HICKORY, N.C. — The 17th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College baseball team swept a Wednesday doubleheader with the visiting Limestone JV team at Henkel-Alley Field at the Hickory American Legion Fairgrounds.
The Red Hawks handed Limestone a 9-4 defeat in game one before dispatching the Saints 16-4 in game two.
Game one: No. 17 Catawba Valley 9, Limestone JV 4
The Red Hawks pulled ahead by six runs through five innings and held off a late charge by the Saints to earn the five-run victory in game one on Wednesday afternoon.
David Graves, Kyran Russ and Cory Watt led the offensive charge for Catawba Valley (14-7) with one home run each. Graves drove in a team-high three runs, while Russ and Graham Mitchell each drove in two runs.
Brett Macchia, Garrison Burress, Watt and Graves all had two hits in the contest — part of an 11-hit performance for CVCC.
On the mound, Catawba Valley starting pitcher Matthew Dailey earned his first win of the season, giving up just one hit, one walk and striking out five in three innings.
The Red Hawks' Hunter Isaacs, Ryan Bradley and Chris Banks closed out the game in relief, giving up five hits, four runs (three earned), three walks, and the trio struck out five.
Game two: No. 17 Catawba Valley 16, Limestone JV 4
After giving up one run in the top of the first inning, the Red Hawks answered with 16-straight runs en route to a five-inning, run-rule victory in game two of the series against the Saints on Wednesday.
David Graves, Tyler Campbell and Jimmy Marcelli paced the Red Hawks (15-7) in the 12-run win, driving in four runs apiece.
Marcelli had a team-high three hits, while Graves and Campbell each tallied two hits. Campbell also connected on his second home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning.
CVCC scored three runs in the first inning, five in the second inning, one in the third inning and seven in the fourth inning on its way to its 15th win of the season.
Red Hawks starting pitcher Thomas Walden earned the win on the mound, allowing two hits, one earned run, one walk and striking out four batters.
Chase Covington and Will Angel closed out the game in relief of Walden, combining to allow one hit, two earned runs, three walks and striking out two.
The CVCC baseball team returns to action on Saturday for the first of three conference games against Wake Tech in Raleigh, N.C.
The Red Hawks and Eagles play two games on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. before finishing the series at noon on Sunday.
