Behind stout pitching from Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, Andrew Smith, and a 2-run homer from Corbin Shive in the 2nd Inning, #28 Charlotte took down #16 Arkansas in the first game of the Tempe Regional in the NCAA Tournament by the score of 3-2.  Arizona State, who needed a Walk-off HR to beat New Mexico 4-2, will be taking on the Niners Saturday night at 10pm eastern time.

Andrew Smith throws during his 7.1 Innings of work Friday afternoon. Photo by Paul Tilton

Defensively, the game was owned by Charlotte’s starting pitcher, Andrew Smith. Smith threw for 7.1 innings, allowing only one run and striking out four batters. Coach Hibbs decided Smith had done enough by the 8th inning, and brought in Corey Roberts, who was a weekend starter for much of the season before being a victim of soreness the last month.

All three runs for the Niners came in the 2nd Inning, two of them from the DH Corbin Shive’s first home run of the season. The other run came later in the inning as Justin Roland batted in Corey Shaylor. The Razorbacks answered in the 3rd Inning with one run, and after that scoring took a break until the bottom of the 9th Inning.

Despite striking out 2 in his first 1.1 IP, Corey Roberts allowed a solo home run to Kyle Robinson with 2 outs in the 9th to close Charlotte’s lead to just one run. But with poise, Roberts struck out Matt Reynolds in the next at bat, securing victory for the Niner Nation. The joy of victory will soon be overwhelmed by the pressure to win the next game, and the next, and so on.

“We’re not going to celebrate, we’ve won one game,” said Coach Loren Hibbs after the game, ” We know how good Arkansas is, we know how good ASU is, we know that New Mexico is going to play their tale off tonight.”

Charlotte (43-14) will be facing the Arizona State, while Arkansas(38-21) awaits New Mexico.

ESPN Tournament Blog
Box Score(.pdf)
AZCentral.com Recap
Hibbs Press Conference