LANCASTER, S.C. — Behind 20 hits, including a trio of three-run home runs, the 15th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College baseball team blasted USC Lancaster for a 17-8 victory at Doomsday Corner on Thursday afternoon.
Designated hitters Noah Love and Jacob Thompson and catcher Colt Byars all hit three-run home runs to lead the offensive onslaught for the Red Hawks (7-1), while second baseman Chandler Blackwelder recorded a team-high four hits.
Third baseman Grant Tilley and first baseman James Hinson also hit home runs in the win for Catawba Valley.
USC Lancaster (12-3) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but CVCC immediately answered, scoring five runs in the top of the third inning, including Love's three-run blast.
The Lancers pulled with 5-3 through four complete innings, but Catawba Valley closed the final four innings of Thursday's nine-inning contest by scoring 12 of its 15 runs, including four in the sixth inning, three in the seventh and eighth innings and two in the ninth inning.
The 20 hits by the Red Hawks are their second-most in a game this season behind only the 21-hit performance on Feb. 15 in a 24-3 season-opening victory against USC Union.
Red Hawk sophomore pitcher Austin Blevins earned the victory on the mound Thursday, tossing 1.2 innings and allowing one hit and striking out two batters.
Blevins was one of 10 Red Hawk pitchers who saw action in Thursday's Region match up, including starter Storm Mace and relievers Ian Asken, Derrius York, Jarrett Penland, Javier Martinez, Connor Patterson, Elijah Carr, Kevin Finzer and Nick Roser.
Catawba Valley pitchers combined to allow seven hits, seven earned runs, five walks and strikeout 11 USC Lancaster batters.
The CVCC baseball team returns to conference action this weekend with a three-game set against rival Pitt in Greenville, N.C.
The Red Hawks and Bulldogs play a doubleheader consisting of one seven-inning and one nine-inning game on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. before finishing the set with a single nine-inning game on Sunday at noon.
