Ashley edges Laney in baseball; New Hanover lacrosse wins in overtime

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — On Friday night we checked out a close baseball game at Ashley and an overtime lacrosse game at New Hanover. Ashley edged Laney in baseball 2-1. New Hanover trimmed Ashley in boys lacrosse in overtime.

Click the icon above to see video of these games and everything else we covered on Friday.

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Friday’s High School Scoreboard 

SOFTBALL
TRASK 15 – UNION O
ASHLEY 8 – LANEY 6
EAST BLADEN 12 – CLINTON 1
WEST BRUNSWICK 15- NEW HANOVER 1
WHITEVILLE 14 – FAIRMONT 1

BOYS LACROSSE
LANEY 13 – TOPSAIL 2
HOGGARD 9 – CHAPEL HILL 7
NEW HANOVER 6 – ASHLEY 5  *Click icon to see video

GIRLS SOCCER
UNION 2 – TRASK 0

BASEBALL
SOUTH ROBESON 3 – WEST COLUMBUS 2
WHITEVILLE 6 – FAIRMONT 0
TOPSAIL 10 – SOUTH BRUNSWICK 0
UNION 7 – TRASK 5
WEST BRUNSWICK 5 – NEW HANOVER 4
ASHLEY 2 – LANEY 1  *Click icon to see video
CLINTON 6 – EAST BLADEN 5

GIRLS LACROSSE
ASHLEY 19 – NEW HANOVER 5

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ELON, NC (UNCW) —

Elon scored in each of the first five innings to back the strong pitching of Nick Beaulac as the Phoenix raced past #22 UNCW, 14-3, on Friday in a Colonial Athletic Association series opener at Latham Park.

The Phoenix improved to 21-19 overall and 10-6 in the CAA with their third straight win. The Seahawks dipped to 28-10 and 11-2.

Beaulac (4-1) earned the win for Elon as the reigning CAA Rookie-of-the-Week struck out eight and allowed just three runs, two earned, on four hits and three walks.

Offensively, Casey Jones collected four hits and knocked in three runs while Andy Moore added three hits and scored twice.

Terence Connelly had two hits for the Seahawks while the top five spots in the order combined to go 0-for-12.

UNCW starter Nick Monroe (3-2) took the loss, lasting just 3.1 innings and allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits and a walk.

Up next: The series continues on Saturday with a 1 p.m. start.

How it happened: The game was tied 1-all until the bottom of the second when Elon would score seven runs over the next four innings. James Venuto ignited the outburst with a two-run homer to right off Monroe, it was his seventh homer of the season.

Notes: The loss was UNCW’s first in a CAA series opener this season … UNCW reliever Austin Easter struck out a season-high six over three innings of work … Gavin Stupienski scored twice and reached twice, extending his on-base streak to 26 games … UNCW pitching tied a season-high with 14 runs allowed and a season-high 16 hits … Steven Linkous stole two bases to raise his season total to 21.

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GREENVILLE, NC(ECU) --East Carolina beat Central Florida 6-5 on Friday in baseball. Click the icon above to see game highlights. This includes an early go-ahead run from former West Brunswick Trojan Hunter Allen.

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SOUTHPORT, NC (UNCW) --

Freshman Thomas Eldridge fired a 1-under-par 71 – one of just three sub-par rounds on the day – to lead UNCW into second place after the opening round of the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Golf Championship at sprawling St. James Plantation.

The Seahawks, playing three freshmen, one sophomore and one junior, finished with a 13-over-par total of 301 at the Founders Club course, only eight shots behind frontrunner College of Charleston at 293. James Madison holds down third place with a 302 total and William & Mary stands fourth with a 304 scorecard.

“Today was a true battle of emotions,” said seventh-year UNCW Head Coach Matt Clark. “It was the first CAA Tournament for all five of these young men, and it really showed during the start of the round. I’m really proud of the way the guys battled after being 10-over after three holes.”

With temperatures in the high 60’s and prevailing winds, the nine teams and 44 players tackled difficult pin placements and lightning-fast greens on the first of three days of competition over the Par 72, 6,784-yard layout.

Eldridge, a graduate of Millbrook High School in Raleigh, is tied with the College of Charleston’s Josh Lorenzetti for second place on the individual leaderboard. Charleston’s John Jonas finished with a 2-under 70 to headline the field. Eldridge fashioned 13 pars, three birdies and two bogeys in his CAA Tournament debut.

“Thomas played a solid round of golf,” added Clark. “He has really been working hard and it’s fun to see that hard work pay off in competition. We look forward to the challenges and adversity that comes with playing in championship weekends.”

Only five players, including Eldridge, shot par or better on the first day. For Friday’s 45 rounds, the average score was 78.47.

The teams tee off at 8 a.m. Saturday for the second round of the event, which has been staged since 1984. UNCW has won the CAA Championship five times (2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013).

First-Round CAA Chip-Ins: The Seahawks led the field with a 4-under score on Par 5 holes for the day…David Kostyal went 3-under and Patrick finished 2-under on Par 5’s…The Seahawks tied for second with 14 birdies…The Seahawks will play with College of Charleston and James Madison during Saturday’s second round…Freshman Ross Robison had one of the tournament’s two eagles on the day, carding a deuce on the Par 4, 257-yard sixth hole…David Kostyal paced the Seahawks with four birdies.

CAA Men’s Golf Championships | First Day Results – April 24, 2015

Team Standings: 1. College of Charleston, 293; 2. UNCW, 301; 3. James Madison, 302; 4. William & Mary, 304; 5. Delaware, 306; 6. Towson, 311; 7. Elon 312; 8. Drexel, 313; 9. Hofstra, 344.

Individual Standings (Top 10): 1. John Jonas, College of Charleston, 70; T2. Thomas Eldridge, UNCW, 71; T2. Josh Lorenzetti, College of Charleston, 71; T4. Blaine Lafferty, Delaware, 72; T4. Austin Morrison, William & Mary, 72; 6. Kyle Martin, Delaware, 73; 7. Jon Weiss, James Madison, 74; T8. David Kostyal, UNCW, 75; T8. Jimmy Grem, Towson, 75; T8. Trey Smith, James Madison, 75.

UNCW Individual Results/Standings: T2. Thomas Eldridge, 71; T8. David Kostyal, 75; T16. Trey Guy, 77; T21. Patrick Cover, 78; T35. Ross Robison, 82.

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LUBBOCK, TX – East Carolina senior Hunter Allen has been named to the 2015 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List according to an announcement by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

The award, sponsored by Mizuno, recognizes the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented during the National College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions on June 29 in Lubbock.

Allen, who has helped the Pirates to a 26-16 overall record, is one of 49 collegiate shortstops around the country named to the midseason watch list.

The Shallotte, N.C. native is batting a team third-best .20 (41-for 128) with eight doubles, 14 RBI and 24 runs scored. Allen has registered nine multi-hit games and a pair of multi-RBI contests while reaching base in 34 of 42 games.

Entering this weekend’s three-game series against UCF, Allen is currently riding an 11-game hit streak where he is batting .400 (18-for 45) with two doubles, three RBI, nine runs and five multi-hit contests.

The award is a tribute to Brooks Wallace, a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977-80 who passed away at age 27 after a courageous battle with leukemia. Prior to 2009, the award recognized the national player-of-the-year.