It took three hours, 22 minutes, 10 innings and four pitching changes, but the UNC Wilmington baseball team clinched its season opener against Ohio, 6-5, Friday night.

The Seahawks led for the majority of the game by a one-run margin before the Bobcats surged in the top of the ninth inning, matching UNCW with two runs each.

Following a defensive stand by the Seahawks, senior Thomas Pope stepped into the batters box with two runners on base and knocked a two-run single to drive in Josh Abshire and pinch runner Micah Jarrett for the tying and winning runs. 

“That’s what you have to live for,” Pope said. “That’s why we play the game.”

On the mound, redsophomore Mat Batts pitched a no-hitter through seven innings before being pulled. Batts, who pitched his first game in two seasons due to NCAA transferring rules, understood coach Mark Scalf’s decision to pull him. While on the mound, Batts threw 91 pitches, recorded eight strikeouts, walked one batter, hit two and only allowed one run.

“I had to make sure I was calm, and it felt good to come out here and just get outs,” Batts said. “With the line-up we’ve got, if you get outs and put zeros on the board, we’re going to hit and we’re going to score.”

In addition to Batts, sophomore pitchers Kelly Secrest, Christian MacDonald and William Prince all saw time with Prince receiving the win for the game.

Scalf, who said he was pleased with his pitching staff, liked what he saw out of the rest of the team, as well.

“Overall, it was a good opening day, especially when you get a win,” Scalf said. “Guys stayed with each other and continued to compete throughout the course of the day. We have to learn from our mistakes and make some progress in those situations.”

The teams will face off again Saturday in a doubleheader starting at noon.