Related: Fuhr, Baseball Clinch Weekend Series With Saint Rose

PEMBROKE – Hayden Buffkin's grand slam highlighted a 7-run fifth inning for the UNC Pembroke baseball team as the Braves finished off a weekend sweep of 2016 Northeast 10 Tournament finalist Saint Rose with a 16-2 victory over the Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.
 
It was the eighth-straight victory for the Braves (9-1) who improved to 8-1 in Pembroke this season with the triumph as well. Saint Rose (0-3) will return to the Carolinas in two weeks for a five-day road trip that includes games with Francis Marion, Claflin and USC Aiken.
 
Lucas Ledford finished off a perfect day at the plate with a 3-for-3 outing in game two of the doubleheader, while Buffkin (2-for-5) turned in a pair of hits, including his team-leading third home run of the season. Roberto Rivera (2 RBI) tallied a pair of hits for the hosts as well.
 
Preseason all-region selection Tyler Ungerland (2-for-3) registered his only two hits of the weekend to pace the Golden Knights, while Joe Foran doubled in a run on a 1-for-3 plate performance.
 
Freshman River Ryan (1-0) spelled starter Kyle Boraski to start the fifth inning and earned the win in relief after striking out three and allowing a pair of hits over two scoreless innings. Dale Masterson, Aaron Biggerstaff and Kyle Ramsey all tallied a scoreless inning of relief for the Black & Gold as well.
 
Kody Shaw (0-1) saddled the loss for the Golden Knights after surrendering six runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks over a four-inning start. He also struck out three.
 
Foran and DeLuca both showed run-scoring at-bats to give Saint Rose a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, but UNCP answered with three scores of its own in the home half of the inning to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Braves added another run courtesy of a wild pitch in the fourth before blowing the game wide open in the fifth.
 
UNCP will continue a 10-game home stand on Wednesday when it suits up for a rare midweek contest against in-state rival Lenoir-Rhyne (10-1) at Sammy Cox Field. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.