By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Former Southern Alamance baseball players Parker Evans and Blake Freeman are among the three tri-captains for the Division III Methodist University team.
Evans, a catcher, and Freeman, an infielder, each have hit two home runs this season. The Monarchs are 8-13 after Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at nationally-ranked Christopher Newport, with Evans providing the lone run with a sacrifice fly.
After transferring from Rockingham Community College, Evans started in 36 games last year, batting .281. Freeman, a transfer from Mt. Olive, batted .333 for Methodist last season.
The Monarchs play a three-game USA South Conference road series April 3-4 vs. Greensboro College.
Duke’s Smith hits winning homer vs. East Carolina
Kaden Smith’s fifth home run of the season for Duke’s baseball team was a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat East Carolina 9-8 on Tuesday night at Coombs Field in Durham.
The Western Alamance alum also had a double, single and walk and scored four runs for the Blue Devils (17-10). The designated hitter’s latest blast came with one out off East Carolina reliever Charlie Hoagland.
Elon encounters rough patch
Elon lost for the seventh time in the last eight games with Tuesday night’s 11-1, seven-inning setback to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest improved to 18-7.
Prior to that Elon went 1-2 in a Coastal Athletic Association series at Northeastern, winning 3-2 on Saturday in the middle game. Owen Winebarger (2-1) held the Huskies to two runs and five hits across eight innings and R.J. Latkowski pitched the ninth.
Neither of the other two games went the distance, with Northeastern winning 17-5 in seven innings Friday and by 17-7 in eight innings Sunday. Elon’s Kevin Denty had a sacrifice fly and two-run triple in the series finale.
The Phoenix (10-14) starts a three-game CAA series vs. visiting Monmouth on Friday.
Holland takes mound to face Tar Heels
Former Burlington School pitcher Tucker Holland pitched 1 1/3 innings in a starting role for UNC Greensboro in last week’s 8-2 loss to North Carolina at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill.
Holland allowed two runs (one earned) and two hits while issuing three walks in a no-decision. UNCG tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth before the Tar Heels pulled away.
Holland, in his first season with the Spartans, has pitched in four games with two starts and no decisions.
