College baseball: Catawba loses on walk-off blast

Staff report

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. — The season is three days old, and Catawba’s third-ranked baseball team already has suffered two walk-off losses.

The Indians lost 5-4 to Barry University on Sunday.

Catawba (1-2) didn’t score until Nathan Chrismon, a former South Rowan star who transferred from East Carolina, socked his first Catawba homer in the eighth inning.

With Catawba trailing 3-1 in the top of the ninth, Chismon doubled home two runs to tie the game. He scored a go-ahead run when Hunter Atkins walked with the bases loaded.

But Barry (3-0) got a game-winning, two-out, two-run homer in the ninth from Kenny Noriega.

Casey Gouge (West Rowan) started on the mound for the Indians and allowed three runs in five innings. Cole Hales relieved Gouge and was still on the mound in the ninth when he took the loss.

Sean Shelly had three hits for the Indians. James Dunlap had two.

Catawba wraps up the Florida trip on Monday night against Palm Beach Atlantic.

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DOBSON — Surry Community College, which has a host of Rowan players, opened the season with a doubleheader sweep.

Surry won 7-6 and 5-4 in eight innings against Anne Arundel CC (Md.).

Michael Beasley (Carson) was the opening day starter for the Knights. He pitched well and allowed one run. He got no decision. The Knights won the game with six runs in the seventh.

Luke Graham (West Rowan) had two doubles and drove in a run. Elijah Palmer (West Rowan) drove in a run.

Zach McNeely (West Rowan) had two hits and two RBIs in the 5-4 win. Graham and Palmer had two hits.

Surry is ranked seventh among D3 junior colleges.

The roster includes West’s Graham, Palmer, McNeely and Nathan Greene; Carson’s Beasley, Emory Taylor, Will Bradshaw and Nolan Tovornik; South Rowan’s Brett Morris and Aaron Jones; A.L. Brown’s Jaden Johnson, and Northwest Cabarrus’ Zach Helms and Jacob Allen.

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