Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Western Carolina 6, Elon 1
ELON, N.C. -- Western Carolina’s Tyler Sexton threw a career-best 8.0 innings and fanned a career-high 11 hitters to pick up his third win of the year as the Catamounts (6-7, 1-1 Southern) defeated the Elon Phoenix (11-6, 1-1) by a 6-1 margin in a Southern Conference baseball tilt on Saturday afternoon.
Western took a 1-0 lead in its first at bat of the day as Grey Gregory scored on Trey McDaniel’s single to center. The ?Cats pushed their lead to 3-0 in the third when Blake Murphy’s triple down the rightfield line plated both McDaniel and Steven Strausbaugh.
Elon scored its lone run in the fourth when Grant Rembert scored on Ryan Addison’s infield single.
The Catamounts scored two runs in the fifth inning on a two-run homer from McDaniel to right. Gregory, who walked to lead off the inning, rode home on the blast, McDaniel’s third of the season.
In the eighth inning, WCU added one final run when Tim Hallam singled home Donnie Wilson.
In the victory, Sexton allowed seven hits and one earned run.
Elon starter Ryan Basham (3-1) took the loss after throwing 4.1 innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks while fanning five. In relief, Jesse Lewter tied a career-high with five strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work.
McDaniel recorded a 4-for-5 outing, scoring two runs and driving in three for Western Carolina. Hallam added a 3-for-4 day with one RBI for the ?Cats.
For Elon, both Donny Jobe and Chris Price tallied two hits.
The game lasted four hours and 23 minutes including a weather delay of exactly one hour and 30 minutes.
The two teams will face off in the rubber match of the series at 1:30 p.m. from Latham Park Sunday afternoon.
Story courtesy of Davidson sports information
Davidson 7, Wofford 2
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Junior Rob Wilson allowed just two runs over eight innings on the mound and broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth with a two-out, two-run homer, helping Davidson (10-5, 1-1) even the three-game Southern Conference series with visiting Wofford (11-8, 1-1) in a 7-2 victory.
Wilson (3-0), a product of Myers Park High School in Charlotte, allowed just four hits and solitary runs in the first and fourth innings, walking one and fanning seven. After serving up a solo home run in the fourth, he set down 13 in a row and 14 of the last 15 batters he faced. The only Terrier to reach base in that span came on a fielding error.
With the score tied at two in the bottom of the fifth, Wofford pitcher Charles Vartanian (2-1) retired the first two batters before walking senior lead-off hitter Ronnie Shore. Wilson then lined a 2-1 fastball over the fence in left field for his second home run of the season, giving the Wildcats a 4-2 lead.
Vartanian had trouble recording the third out again in the sixth after getting the first two outs on just three pitches. Junior Alden Crissey launched a solo homer to left, his third of the season and second in two days. After an infield hit by junior Blake Osborn, Vartanian left the game with stiffness in the forearm of his throwing arm. In came left-hander Chip Hunt who promptly gave up an RBI double to sophomore Hugh Eden and a run-scoring single to freshman Brett Shore as Davidson finished the scoring on the afternoon.
Wildcat senior Michael Kaufman pitched a hitless ninth to close out the game. He has not allowed a hit in his last 5.1 innings of work.
Following a 46-minute rain delay, Wofford took an early lead in the first. Bradford Eaves singled, stole second and came around to score on Brandon Waring’s two-out single. Waring was gunned down, however, trying to advance to second on the throw toward the plate.
The Wildcats battled back with two runs in the third. Eden bunted for a hit, advanced to second on a sacrifice and moved up to third on a wild pitch. After Ronnie Shore was hit by a pitch and stole second, Wilson slapped a run-scoring grounder to first. Senior Jay Heafner followed with an RBI single up the middle for a 2-1 Davidson lead.
John Brandt hit the solo homer off Wilson in the fourth, his third of the year, to tie the game at two.
Wilson finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Eden stroked three of the Wildcats’ 12 hits on the day. Ronnie Shore, who entered the weekend as the leading hitter in the Southern Conference, had his 12-game hitting streak snapped but did score twice to aid the Davidson cause. Crissey’s homer extended his hit streak to 11 games.
For the Terriers, Eaves had two of the team’s four hits, maintaining his .500 average in part-time duty.
Davidson and Wofford will play the rubber game of the series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. on Wilson Field.
Story courtesy of College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 4, St. John’s 3
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. ? Chris Campbell’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Phillip Coker with the game-winner lifting the College of Charleston to a 4-3 win over St. John’s in college baseball action before 409 at Patriots Point Field on Saturday.
