Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 13, Western Carolina 10
ELON, N.C. -- Chris Price knocked in four runs while the red-hot Chris Vasami slapped a career-high four hits to lead the Elon Phoenix to a 13-10 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts from Latham Park on Friday evening. The game was the first league game for both teams. Elon now owns a 11-5 overall record and 1-0 SoCon mark. Western Carolina fell to 5-7, 0-1.
The Phoenix plated two unearned runs in the first inning, the first when Donny Jobe scored on a Price single. The second tally came as Adam Weaver crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Pat Irvine.
WCU evened the score at two in the third when, with two outs, a hit batter was followed by back-to back RBI doubles from Steven Strausbaugh and Trey McDaniel. The ?Cats took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a sac fly from Jonathan Greene that plated Barrett Shaft who led off the inning with a walk.
Elon responded soundly in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring five times to grab a 7-3 lead that it would never relinquish. The inning began with a walk and fielder’s choice to put runners on first and second before WCU starter Brian McCullen recorded an out. On a double steal, Weaver got caught in a rundown long enough to allow Jobe to score from second with Elon’s first run. The Phoenix placed runners on first and second again when Vasami reached on an infield single. Irvine’s single up the middle plated Weaver with the go-ahead run. Following a strikeout, Robert Rodebaugh singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Vasami. Paul Bennett then doubled home both Rodebaugh and Irvine with runs four and five of the inning.
A leadoff homer from Grey Gregory in the sixth for Western Carolina cut one run off Elon’s lead before the Phoenix tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Elon’s three-run rally saw Price drive in two with a double and one RBI from Grant Rembert on a sac fly.
In the top of the seventh, Western Carolina closed to within 10-9 by scoring five times. Strausbaugh led off the frame with his seventh homer of the season for run number one. Following a pitching change, Trey McDaniel singled up the middle. After a second pitching change, Blake Murphy doubled to the leftfield gap to put runners on second and third. At this point, Elon skipper Mike Kennedy went to his fourth pitcher of the inning in Chad Tilley. Tilley fanned the first batter he faced for out number one of the inning. A walk loaded the bases before Gregory was hit by a pitch to plate McDaniel. Donnie Wilson’s single to center knocked home both Scott Ward and Murphy, trimming the Elon advantage to 10-8. Western’s fifth run of the inning scored on Tim Hallam’s groundout to short.
The Phoenix answered right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring three times to lead 13-8 entering the eighth inning. The ?Cats scored one in the eighth on a solo homer from Blake Murphy, but could get no closer.
Elon closer Tom Porter allowed one hit and a walk in the ninth, but Western Carolina could not score and the freshman earned his third save of the season. Lance Cole (4-0) picked up the victory after allowing five runs (all earned) on seven hits over 6.0 innings of work. The senior fanned five and walked two.
McCullen (0-1) took the loss for Western, who used eight different pitchers. He lasted 4.2 innings and surrendered seven runs (five earned) on seven hits. McCullen struck out four and walked two.
At the plate, Price finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI. Vasami went 4-for-5 with one run scored and one RBI and raised his batting average to .468 on the season. Ryan Addison recorded three hits in five at bats and scored once for Elon.
Western’s offense was led by Strausbaugh who posted a 2-for-5 night with two runs scored and two driven in. Wilson finished 3-for-5 with two RBI.
The two squads will play game two of the three-game series at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday from Latham Park on the Elon campus.
Story courtesy of College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 6, St. John’s 2
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Ben Lasater belted a solo homer and Graham Godfrey and Josh McLaughlin combined on a seven-hitter as the College of Charleston downed St. John's, 6-2, in the opener of its three-game series before 379 at Patriots Point Field on Friday.
Charleston, which has won four in a row, improved to 11-3 on the season. The Red Storm fell to 4-5.
Lasater's second homer of the season, a solo shot to left center leading off the fourth, stretched Charleston's lead to 5-2.
Godfrey (3-2), who earned the win, allowed two runs with six strikeouts over the first 6 2/3 innings. McLaughlin blanked SJU on two hits with three strikeouts over the final 2 1/3 innings. Nick Luisi (2-2) suffered the loss surrendering six runs, four earned, on seven hits over six innings.
Chris Campbell, who went 2-for-3, had a first inning sacrifice fly that gave Charleston the lead for good at 2-1. It was the 170th career RBI for the junior from Jacksonville, Fla. and tied him with Brett Anderson for first on the school's all-time list.
Charleston, who banged out 10 hits, also got two hits each from Alex Garabedian and Lasater. The Red Storm got two hits in three at bats from Bryan Dirr.
Game two of the series is Saturday at 1:00.
Story courtesy of Davidson sports information
Wofford 10, Davidson 8
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Seven total runs in the sixth and seventh innings could not overcome seven Davidson errors as the Wildcats lost their Southern Conference opener to visiting Wofford on Friday evening at Wilson Field, 10-8. The top three hitters in the Terrier lineup had seven hits, four runs and five RBIs to lead Wofford (11-7, 1-0 SoCon) to the victory. Those seven miscues for Davidson (9-5, 0-1) led to five costly unearned runs.
