UNCW advances to regional final

Noah Thomas | Sports Editor

It almost feels as if this UNCW baseball team refuses to not make history on a weekly basis.

The Seahawks have taken the Columbia Regional by storm. Two days in, UNCW has netted a pair of victories behind two 11-run performances and some solid pitching from its starting rotation.

Ryan Foster picked up a complete-game win over Duke on Friday in an 11-1 rout. 10 of UNCW’s run came in the first three innings, allowing it to cruise the rest of the way.

Rhode Island upset South Carolina in Friday’s night game. A 5-4 win helped the Rams advance to play UNCW Saturday night.

Hot bats kept at it. UNCW (41-17) brought its run total on the weekend to 22 in a 11-7 win, with Austin Easter and Austin Magestro leading the Seahawks on the mound after coming out of the bullpen.

The Seahawks will now look ahead to Sunday’s regional final against an opponent that has yet to be determined. The open slot will be filled by the winner of tomorrow’s elimination game between Rhode Island and top-seeded South Carolina, which eliminated Duke Saturday afternoon to stay alive on its home field.

It’s worth noting that Duke, after not appearing in the NCAA Tournament in over 40 years, went two-and-out during its visit to Columbia. The Blue Devils fell at the expense of an offensive juggernaut of a UNCW team and a South Carolina team that ranks among the best in the nation.

Sunday’s game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. South Carolina will take on Rhode Island at noon to see who will advance.

Here’s a look at some of the notable marks that have been reached so far this weekend by some of UNCW’s athletes:

  • Ryan Foster: Set the school record for wins in a season (13) and tied the Colonial Athletic Association record with his win on Friday; his complete game outing was his third of the season. He was named third team All-America this week.
  • Nick Feight: Tied the school record for doubles in a season Saturday (24). Current mark of 91 RBI was already a school record, but now ties the CAA record for RBI in a season. He was named first team All-America this week, the first player in program history to achieve the honor. His 21 home runs and RBI count lead all players in the NCAA tournament. He is one of 25 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes, the award given to the most outstanding player in college baseball.