Charleston improved to 12-3 overall with its fifth straight win, while the Red Storm fell to 4-6. Charleston looks for the three-game sweep in the series finale on Sunday at 1:00.
Tied 3-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, Coker reached on his third hit of the game, a bunt single towards first, leading off the inning. Coker moved to second on Oliver Marmol’s sacrifice bunt, and moved to third when Joey Friddle’s grounder to short was bobbled for an error.
Campbell, who became Charleston all-time leader with his 171st career RBI, hit Rich Armento’s first pitch into left center to drive in Coker. Campbell, just a junior, entered the game in a tie with Brett Anderson (2002-05) atop the school’s all-time list.
Charleston took a 3-0 third inning lead thanks to three unearned runs. After Marmol scored on a two-out fielding error for a 1-0 Charleston lead, Alex Garabedian tripled home Campbell with a liner down the right field line to make it 2-0. Garabedian scored to give CofC a 3-0 lead on Jess Easterling’s single to left center.
After SJU cut the margin to 3-1 with an unearned run in the seventh, Jeff Grantham and Bryan Dirr had RBI singles in the eighth that tied the game at 3-3.
Danny Meszaros (2-0), CofC’s fourth pitcher of the game, picked up the win. He blanked SJU on a hit with two strikeouts over the final 1 2/3 innings. Armento (0-1) suffered the loss.
Both starters pitched extremely well. Charleston Nick Chigges allowed an unearned run on four hits with six strikeouts over six innings. St. John’s righty Rob Delaney allowed three runs, all unearned, on just seven hits with five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
Story courtesy of UNC Greensboro sports information
Kent State 9, UNC Greensboro 6
GREENSBORO, NC ? Kent State pounded out 14 hits and exploded for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a two run lead en route to a 9-6 win over UNC Greensboro to even the series at one game apiece Saturday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The first six hitters of the seventh inning reached base, beginning with Todd Balduf who reached base on a wild pitch on a swinging third strike. Chris Tremblay and Emmanuel Burris each recorded back-to-back singles to load the bases before Joe Tucker drove home Balduf with a base knock to center. Drew Saylor plated two more with the third single to left of the inning before Kurt Eichorn added another single to score another runner and Andrew Davis produced the final run of the frame with a sac fly to right.
UNCG (4-11) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two out RBI double from shortstop David Adams. Guy Welsh and Logan Smith each reached base with singles to put runners on the corners before Adams smoked a two-bagger to centerfield.
Greg Feltes put the Spartans out in front 3-0 after two when the Rocky River, OH native cranked a solo home run to leftfield for his first roundtripper of the season. The Golden Flashes knotted the game at three runs apiece in the top of the fourth with RBI’s from Saylor, Eichorn and Davis.
The Spartans regained the lead in the home half of the fifth when Welsh drove home Feltes with a single to center while collecting his team-leading 12th RBI of the season. UNCG struck for two more runs in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh inning. Adam Deleo laced a double to left field and later scored on a wild pitch for the inning’s first run. Jermaine Mitchell extended his hitting streak to nine games when he drove home Clinton McKinney with a triple off the left centerfield wall.
Reid Lamport (1-0) earned his first victory of the season after allowing two runs on three hits in three innings of relief work. Ryan Davis picked up his second save of the season after pitching around a one out hit and walk to end the game.
Wes McCall (0-3) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs on five hits in one inning of work. UNCG starter Ryan Falcon pitched into the third inning, allowing three runs on two hits.
Mitchell finished the day going 3-for-5 to lead UNCG at the plate while Welsh added a pair of hits for his eighth mulit-hit game of the season.
The two teams wrap up a three-game series with the rubber game Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Story courtesy of The Citadel sports information
The Citadel 3, Butler 2 (11 inn.)
Charleston, S.C. ? Butler reliever Craig Costello threw the ball away at the plate to allow Aaron
Beasley to score from third as The Citadel edged Butler, 3-2, in an 11 inning thriller at Riley Park
Saturday afternoon. Senior right fielder Matt Covington drove in the game-winner to give the Bulldogs a slight one-run victory.
Junior closer Link Saunders (2-1) was credited with the win in his longest outing of the season.
Saunders tossed four innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out a career high six batters. Covington paced the Bulldog offense as he went 3-for-6, including two RBI.
