Claflin Baseball Drop Three to UNC Pembroke

Orangeburg, S.C. – The Claflin University baseball team dropped all three games of its Peach Belt Conference series with UNC Pembroke, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 26-27, at Historic Mirmow Field in Orangeburg, SC.

The Panthers (1-10, 1-10 PBC) fell 22-3 in game one on Friday and fell in a doubleheader on Saturday, 15-11 and 14-4.

With the wins, UNC Pembroke improved its season record to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in league play.

Claflin will hit the road for another conference series at Francis Marion University this week. A single game is slated for Friday (Mar. 5) at 6 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 6) starting at 1 p.m.

In Saturday's twin bill, Claflin played UNC-Pembroke tough in the first game, jumping out to a 7-4 lead after five innings of play. Daniel Powell and Jordan McCray were instrumental in the advantage. Powell ripped a two-run double in the second and McCray produced three more runs in the fifth with a triple.

The lead didn't last long as the UNC Pembroke offense erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning for an 11-7 lead. The Panthers rallied to tie the contest at 11-11 in the bottom half of the inning. Powell contributed once again with a two-run double and Da'Avion Sumpter contributed an RBI double. Nicholas Johnson's RBI sacrifice fly ended the scoring for Claflin.

The contest remained tied until the eighth when the Braves pushed across four runs, taking the lead for good at 15-11. Claflin failed to score over the last three innings.

For the game, Claflin out-hit UNC Pembroke, 14-8. Powell led the Panthers' hitting attack with three hits and four RBIs followed by McCray, who had two hits and three RBIs. Steve Joyner collected three hits for Claflin and scored twice while Christian Carr added two hits and crossed home plate three times. Quinten Kinard also enjoyed a good day with two hits and scored two runs.

UNC Pembroke was led by River Ryan with a home run and 3 RBIs.

J.J. Oxendine, 1-0, picked up the win for the Braves, and Trevonte Green, 0-1, was the loser for Claflin.

In the second game, UNC Pembroke scored eight times in the first inning and added single runs over the next three. The scoring spree provided the Braves with an 11-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The Panthers picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth when Edzaviah Paul delivered an RBI double followed by a run-scoring single from Enrique Morales.

Claflin also picked up two runs in the fifth inning off the bat of Sumpter who knocked out a two-run single. Sumpter, Joyner, and Jaiden Garner finished the game with two hits apiece for the Panthers.

Ethan Baucom led UNC Pembroke with a home run and 4 RBIs.

Jacob Morrison, 2-0, picked up the win for UNC Pembroke while Makai Holloway, 0-4, took the loss for Claflin.

The series-opener saw UNC Pembroke pitcher Bucky Bonynge toss a two-hit shutout over six innings in leading the Braves.

Bonynge held the Panthers hitless until the sixth-inning when Morales, who had two of the Panthers' five hits, singled with one out. Powell then followed with another single and Joyner walked to load the bases.

Bonynge regrouped and worked out the jam when Sumpter hit into a double play to end the inning.

Claflin avoided the shutout in the eighth-inning when Sumpter ripped a triple that scored Joyner, Powell, and Morales.

UNC Pembroke was led by Trevor Clemons with four hits and four RBIs. Rivers had five hits along with three RBIs for the Braves and Baucom added two hits and 2 RBIs.

Bonynge, 2-0, picked up the win for UNC Pembroke, and X'zavier Johnson, 0-2, shouldered the loss for Claflin.

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Players Mentioned

#20 Jaiden Garner: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

#19 Trevonte Green: P/OF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#4 Makai Holloway: P; 5' 10"; Senior; L/L

#33 Nicholas Johnson: INF; 5' 11"; Senior; R/R

#11 X'Zavier Johnson: P; 5' 8"; Junior; L/L

#2 Steve Joyner: OF/P; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#28 Jordan McCray: C; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#3 Edzaviah Paul: INF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#7 Daniel Powell: UTIL; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#14 Christian Carr: UTIL; 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

#20 Jaiden Garner
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#19 Trevonte Green
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/OF

#4 Makai Holloway
: 5' 10"; Senior; L/L
: P

#33 Nicholas Johnson
: 5' 11"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#11 X'Zavier Johnson
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/L
: P

#2 Steve Joyner
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: OF/P

#28 Jordan McCray
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: C

#3 Edzaviah Paul
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#7 Daniel Powell
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: UTIL

#14 Christian Carr
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R
: UTIL