Story courtesy of Davidson sports information
Davidson 5, Georgetown 2
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Davidson hit a pair of two-run homers while five Wildcat pitchers held the Georgetown Hoyas to just two hits in a 5-2 Davidson victory on Monday afternoon. The Wildcats (2-1) took two of three from the Hoyas to start the season. Georgetown fell to 1-3 this year.
Sophomore Brant West (1-0) pitched five innings of two-hit ball, allowing just one unearned run for his first collegiate victory in just his second career start. The left-hander walked two, hit a batter and struck out three in his first outing of the 2006 season. Each of the next four Wildcat pitchers pitched a no-hit inning, with senior Jay Heafner picking up his second save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Preseason All-American Heafner got things started in the first for Davidson, drilling a two-run homer to right-center to plate senior Ronnie Shore, who led off the frame with a base hit. Heafner finished the game 2-for-3 to pace the Wildcats offense.
Georgetown got on the board in the third with an unearned run. Derek deGrijs stroked a lead-off single and scooted to third when a pick-off attempt went into the Davidson bullpen down the right-field line. With one out, Matthew Bouchard lofted a sacrifice fly to center, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1.
Davidson came right back by scoring three runs in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Senior Alex Entrekin doubled, went to third on a grounder to short, then trotted home on a two-out single off the bat of junior Blake Osborn.
Freshman Pat Brady then golfed an 0-2 pitch down the right-field line for his first collegiate hit, a two-run homer.
The second Hoya run came without the aid of a hit in the sixth. Relief pitcher Michael Kaufman hit the first batter he faced, who promptly stole second. After a one-out wild pitch and a walk, Ryan Craft collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center. Kaufman avoided further damage by picking off the runner at first to end the inning.
Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Fordham 8, Elon 7
ELON, N.C. -- The Fordham Rams rallied to score six runs in the sixth inning and held on late to defeat the Elon Phoenix 8-7 in game three of a non-conference baseball series from Latham Park on Monday afternoon. Fordham moved to 1-2 in 2006 while Elon dipped to 4-3 on the year.
Elon jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning after Donny Jobe walked and Paul Bennett doubled to right center to put runners on second and third with no outs. RBI groundouts from Chris Price and Grant Rembert accounted for both Phoenix scores.
The Rams evened the score with two unearned runs in the second. A dropped third strike to John Mollicone allowed him to reach first to lead off the inning. Phoenix starter Steven Hensley then retired the next two hitters, leaving Mollicone at first. Fordham put men on first and second with a Danny Leach single before Rich Goulian singled home both men with a shot to right center.
The Phoenix lead was extended to 5-2 after one run in the second and two in the third, including a double steal that allowed Rembert to steal home in the third. Elon added one more in the fourth when Rembert lifted a sac fly to right to score Kevin Pratt.
The sixth inning began with Hensley setting down Eric Reese on a fly to center. Consecutive singles from Mollicone and Jordan Lert put men on first and second and ended the day for Hensley. Elon’s Kory Radford was greeted by a single to right off the bat of Bobby DiNardo loaded the bases. Leach promptly singled to left to drive in Mollicone and then Goulian drew a bases loaded walk to plate Lert. Following another Elon pitching change, John Kahn singled through the left side of the Phoenix infield to drive in both Leach and DiNardo. A single from Greg Smith drove in two more as both Kahn and Goulian crossed the plate to cap the scoring.
Fordham maintained its 8-6 lead into the ninth inning when Elon made things interesting. Price led off with a single to left before Rams’ reliever Tom Curran set down the next two Phoenix hitters. Pinch hitter Chris Vasami hit a fly ball to right for what should have been the final out of the game, but the ball was dropped to keep the inning alive. Following a pitching change, Adam Weaver was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ryan Radford was walked on five pitches to force in Price with Elon’s seventh run of the game. Fordham closer James Sammut shut the door there though, as he fanned Pratt to end the game.
Hensley took his second consecutive no decision as he departed after 5.1 innings. He gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits while walking only one and striking out four. Kory Radford (0-1) took the loss as he allowed three runs on two hits and a walk without recording an out.
Peter Kennelly (1-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Ryan Sheflott. Kennelly lasted 2.2 innings and gave up one run on one hit and three walks. Curran posted 3.2 innings of work, allowing one unearned run on two hits. Sammut faced three batters, walking one and fanning one, in 0.1 innings pitched to earn the save.
Elon will visit Duke on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for a 3:00 p.m. contest. The Rams will next travel to New Orleans to face New Orleans in a three-game series beginning on Friday, Feb. 24th at 2:30 p.m.