The Citadel (11-5) jumped on top in the second as junior first baseman Zach Brown smacked a lead-off double down the right field line. Freshman third baseman Trey Thomas singled up the middle to plate Brown and give the Dogs a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs added another run in the fourth as freshman designated hitter Sonny Meade and Thomas worked the count for a walk. Senior catcher Brady Mashak singled through the left side to load the bases for sophomore center fielder Chance Smith. Smith then hit a sac fly to center that allowed Meade to race home and put the The Citadel up, 2-0.
Butler (4-7) came back to tie it up in the fifth frame. Third baseman Joel Matheny earned a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by first baseman Alex Rinearson. Citadel starter Ryan Owens caught designated hitter Kyle McLaughlin swinging before center fielder Stephen Gill reached on an error by Bulldog shortstop Matt Matulia. Second baseman Jeff Brown ripped a hit down the right field line that was declared a ground rule double after slipping under the fence in the right field corner.
Brown tallied two RBI on the double as Matheny and Gill crossed the dish to make it 2-2.
Butler loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. Citadel reliever Justin Smith came on to shutdown the Butler offense as he caught Matheny looking for the first out. Rinearson went down swinging and McLaughlin grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the Butler threat. Smith sat down six batters in a row in his two innings of work.
With two outs and nobody on in the sixth, the Dogs took a slight 3-2 edge. Chance Smith got things started as he dropped a blooper in center for a base hit. Back-to-back singles by second baseman Conrad Kellahan and Covington drove Smith in.Butler would not back down, adding a run in the eighth to tie it up again. Citadel closer Link Saunders gave up a walk to Barnes to start off the inning. Barnes advanced to second on a single off the bat of pinch-hitter Dustin Bucalo. Matt Ferguson came on to pinch-hit and ripped an RBI-single to plate Barnes and knot the game at three.
The contest continued to the 10th after the Dogs could not manufacture a run with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth. Reliever Ryan Kruszka registered a strikeout and forced a groundout to keep Butler alive and send it to extra frames.
Covington drove in the game-winner in the 11th as Mashak earned a free pass, Couch singled and Kellahan was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Covington grounded to the pitcher who threw it away at the plate and allowed the winning run to come home.
Butler reliever Ryan Kruszka (1-1) suffered the loss as he went four and two thirds innings, giving up one unearned run on five hits and fanning one.
The Dogs and Butler will wrap-up the three-game series on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m.
Stories courtesy of Furman sports information
Furman 13-11, Coppin State 7-1 (Game 2 8 inn.)
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Mason Smith hurled six strong innings and Furman pounded out a season high 18 hits en route to an 11-1 win and doubleheader sweep of Coppin State in baseball action Saturday afternoon at Furman Stadium.
Saturday’s second game was called by mutual agreement with no outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning after the Paladins scored to make it 11-1.
Furman, which claimed a 13-7 victory in game one, improves to 8-5 on the season and will go for the three-game series sweep on Sunday beginning at noon. Coppin State is now 3-14-1.
Smith (1-1) surrendered only one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out six in recording his first effective start of the campaign. The sophomore righthander from Columbia, S.C., received strong early run support as the Paladins struck for eight runs in the first two innings. Andrew Greene’s RBI double started the scoring, and Case Cassedy followed with an RBI single through the right side to give the Paladins a 2-0 first inning lead.
Furman broke the game open in the second, scoring six runs on seven hits to stretch its advantage to 8-0. Spence Gibbs’ two-run double highlighted the outburst, which also included an RBI double by Case Cassedy and run scoring singles by Ben Terry, Jay Jackson, and Joe Daysh.
Coppin State starting pitcher Dennis Lane (0-5) surrendered 17 hits and 10 runs, including nine earned, over seven innings to absorb the loss.
Cassedy paced Furman’s 18-hit attack by going 3-for-3 with three RBI.
Terry also had collected three hits along with Will Stembridge, who belted his first home run of the season in the seventh inning to stretch the Paladin lead to 10-1.
FURMAN 13, COPPIN STATE 7 (GAME 1)
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ben Terry went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs to lead Furman to a 13-7 win over Coppin State in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader.
Terry’s three-hit performance highlighted a 12-hit attack for Furman, which erupted for 10 runs in the first two innings. Andrew Greene and Joe Daysh had two hits each for the Paladins, who improved to 7-5 on the season. With the loss, Coppin State falls to 3-13-1.
Jay Jackson’s second home run of the season, a two-run blast to left field, keyed a six-run Furman first inning against Coppin State starter Matt Bellon (1-2).
Furman came back with four runs in the second to extend its lead to 10-0.
