JAMESTOWN, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College baseball team used strong hitting and dominant pitching to earn a pair of three-run wins and a conference doubleheader sweep against host Guilford Tech on Saturday afternoon at Ronnie Smith Stadium.
With the two victories, the Red Hawks improve to 28-19 overall and 12-8 in conference play this season.
Game one: Catawba Valley 10, Guilford Tech 7
The Red Hawks pounded out 13 hits — the second-most in a game this season — en route to a three-run victory in game one of the set on Saturday.
First baseman Tyler Campbell led the charge for CVCC with three hits in four plate appearances, including four RBIs. Catcher Willie Gordon also tallied three hits, and left fielder Jackson Brown and designated hitter Sabion Thomas had two hits each — all doubles.
On the mound, Catawba Valley starting pitcher Logan Bender improved to 7-0 on the season. He allowed six hits, four runs (two earned), two walks and struck out eight batters in six innings of work.
Relief pitchers Storm Mace and Greg Collins closed out the final three innings of the game, combining to allow five hits, three runs, two walks and striking out two batters. Collins earned his second save of the year.
Game two: Catawba Valley 4, Guilford Tech 1
A near no-hit performance on the mound by starting pitcher Blake Dockery and a late home run by catcher Willie Gordon lifted the Red Hawks to a three-run victory in game two against the Titans.
Guilford Tech capitalized on a walk, error and ground out in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead in the contest.
The Titans held that one-run lead until the sixth inning when CVCC catcher Willie Gordon came off the bench to deliver a two-run home run to right field, scoring teammate R.J. Conner to give the Red Hawks a 2-1 advantage late.
Dockery held the Titan offense in check, allowing no hits through 5.2 innings, but a hard bouncing single over the head of first baseman Tyler Campbell by Cameron Norgren ended Dockery's no-hit bid.
An RBI double by outfielder Vinny Consolo and a sac fly by shortstop Mason Lyda added two late insurance runs for Catawba Valley in the seventh inning, and Dockery retired three of the four Titan batters he faced in the seventh inning to seal the complete game victory.
The CVCC baseball team returns to action on Sunday for its series finale against Guilford Tech. First pitch for the single nine-inning game is set for noon at Ronnie Smith Stadium on the campus of Ragsdale High School.