Austin Redwine (4-1) earned the victory for the Terriers, holding Davidson scoreless for the first five frames while his teammates scored eight times. The Wildcats finally touched Redwine for three runs in the sixth, starting with an RBI single by senior Alex Entrekin to drive in Gregory Zage, who had doubled with one out. Entrekin moved to third on a bad pickoff throw then scored on an Alden Crissey grounder to short. Now with two out, junior Blake Osborn drove a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence for his third home run of the year to make the score 8-3.
In the seventh, senior Ronnie Shore greeted reliever Reid McElveen by lacing a double down the left-field line. Junior Rob Wilson walked, and senior Jay Heafner beat out an infield hit to load the bases. After Zage brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and Entrekin hit into a force play on a beautiful diving stop by Terrier shortstop Brandon Waring, it looked as if McElveen would escape without any further damage. Crissey had a different plan, however, and smacked a three-run homer to right-center to cut the deficit to one.
But Davidson could not get over the hump and take the lead. Wofford scored solitary unearned runs in the eighth and ninth to push its cushion back to three.
Terrier closer J.D. Melton, who got the final out in the seventh and retired the side in order in the eighth on just eight pitches, ran into trouble in the ninth. Heafner stroked a lead-off single and moved up a base on a one-out single by Entrekin. Crissey drove home Heafner with a single of his own, putting the tying run on first. Osborn got jammed on a sidearm fastball, however, and Melton made a diving catch on his looper back to the mound. Crissey got caught in between first and second, and Melton doubled him up to end the game for his fifth save of the year.
Wofford scored in each of the first five innings off of Wildcat starter Brant West (3-1). Doubles by Bradford Eaves and Shane Kirkley gave the Terriers a quick 1-0 lead in the first. In the second, Wofford scored twice without a hit. A walk, hit batter and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with one out before Zach Pittman popped to shallow right-center. The second baseman Shore caught the pop-up, then Stephen Johnson took off for the plate and scored. When Shore’s throw to the plate sailed high, Keith Munns crossed the plate as well.
A two-out bunt single by Johnson in the third brought home Adam Wood, who started the inning by reaching on an error. Pittman tripled with one out in the fourth and scored on a grounder to third off the bat of Eaves. The Terriers got another in the frame on a single by Wood and Kirkley’s second RBI double of the game.
Wofford chased West in the fifth with two more runs, the last one coming on Eaves second double. Sophomore Bobby DeMuro relieved and retired all seven batters he faced to allow Davidson to get back in the game.
Redwine allowed three runs in his six innings on eight hits and a walk while striking out five. At the plate, Eaves led the 13-hit Terrier attack with three hits, including his two doubles, two runs and a pair of RBIs.
Crissey was Davidson’s offensive star, going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and a career-high five RBIs. Entrekin banged out three singles and scored twice as well.
The two teams will play the second game of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon on Wilson Field at 2 p.m.
Story courtesy of Appalachian State sports information
Appalachian State 10, Canisius 7
HICKORY, N.C. The top four hitters in Appalachian State University’s lineup combined to go 11-for-19 with eight RBI and six runs scored to lead Appalachian to a 10-7 victory over Canisius on Friday at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Freshmen Nick DeRose (3-for-4, four runs, two RBI), Wes Borden (3-for-5, two runs, RBI) and Ben Billingsley (2-for-5, three RBI) and senior Kevin Butler (3-for-5, two RBI) sparked the Mountaineers’ 17-hit attack. With the victory, the Apps moved to 6-5 on the season and snapped a skid in which they dropped four-straight games to nationally ranked opposition.
Both teams put four runs on the scoreboard in the second inning to highlight an early offensive explosion that sent the contest into the sixth knotted at 5-5. In the bottom of the sixth, DeRose punched a two-run single to right center field and Billingsley added an RBI groundout to give ASU the lead for good at 8-5.
The Golden Griffins cut the deficit to one with single tallies in the seventh and eighth stanzas, but the Mountaineers added a pair of insurance runs on Butler's two-run single in the eighth.
Sophomore Calvin Teague didn't allow an earned run in two innings of work to pick up his first win in the Black and Gold while senior Josh Fish worked the ninth for his second save of the season.
Left-hander Matt Weber (1-2) suffered the loss for Canisius (3-9). Third baseman Kevin Mahoney led the Griffins with a 2-for-4, two-RBI day.
The four-game series between the two schools continues at 1 p.m. Saturday with doubleheader at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Story courtesy of The Citadel sports information
The Citadel 11, Butler 2
Charleston, S.C. ? Head Citadel baseball coach Fred Jordan captured his 500th career win as the Bulldogs downed Butler, 11-2, Friday night at Riley Park. Freshman starter Wes Wrenn also picked up his first collegiate victory in the win as he tossed seven scoreless innings and tallied a career-high eight strikeouts.
