Owls look to get on a roll 'in the right direction'

Daniels scheduled to start tonight’s away contest against division-leading Copperheads

Daylight Donuts of Statesville offered one free donut to each of those in attendance Monday night at Statesville High for the Statesville Owls-Asheville Redbirds game.
There was one stipulation: The Owls had to score 10 runs.
The home team led 6-0 through four innings. With at least four more at-bats coming for the Owls, those sweet treats looked promising for their fans.
“They were saying, ‘It’s time for a donut,’ ” said Owls coach Frank Pait, who was unaware of the promotion until some of his players told him after the game. “I don’t think we’ve put double digits on the board this year, so it’s time isn’t it? I’d love to see it happen.”
It didn’t happen Monday, but it was still a good outing for the Owls, who defeated Asheville for the second time in as many meetings, this time 8-2.
Led by two RBIs from Kyle Brandenburg (Guilford Tech C.C.) and two hits apiece from Kenny Jackson (Hofstra University) and Lucas Weber (USC-Upstate), the Owls matched their season high in runs.
More importantly, the victory stopped the bleeding, snapping a four-game losing streak in which the Owls were outscored 23-7.
“I told somebody that four losses felt like 50 when you coach or play, especially coach,” Pait said. “It’s tough to live with those (losing streaks).
“Hopefully we’re going to get on a little roll in the right direction. Pitching kept us in the game and did a great job. We fielded it pretty decent. We hit with runners on. We’ve had a problem hitting with runners on for a little while. Of course, you look at any team that loses, that’s pretty much what you can point to a lot of times.”
Left-hander Aubrey Meadows (UNC Pembroke) pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against Asheville, allowing only one hit and striking out five to earn the win in his second start.
Pait lauded Meadows’ performance, as well as the work of his relievers, which included Brennan Daniels (Brevard College), tonight’s starter against the Lake Norman Copperheads of Huntersville.
Daniels (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth Monday. He struck out two. The Statesville native boasts the team’s second-best earned-run average at 2.00. Will James (Guilford College) leads the Owls with a 1.69 ERA.
“Brennan has been throwing very well for us this year just like he did last year,” Pait said. “He’s a guy that we want on the mound to start out against (Lake Norman). Will James, his ERA is very good. He’s coming in right behind Brennan. So I feel good about the two guys we have up there.”
The Copperheads (7-4) lead the Southern Collegiate Baseball League East Division standings by two games over the Owls (5-6).
Lake Norman, the 2010 SCBL champs, swept a doubleheader in the teams’ first meeting June 10, outscoring the Owls 19-8 in two victories.
“It will be a good ballgame,” Pait said. “Hopefully we can beat them at their place like they did us at our place.”
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