May 14-16: The best weekend for UNCW baseball

Zachary Kilby

Trevor Marsh crossing home plate after hitting a grand slam against the College of Charleston on May 16, 2021 at Brooks Field.

Zachary Kilby, Sports Editor

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Hours before the first pitch UNCW’s (29-17, 13-8 Colonial Athletic Association) pivotal three-game weekend series against the College of Charleston (22-21, 11-10), North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper lifted the state’s capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements.

Seahawk fans took advantage, packing Brooks Field over the weekend with an average attendance rate of nearly 600 at each game.

“Everybody I think loves to play at home,” said UNCW Head Coach Randy Hood. “I know we do. I love being here. I love this area. I love this field. I think you have to embrace playing at home in front of your fans and just have the mentality that you’re going to come out here and compete and always play well on your home field.”

Cooper’s announcement on Friday afternoon allowed an endless number of friends, relatives and former teammates to attend the Senior Day ceremony before Saturday’s matchup. Many photos were taken, and a few tears were shed as UNCW honored both the 2020 and 2021 senior classes.

Trevor Marsh sent Teal Nation home with a smile after his walk-off hit on Saturday and go-ahead grand slam late in Sunday’s contest which helped UNCW sweep the Cougars and clinch the South Division title.

“When I was on deck, I was watching the pitcher and getting my timing down,” said Marsh during Sunday’s postgame interview. “He walked Brooks [Baldwin] and me and Coach Hood looked at each other and smiled.”

Marsh finished the weekend with some unthinkable numbers, including six hits in 11 at-bats, two home runs, seven RBIs, and four runs scored. The CAA announced Marsh as the conference’s player of the week on Monday.

UNCW has won 11 of its last 13 games, catapulting them from worst to first in a matter of weeks.

“We knew that we had to turn it around and keep fighting,” said Marsh. “We had multiple meetings as a team just talking about how we had to pick each other up and do our job. I feel like that gave us good momentum to do what we did this weekend.”