Huntsville, AL --- Alec Zumwalt pitched three scoreless innings, and poked a key two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning as the Huntsville Stars blasted past Carolina 11-2 to claim the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Davis Stadium.

 

Zumwalt, batting with the bases loaded in a 3-2 game against Logan Kensing (L, 1-1), grounded a 1-2 pitch into left field to highlight a four-run inning as the Stars (3-7) beat the first-place Mudcats (6-3) for the second straight game.

 

Zumwalt, who played outfield for in the Atlanta system from 1999-2001, worked three shutout innings, allowing two hits to earn the win in relief.

 

Kensing had overcome a 1-0 deficit when the Mudcats offense tied the game on a grounder by Jeremy Hermida in the third, followed by a leadoff home run by Drew Niles in the fourth against starter Khalid Ballouli.  However, the sixth inning would spell doom for the Mudcats as the Stars batted around, and capitalized on a hit batsman, two walks and an error. 

 

The Stars added a seventh inning run against reliever Ross Wolf, and sealed the verdict with five in the eighth. 

Over the past two games, the Mudcats have allowed 10 unearned runs of the 17 Huntsville has scored. 

 

Niles led the Mudcats offense with three hits, while Chris Ashby and Rex Rundgren each went 2-4. 

 

Huntsville rapped out 15 hits, a season-high against the league's top pitching staff.

 

Carolina's first road trip of the season continues Monday night in Chattanooga at 7:15 PM ET.  Yorman Bazardo (1-0, 5.40) will start for the Mudcats, who lead the Northern Division by one-half game over the Lookouts and West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.

 

CAROLINA        0 0 1   1 0 0   0 0 0   ---   2   9   2   6

HUNTSVILLE    0 1 0    0 0 4   1 5 x   ---  11  15  0  8

 

WP - Zumwalt (1-1)

LP - Kensing (1-1)

S - None.

 

HR - Niles (1)

 

Att:  1,843

Time:  2:32