Editor’s Note: Ben Brown wrote this article, covering the nightcap of the doubleheader.

The Hughes Bros. Challenge at Brooks Field concluded Sunday night when NC State University beat UNC Wilmington by the score of 8-3. The Seahawks dropped to 3-8 on the year as they lost two out of three games in the rain-shortened tournament.

UNCW struck early with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but after that, NCSU was in complete control. The Seahawks stayed in the game until the eighth inning when the pitching and defense collapsed. The Wolfpack scored five times in the final two frames and stepped on the Seahawks’ throats when they had the chance.

The offense struggled to create any threat to NCSU throughout the course of the game, and when they did, they couldn’t cash in. UNCW is now averaging only 3.3 runs per game and is having issues getting production from the entire lineup.

“We need a tougher mentality at the plate,” said Seahawk coach Mark Scalf. “We’ve got to compete at a much higher level than we are right now. I’m talking about locking in and telling yourself that you’re going to move the baseball hard somewhere. We’ve got to find that mentality so we can get over the hump.”

Redshirt sophomore Mat Batts (0-2) took the loss for the Seahawks even though he had a solid outing. He threw seven innings and allowed only two earned runs while striking out seven. Batts’ ERA is at a low 1.71 mark, but he has lost both of his decisions this year partly due to the low run support.

“It is frustrating at times,” Batts said. “But, we know we’re going to hit. We know we’re going to come around, and we’ve just been in a slump. We have confidence in the guys in the lineup.”

After losing eight of the first 11 games of the season, Scalf acknowledged that lineup changes are something that he and his staff have considered in order to right the ship.

“We have certainly thought about it,” Scalf said. “We’ve already made a couple changes. There’s a good possibility that if things don’t change, and we don’t make progress, then we are going to have to look at some other guys.”

The Seahawks need to turn the season around quickly as they travel to Coastal Carolina on Wednesday before hosting preseason CAA favorite James Madison in a weekend series.

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Editor’s Note: Michael Spracklin wrote this article. Players and coaches were unavailable for post-game interviews.

The UNC Wilmington baseball team took its first loss of the Hughes Bros. Challenge Sunday, falling to UNC Asheville, 7-2.

UNCW started the game with a leadoff double from senior Matt Campbell, who finished 1-for-5 at the plate in both of the doubleheader contests. Campbell eventually scored after Bulldog pitcher Drew Spear (2-1), walked three more Seahawks in the first inning.

UNCA quickly answered, though, when Patrick Koontz belted a homerun in the top half of the second inning to even the score.

UNCW left eight players stranded on base through the first seven innings—nine total. The Seahawks were able to put the ball in play but couldn’t find any gaps in the UNCA defense to plate runs.

It was not until the eighth inning when the Seahawks scored again on an error by the UNCA second baseman, knocking in Ryan LaGrange after his one-out double. By that time, Kelly Secrest and the Seahawks allowed one run and two more unearned runs in the fifth and sixth innings, making the score 4-2 in favor of the visitors.

The Bulldogs extended their lead in the final inning when Todd Joyner hit a two-RBI double. Joyner later crossed home plate to bring the margin to 7-2, which would remain as the final score.