PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke baseball team pounded out a season-high 15 hits and scored three or more runs in three different frames as the Braves handed head coach Paul O'Neil his 600^th career victory with a 15-4 victory over Concord in Friday's series opener at Sammy Cox Field.
 
It was the third-straight win for the Braves (4-1) who will continue their three-game set with the Mountain Lions (0-1) on Saturday in Pembroke. O'Neil is now 600-412-1 (.593) in 20+ seasons as a collegiate head coach, including 516 wins as skipper of the Braves.
 
Hayden Buffkin singled, doubled, homered and drove in a pair of runs on a 3-for-4 outing for the hosts who got multi-hit performances from four other players as well. Drew Beaver tripled and drove in three runs on a 3-for-5 day at the plate, while reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week Nick Debo hit a trio of singles and scored three times on a 3-for-4 hitting line.
 
Chad Frazier homered and scored twice on a 1-for-3 day at the plate for Concord, while Jordan Clark (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and Evan Webb (2-for-4) both tallied a pair of hits.
 
Anthony Burke (2-0) picked up his second win in as many starts this season with five efficient innings from the hill that saw him strike out four and yield six hits and three earned runs in five innings of work. The Black & Gold also got a quality relief appearance from newcomer Aaron Biggerstaff who struck out four and surrendered just one hit in 2-2/3 scoreless innings.
 
Austin Southcott (0-1) took the loss for the visitors after allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits in 4-2/3 innings from the hill. He also struck out two.
 
Concord scratched the scoreboard first on Frazier's solo shot in the opening frame, but the Braves struck for two scores of their own in the bottom of the frame, including a RBI triple from Beaver. The Mountain Lions retook the lead on a two-run single from Clark with two outs in the third, but the Braves plated three runs in the fourth to take the lead for good.