WILMINGTON – It was a great weekend to be a Seahawk. The UNCW Baseball Team took two-of-three from William & Mary to open Colonial Athletic Association play. Senior pitcher Peyton Jordan tossed her first career no-hitter on Saturday and UNCW Softball’s fourth ever no-hit bid.
Jordan delivers no-no for UNCW softball
UNCW Softball swept Drexel highlighted by the no-hitter thrown on Saturday by Jordan. After allowing a leadoff walk to start the game, Jordan retired the next 21 batters in a row during a 3-0 win.
She posted six strikeouts and threw just 81 pitches. Jordan is the first UNCW pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Amanda Davenport accomplished the feat against North Carolina A&T on Mar. 7, 2012. Jordan also recorded the 300th strikeout of her college career with the final out, becoming the fourth pitcher in school history to reach that mark.
The Seahawks finished the three-game sweep over Drexel on Sunday as Jordan was in the circle again for the 4-1 result. UNCW improved to 21-6-1 overall and 3-0 in the CAA. Jordan moved to 10-2 on the season, posting her seventh complete game allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts. She’s allowed just one run over her last 32.1 innings pitched.
The shutout was the 11th of her college career, which is good for a third in program history. Jordan moved into second on the Seahawks’ all-time wins list with her 39th career victory.
Next up for UNCW softball is a midweek double header at home against East Carolina on Wednesday, March 29.
Diamond Hawks avenge last year’s CAA Championship defeat
UNCW Baseball was one win away from securing last year’s CAA Championship when William & Mary beat Seahawks twice in the tournament finals to grab the 2016 division crown. Both teams went on to compete in NCAA Regional action.
Meeting for the first time this season as top two teams listed in the annual CAA preseason coaches’ poll, UNCW returned the favor.
After Nick Feight, Mason Berne and Ryan Jeffers hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in an 11-1 win on Friday, the Seahawks rallied in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday to grab a 6-5 win. The round tripper was Berne’s fifth of the season for the local product.
UNCW goes back to back to back vs William & Mary @espnassignmentdesk #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/yiCWx4fcuJ
— UNCW Baseball (@UNCWBaseball) March 25, 2017
Trailing by three with the bases loaded and down to their final three outs, Daniel Stack’s three-run double tied the game at five-all and Cole Weiss delivered a UNCW walk-off victory as the freshman plated the game winner on a fielder’s choice to clinch the series over the Tribe.
Stack doubles in three runs … we're tied pic.twitter.com/aQ8DrI3DlD
— UNCW Baseball (@UNCWBaseball) March 25, 2017
On Sunday, William & Mary batted around the order as part of a six-run third inning and held off a late rally to hand UNCW a 10-9 defeat. Berne posted his fourth three-hit game of the season in Sunday’s series finale, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one driven in. Fellow Topsail High School alumni Clark Cota pitched 1.1 innings of hit less baseball and struck out three.
The Seahawks are now 2-1 in CAA competition and 11-11 overall.
UNCW hits the road for the first time in over a month with a pair of trips to South Carolina beginning on Wednesday, March 29 for a date against the reigning College World Series National Champions, Coastal Carolina. First-pitch is set for 6p.m. at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
The Seahawks return to CAA play on Friday, March 31, for the start of a three-game series at College of Charleston.
