ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College Baseball team used a walk-off hit in game one and a complete game shutout performance from senior pitcher Derrick Carter to easily win game two 12-0 in a sweep over Averett University.
The Bishops defeated Averett 4-3 in game one with a three-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth as they walked off on SS Nate Hibbs' sacrifice fly that scored RF Alec Titmus while Carter's 7 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts easily won them game two.
The 9th ranked Bishops improve to 25-6 on the season and 13-1 in the conference.
Redshirt freshman starter CJ DiBenedetto threw a terrific game one tossing 7 innings allowing just 2 runs on 8 hits with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts while freshman reliever Danny Thompson threw the final two innings allowing one run on 3 hits with 2 walks and 2 Ks to get the win improving to 3-1.
Offensively, junior DH Jackson Murray got the Bishops on the board in the 2nd inning with his RBI triple that scored junior LF Zach Lyon.
Averett then took a 3-1 lead into the ninth before the first three Wesleyan batters of the inning reached base via a HBP, a single and a walk. Sophomore CF Drifton Padgett then singled to right scoring two runs to tie the game at 3. After a strikeout, Hibbs then hit a short fly to right that brought home Titmus who was safe at home after the catcher dropped the ball handing the Bishops the walk-off win.
Carter led Wesleyan in game two with 13 strikeouts over 7 shutout innings allowing just 4 hits and no walks to improve to 7-0 on the season.
Pennington got things started for the Bishops tripling in Hibbs in the first before coming around to score on a wild pitch himself. A two-run single from Titmus finished off a 5-run inning for the Bishops. Lyon then drove in three more runs on a single and a two-run homer in the 2nd and 4th innings before Titmus and Pennington also roped RBI singles later in the game.
Titmus finished the day with a team-best 4 hits as he went 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs while Pennington went 3 for 4 as well.
The teams will complete their series on Sunday with a 2:00 game on Senior Day.