Titans Take the Series From 13th Ranked CVCC
Game 1
GTCC Erupts for Six in the Eighth to Stun Catawba Valley
Guilford Technical Community College stormed back in dramatic fashion, using a six-run eighth inning to take down Catawba Valley Community College, 7–6, in a game that flipped completely in the final two frames.
Catawba Valley looked firmly in control for most of the night behind a dominant outing from starter Chase Arrington. The right-hander was sharp across seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out four, keeping GTCC’s offense quiet through the middle innings.
At the plate, CVCC leaned heavily on Pierce Bouwman and Jacob Krebs. Bouwman had a huge day, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs, including a two-run blast in the sixth that gave the Red Hawks a cushion. Krebs added a homer of his own and drove in two, while Sylas Mills chipped in with a solo shot in the eighth to extend the lead to 6–1.
But everything unraveled in the bottom half of the eighth.
GTCC exploded for six runs on a flurry of extra-base hits and timely swings. The rally started with a two-run double off the bat of Brock Welch, cutting into the deficit and shifting momentum. Joseph Buckley followed with an RBI double, and Trey Costner delivered a go-ahead single. Dylan Rose added another RBI double, and Evan Britt capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to complete the stunning turnaround.
In a matter of minutes, a five-run deficit turned into a 7–6 GTCC lead.
On the mound, Timothy Barry earned the win in relief for GTCC, tossing three innings while allowing two runs. Graham Sutherland came on to close things out, earning the save despite a ninth-inning solo homer from Krebs that made things interesting.
GTCC finished with nine hits on the day, led by Andre Mason and Bryce Meachem with two apiece, while Welch’s two-RBI double proved to be the biggest swing of the game.
What looked like a comfortable win for Catawba Valley quickly turned into a late-inning nightmare, as GTCC’s relentless eighth-inning surge flipped the script and delivered one of their most exciting comeback victories of the season.
Game 3
Welch’s Two Homers Lift GTCC Past Catawba Valley in 8–7 Battle
Guilford Technical Community College leaned on a monster performance from Brock Welch to edge Catawba Valley Community College, 8–7, in a tightly contested matchup that came down to the final inning.
Welch was the difference-maker, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs, including a clutch two-run shot in the ninth that ultimately sealed the win for GTCC. His early two-run homer in the first set the tone, giving the Titans immediate momentum.
GTCC built a steady lead behind timely hitting and power. Elijah Grant added a solo home run in the fifth, while Joseph Buckley and Bryce Meachem each drove in runs to help extend the advantage. The Titans finished with 13 hits and showed consistent pressure at the plate throughout the game.
Catawba Valley refused to go away.
After trailing early, the Red Hawks chipped back into the deficit with a strong middle-inning push. Lucas Dawson delivered a key two-RBI single in the sixth to bring CVCC within striking distance, and Sylas Mills launched a solo homer in the eighth to keep the comeback alive. Brady Byler added an RBI single in the ninth to make it a one-run game.
Catawba Valley totaled 12 hits on the day, with Dawson leading the way with three hits and two RBIs, while Pierce Bouwman and Mills each contributed multi-hit performances.
On the mound, Carmine Lancaster picked up the win for GTCC, allowing four runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings while striking out six. Graham Sutherland and Elijah Grant combined to finish the game, with Grant closing it out despite late pressure.
For Catawba Valley, Tony Lopez took the loss after allowing six runs over 4.1 innings, though Brodie Shaw provided strong relief with 2.1 scoreless innings to keep the game within reach.
In the end, it was Welch’s power at the plate and GTCC’s ability to respond in key moments that proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth battle.