MISENHEIMER – Visiting UNCP pounded out 12 runs on 14 hits, but had to rally back from deficits three times and hold back a late rally by home-standing Pfeiffer to defeat the Falcons, 12-11, in non-conference baseball action Thursday afternoon at Joe Ferebee Field.

Aaron Parnell, Joe Mangum and Keith Whitman each crossed the plate three times en route to booking 3-hit days for UNCP (9-1) who also got a pair of hits from both Seth Kivett and Tom Porricelli in the victory. Whitman tallied a season-best four RBI, while Mangum, Porricelli and Jordan Pegram each drove in two runs.

UNCP’s five-armed pitching staff totaled 16 strikeouts on the day – its most in more than six years – but it was the fifth pitcher of the day that exited the melee with any kind of decision. Brian Willis (1-0) struck out five and surrendered just one earned run on one hit in two innings of work to grab the coveted victory. Rudy Brown, the second of four relievers in the game, struck out five and allowed three hits and no earned runs in two innings from the hill, but was not awarded a decision.

Luke Wilhelm (1-1), the fourth of five Pfeiffer pitchers to see playing time, saddled the loss after blowing the lead in the eighth.

The Braves will be close out a four-game road trip this weekend when it opens Peach Belt Conference play with a three-game series at North Georgia (7-4, 0-0 PBC). The squads will open up the weekend with a 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon doubleheader and close out the set with a 1 p.m. series finale on Sunday.