Baseball Edges Shippensburg to Take Series

SALISBURY, NC -- Catawba used a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Ethan Satterfield (Madison, NC/McMichael HS) in the bottom of the ninth to get past Shippensburg 2-1 Sunday afternoon at Newman Park. The Indians improved to 4-2 overall while the Red Raiders are now 1-2.

Tied 1-1 going into the latter part of the ninth, Ryan Bostian (Kannapolis, NC/S. Rowan HS/Montreat) hit a one-out double to right field and Julio Zubillaga (China Grove, NC/Carson HS) followed that with a single to right center. Red Raider pitcher Josh Scott then intentionally walked Garrett Furr (Gold Hill, NC/Mt. Pleasant HS) to load the bases.

On a 2-1 pitch, Satterfield knocked a deep fly-ball to left which Shippensburg left fielder Simon Beloff caught for the second out and quickly threw to home. Bostian tagged up at third and easily beat the throw as he rumbled across home plate for the winning run.

Satterfield had come on for Russell Michalec (Salisbury, NC/Salisbury HS) in left field in the top of the ninth for Catawba. 

Shippensburg got on the board first in the sixth inning against starting pitcher John Tuttle (Kannapolis NC/A.L. Brown HS) who went eight innings and allowed just four hits with seven strike outs. Center fielder Eric Herman reached on a throwing error after he sent a dribbler back to Tuttle.

After a single by DH Kyle Hollingsworth, Herman stole third and then scored the unearned run after an errant throw from catcher Greg Lawson (Charlotte, NC/Providence HS) to try and get him at third base.

Ross Whitley (Mooresville, NC/Lake Norman HS) came in for Tuttle in the ninth and picked up the win after a perfect 1-2-3 inning. Bostian and Zubillaga both had two hits for Catawba.

The Indians host Mars Hill for their first SAC series of the season starting Friday night, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.