ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The UNC Pembroke baseball team tacked up multi-run frames in four-straight innings and Anthony Burke pitched into the seventh to fuel a 12-5 win over Flagler in the opener of a key Peach Belt Conference series on Friday evening at Drysdale Field.
 
It was the seventh-straight victory for the Braves (28-11, 11-8 PBC) who have now registered 10 or more hits in five consecutive contests as well. The Saints (25-17, 12-7) have now dropped four of their last five home outings.
 
Drew Beaver drove in a pair of runs and scored twice on a 3-for-5 night at the plate to lead the Braves, while freshman Ethan Baucom homered for the second-straight game to highlight a 2-for-5 hitting line. Roberto Rivera (2-for-4, 2 BB), Jarratt Mobley (2-for-5, 2 R) and Hayden Buffkin (2-for-5, R) tallied multiple-hit showings as well.
 
Cole Ondrejka singled three times and scored once on a 3-for-5 night for the Saints, while Igor Baez (2-for-4) walked and doubled. Dylan Jones (1-for-5) hit a 3-run homer in the seventh for the hosts as well.
 
Burke (7-1) began his night with four strikeouts and six scoreless innings, but was chased from the hill after yielding five earned runs in the seventh. Aaron Biggerstaff struck out four and yielded just two hits over the remaining 2-1/3 innings of the contest, but was not awarded a decision. Peach Belt Conference wins leader Michael Maiocco (8-3) was chased from the hill after just five innings of work, and took the loss after surrendering six hits and seven runs as well.
 
Baucom got the scoring started with a 2-run blast in the third, but the Braves eventually took a 10-0 lead on Roberto Rivera's RBI single with one out in the seventh. Flagler bisected its deficit with five scores in the bottom of the frame, including a 3-run shot by Jones with two outs showing, but that was as close as the hosts would get.
 
Pinch runner Lucas Ledford scored on an ill-timed error by Flagler in the eighth, and UNCP provided the final on a two-out RBI single from Stibel Aleman Saba moments later.
 
The squads will close out the Easter Weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday at Drysdale Field. First pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m.