Jordan, in his 15th year as head coach, is the quickest to reach 500 wins in Citadel baseball history. The only other Citadel baseball coach to eclipse the 500 mark was legendary coach Chal Port, who was 641-386 (.624) from 1965-1991 (27 yrs.). Port reached 500 in 1998, his 24th season. Jordan is now 500-363 all-time.
“This is a huge accomplishment for our program,” said Jordan. “I’ve had some tremendous assistant coaches and student athletes. It’s not about me, it’s about Citadel baseball.”
Wrenn (1-0) was finally credited with a decision after leaving the hill with a lead in two previous starts. Wrenn went eight frames, allowing two runs on six hits and fanning eight. Tonight marked his fourth start and longest outing of his young career.
Sophomore left fielder Chris Swauger paced The Citadel offense as he was 2-for-4 with three RBI. All nine Bulldog batters earned a base hit in the contest. Left fielder Tony Barnes led the Butler offense, batting 3-for-4, including an RBI and scoring once.
The Citadel (10-5) jumped ahead to a demanding 7-0 lead in the second. Senior shortstop Matt Matulia worked the count for a lead-off walk and moved to second after senior center fielder Trent Weathers was hit by a pitch. Freshman designated hitter Sonny Meade singled to load the bases before two runs scored on a fielding error by Butler second baseman Jeff Brown. RBI-singles off the bat of senior second baseman Tripp Cappelmann and senior right fielder Matt Covington plated three more. Swauger rounded out the scoring as he doubled down the right field line to earn two RBI.
Butler (4-6) starter Brian Deter left the mound after surrendering the double to Swauger. Freshman lefthander Matt Sokolowski came on for Butler and recorded the final two outs to end the Bulldog assault. Sokolowski continued on the mound to hold the Bulldog offense scoreless for four innings before giving up a RBI-single to Weathers in the seventh to put The Citadel up, 8-0.
Butler ruined the shutout in the eighth as center fielder Dustin Bucalo smacked a lead off double down the right field line and advanced to third on a groundout by Brown. Left fielder Tony Barnes ripped a RBI-double to center to send Bucalo across the dish. Barnes then came around to score on a single off the bat of catcher Joe Dempsey to make it 8-2.
The Dogs answered back with three runs of their own in their half of the inning. Junior first baseman Zach Brown was issued a walk to lead off and moved to second after freshman catcher Sid Fallaw hit a bunt single. Second baseman Conrad Kellahan blasted a double to the right-center gap to plate Brown and Fallaw. A second fielding error by Brown allowed Covington to reach while Kellahan raced to third. Swauger hit a sac fly deep to left to pick up his third RBI of the night and give the Dogs a comfortable 11-2 lead.
Freshman Brett Bull came on to relieve Wrenn in the ninth. Bull held Butler hitless and scoreless whilestriking out one in his one inning of work.
Deter (1-1) suffered the loss for Butler as he tossed one and a third innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on four hits and fanning one. Sokolowski went five and two thirds innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out three while Patrick Feeney came on to allow two earned runs in the ninth.
The Citadel and Butler will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m., in Riley Park.
Story courtesy of UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 6, Kent State 1
GREENSBORO, NC ? The UNC Greensboro baseball team won its seventh consecutive home opener as the Spartans bested Kent State 6-1 Friday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Junior right-hander Nick Starnes (2-0) picked up his second consecutive win of the season after allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four and walking but one in six innings of mound duty. In his last two appearances, the Haw River, NC native has surrendered just one run and five hits.
Senior Patrick Currin pitched 2/2-3 of scoreless work on the hill to earn his first save of the season. The Chapel Hill, NC didn’t allow a hit and struck out four batters in the process.
Chad Wagler (2-2) suffered the loss for the Golden Flashes as the righty gave up four runs on six hits in seven innings on the hill. Prior to today’s game, Wagler had allowed just two earned runs for a 0.86 earned run average.
Junior Jermaine Mitchell gave UNCG an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as he extended his hitting streak to eight games with an opposite field home run to leftfield. Kent State played long ball to even the contest at one run apiece in the fifth inning when catcher Will Vazquez smacked a solo roundtripper of his own to left centerfield.
UNCG (4-10) stuck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to regain the lead and take a 4-1 advantage. Sophomore Greg Feltes led off the frame by reaching base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a single to left from Guy Welsh. Designated hitter Logan Smith plated both runners when he laced a double to left centerfield. After advancing to third on a groundout, Smith scored the final run of the inning when Jared Humphreys misplayed a fly ball in rightfield off the bat of Adam Deleo.
The Spartans essentially put the game out of reach in the home half of the eighth to take a 6-1 lead. Mitchell led of with a double down the leftfield line and advance to third on a pass ball before Welsh plated him with his team-leading 11th RBI of the season. Shane Thompson, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Welsh, later scored the second run of the inning on a throwing error charged to Kent State shortstop Emmanuel Burris.
Brandon Harvey led UNCG at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing at the dish. Mitchell and Welsh each chipped in with a pair of hits as well. Vasquez paced Kent State, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
UNCG and Kent State continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon when the two clubs meet a 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.