UNCW Baseball Team Caps Regular Season With 5-3 Win Over Old Dominion; CAA Championships Start Wednesday

Wilmington local and Ashley High alum Shane French, right, was one of 12 seniors honored before Saturday's regualr season finale.

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Senior Jason Appel had three hits and scored twice as UNC Wilmington plated a run in the eighth and one more in the ninth for a 5-3 win over visiting Old Dominion in Colonial Athletic Association baseball action Saturday at Brooks Field.

The Seahawks, who won nine of their 10 conference series this season, raised their record to 41-13-1 overall and 25-4-1 in the conference. Old Dominion, who will the fifth seed in next week's CAA Tournament, finished the regular season with a 25-25 mark and 14-14 in the CAA.

Appel keyed a Seahawk lineup that collected 12 hits on the game. In its previous three games, UNCW had totaled just eight hits. Joining Appel with multi-hit games were sophomore Bobby Leeper, senior Mark Carver and freshman Cody Stanley, who had two hits off the bench.

Senior Daniel Hargrave drove in what proved to be the difference with a seventh inning single for the Seahawks.

Senior Larry Salefsky (4-1) picked up the win for the Seahawks with two innings of relief. Sophomore starter Seth Frankoff didn't figure in the decision, but held ODU to one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Frankoff walked one and struck out five; including the first four batters he faced to open the game. Freshman Stephen Harrold recorded a UNCW freshman record sixth save, retiring the Monarchs in order in the ninth.

Freshman Robbie Watkins (0-1) took the loss for ODU, allowing one run on two hits and a hit batter in one inning of relief. Sophomore starter Cory Toth allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings.

UNCW pushed two runs across in the fourth to take the lead, 2-0. An infield hit by Appel and a bunt single by Carver opened the inning. Senior Nate Hall moved them up with a sacrifice bunt and senior Shane French plated Appel with a sacrifice fly for the first run. Carver scored from second on senior Justin Barefoot's bloop single to left to round out the inning's scoring.

ODU broke through against Frankoff in the sixth. Sophomore Gerard Hall, who finished with two hits, singled to lead off and moved to second on a ground out. With two out, senior Jimmy Miles singled Hall in to cut it to 2-1. Frankoff made an errant pickoff throw and Miles moved all the way to third. Freshman Cameron Roth preserved UNCW's lead when he retired sophomore Max Most on a ground ball to end the inning.

UNCW added to its lead in the sixth when Appel singled, stole second and moved to third on a sac bunt. Hall made it 3-1 with a RBI single to center off freshman reliever Robbie Watkins.

The Monarchs answered in the seventh and tied the game when they roughed up Roth as the first three batters reached base for sophomore Jake McAloose, who homered twice Friday night. Salefsky came on for the Seahawks and retired McAloose on a ground ball double play, but senior Bryan Cipolla, who opened the inning with a walk, scored to make it 3-2. Hall then tied it when he doubled to left center to bring in junior Anthony Shawler, who singled behind Cipolla.

UNCW regained the lead when Hargrave singled in sophomore pinch runner Matt Holt with two out in the seventh off ODU reliever Anthony Shawler. Holt pinch ran for senior Jes Snyder who was hit by Watkin's first pitch leading off.

The Seahawks extended their lead to 5-3 in the eighth on an infield single by Stanley that scored Carver, who doubled earlier in the inning.

The Seahawks return to action on Wednesday when they take on Towson in the first round of the CAA Tournament at Brooks Field. First-pitch is slated for 7 p.m.

Notes: UNCW's 12 seniors were honored prior to the game ... UNCW recorded 17 assists, tying its season-high ... The Seahawks improved to 25-5 at Brooks Field ... UNCW also ran its record to 13-5 in games decided by two runs or less ... When scoring first, the Seahawks are 26-2-1 ... Larry Salefsky posted a 1.12 ERA in eight innings over two appearances this week ... UNCW failed to draw a walk for just the second time this season ... Jason Appel recorded his team-leading 28th multiple hit game.
- Courtesy UNCW Sports Information (Photo: Calvin McGowan)

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT