohio) was inserted as pinch runner, moving to second on a sac bunt by Lombardo and ripping off third, before scoring on a two-out RBI single by Reel. Potzner then sealed the 4-2 win, working around a two-single in the ninth with pop up to end the game.
 
TURNING POINT
 
A two-run homerun in the second proved to be the only offense for the Flying Fleet as Barozzino held the visitors in check the rest of the way. That would allow the Limestone offense to begin chipping away at the lead before eventually doubling up Erskine, 4-2, with single runs in each of the last four innings.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • Barozzino went the longest of any starting pitcher this season, tossing 7.2 strong innings
  • He picked off two runners on the base paths and ended four frames with a strikeout
  • Limestone laid down a total of five bunts – one went for a hit and three were sacrifices
  • After losing a one-run game in Due West, the Saints split the season series with the Fleet
  • Tuesday's meeting was the 90th all-time meeting between Limestone and Erskine
 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints continue their homestand as they return to SAC action with a three-game set this weekend against nationally top-ranked Wingate University. Limestone will open the series against the defending national champions on Friday, March 25, at 6 p.m.   
 
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