Freshman Alex Hill went 4-for-4 and reached base five times while junior Brad Holt held Elon to six hits as UNC Wilmington topped Elon, 5-2, in the first game of the NCAA Cary Regional on Friday at the USA Baseball Complex.

The Seahawks (43-15-1), who advanced to the winner’s bracket game to face UNC on Saturday at 5 p.m., picked up their school-record 43rd win and halted a brief 2-game losing skid. Elon, meanwhile, dipped to 43-18 overall and will play Saturday at 1 p.m. against Mount St. Mary’s in an elimination game.

Holt improved to 11-1 with his 11th consecutive victory after allowing just two runs on six hits in 8 2/3 innings. He did issue a career-high six walks, but recorded 18 fly ball outs and fanned three. Freshman Cameron Roth recorded the final out of the game to notch his four save of the season.

Hill tied a school tournament record with his four hits as the Seahawks banged out 13 hits on the game. Sophomore Mike Rooney scored twice and had two hits to lead the Seahawks at the bottom of the order.

Elon junior righthander Steven Hensley (10-2) surrendered all five runs on 12 hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings.

UNCW plated a pair of runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Carver knocked in the first run with a single to right center and Hall followed with a RBI single of his own one batter later.

The Phoenix fired back in the second when they strung together three straight 1-out hits with sophomore Mike Melillo knocking in the first run. With two out freshman Harry Austin tied the game with a single to right center that plated sophomore Chase Austin.

The Seahawks scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning with a 2-out rally. Rooney was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Hill’s second single of the game to right. A wild pitch by Hensley plated Rooney with the go-ahead run.

UNCW built a 5-2 lead with two runs in the sixth. With runners at first and second and 2-out, Hill singled into center to score senior Jes Snyder and senior Daniel Hargrave followed with a RBI double to left to close out the scoring.

Notes: Holt’s 8 2/3 innings were a school-record in NCAA tournament play … Seniors Mark Carver and Nate Hall added two hits apiece …Carver knocked in his 80th run of the season … On Friday, the College Baseball Foundation announced its final 64 nominees for the Brooks Wallace Player-of-the-Year award and Carver was on that list … Jason Appel moved to within one hit of tying Jamie Hemingway’s school career-record of 256 hits … UNCW had seven 2-strike hits on the game … The Seahawks are now 5-5 all-time in tournament play.  

UNC Wilmington Quotes

Coach Mark Scalf 

“It makes it a whole lot easier when you get that type of efficient performance.  I thought Brad was outstanding today.  He gave up two base hits after the second inning and gave us a chance to win a ball game.  He gave our offense an opportunity to try to add as  the game went on and he pitched extremely well too.  But we knew it was going to be tight and a little difficult to come by with those two matched up.  They were ready to go.  We continued to stay with our approach; gave Hensley a couple quick innings there in the third and fourth, but got right back to it.  It was about the fifth or sixth inning before we had another solid two-run inning and had another chance to add some more beyond that.” 

Alex Hill, OF

On how he felt about the game today

“It just felt like a regular game back in high school today.  I knew the stakes were high because it was a Regional, but I just felt perfect today.” 

On if he was tight in the last inning with the tying run at the plate:

“Personally I wasn’t.  Brad it our number one and I knew that even though we were in a tight situation, I knew that was going to get us out of that, no problem.” 

Bradley Holt, P

On pressure situations

“I think it’s a similar situation I’ve been in and it’s a situation I don’t mind being in.  Sometimes I like being put in pressure situations and make sure I work a little harder.  I mean I wasn’t going to change anything up.  I was going to continue  throwing  the way I have been.  I try to get a ground ball, shallow pop-up, and anything for our fielders to handle and let them work.  They did a great job of getting us out of it and I just kept making the pitches I have been.” 

On his comfort level with his fielders

“I have all the confidence in the world with our fielders.  I think they’ve done a great job all year behind me and made outstanding plays.  Rhett had an outstanding play tonight, Nate had plenty like that tonight over on third, and we have a quick outfield.”

-Courtesy UNCW Sports Information