Jackson led off with a walk, stole second, and advanced to third on an error before coming home on Daysh’s RBI single. Following a Will Stembridge walk, Tony Maccani doubled down the left field line to plate Daysh. Stembridge then came home on a groundout, and Maccani scored on a Terry single to make it 10-0.
Corey Greene’s solo home run in the fourth inning got Coppin State on the board, and the Eagles put together back-to-back three-run frames in the sixth and seventh innings to make it 11-7.
Furman cut short Coppin State’s comeback bid, however, with RBI singles in the eighth by Terry and Green. Will Feemster wrapped up the win with two innings of hitless relief.
Story courtesy of Georgia Southern sports information
South Alabama 9, Georgia Southern 8
MOBILE, Ala. ? Lance Heisler’s single in the ninth scored Guillermo Martinez from third base, giving South Alabama a 9-8 win over Georgia Southern Saturday night (March 11) at Stanky Field. The Eagles (9-8 overall) dropped the opening game on their Alabama trip.
Martinez reached on a fielding error to start the ninth inning and went to second on the play. He took third on a groundout. With the infield drawn in, Heisler hit a sharp liner just off the top of the glove of David Cogswell scoring the winning run.
Georgia Southern struck first when Chris Hollis lined a leadoff in the first single, stole second and advanced to third on groundout by Griffin Benedict. Greg Dowling’s RBI single put the Eagles ahead 1-0. The Jaguars tied the score in their half of the first on David Freese’s RBI groundout.
Patrick Weaver hit a solo shot off the left field scoreboard in the third. Three batters later, Martinez nailed a 2-run shot giving the Jaguars a 4-1 lead. A hit by pitch, single, throwing error and balk eventually led to two more runs for USA, extending its advantage to 6-1 after four innings.
Singles by Brian Pierce and Hollis to start the fifth inning put runners at the corners. Benedict singled home one run and Dowling hit a sacrifice fly to score Hollis. In the sixth Derrick Smith moved into a tie for the home run lead, hitting his third homer ? a solo shot - which cut the deficit to 6-4.
The Eagles staged a two out rally in the seventh. Dowling was hit by a pitch and Mike Economos, making his first appearance in eight games, walked. They advanced on a wild pitch by David Doss. Brett Pelfrey dropped a shot down on the left field line which scored both runners, his team-leading seventh double.
During the eighth, the Eagles had runners at first and second with one out. Hollis ripped a triple, his first of the year, over centerfielder Tyler Jones to tie the game at 8-all. Jaguar closer Chase Christianson entered the game.
Benedict could not get a hard grounder past a drawn-in infield accounting for the second out. Dowling then drew his team-leading eighth intentional walk (Southern Conference-leading 20th walk overall). Christianson struck out Economos to end the threat.
USA put runners on the corners with two out in the eighth. Cogswell made a diving stop off the mound and threw onto first in time to end their scoring threat.
Hollis had three hits for Georgia Southern. Smith and Chris Shehan added two hits apiece. Cogswell (0-2) was charged for the one unearned run off three hits in two innings.
Starter Everett Teaford was charged for eight runs (seven earned) in 5.2 innings. He struck out four batters, giving him 265 Ks in his career. Teaford now owns sole possession of eighth place in Eagle history, just two shy of a tie for seventh.
Christianson (2-1) recorded four strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Weaver had three hits to pace the offense, one of five Jaguars with a multi-hit game.
USA starter Joey Doan allowed four runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. He walked three and struck out three.
The Eagles will face Coastal Carolina Sunday afternoon (March 12) at noon EST then play USA again with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Story courtesy of Appalachian State sports information
Appalachian State 6-7, Canisius 4-0
HICKORY, N.C. ? Strong pitching from freshmen Zach Quate and Garrett Sherrill and home runs from rookies Ben Billingsley, David Rubinstein and Bryan Ford led Appalachian State University baseball to a doubleheader sweep over Canisius on Saturday afternoon at L.P. Frans Stadium. Appalachian notched a 6-4 victory in the opener and shut out Canisius, 7-0, in the nightcap.
Quate tossed 3.2 innings of scoreless relief to help the Mountaineers overcome a shaky start by fellow freshman Jason Rook in the game-one triumph. Rook walked eight and allowed four runs in three innings of work before giving way to Quate, who surrendered just three hits and no walks and struck out two en route to his first collegiate victory. Josh Fish struck out the final batter of the game for his third save of the season, already good for a tie for 10th in Appalachian single-season history.
Billingsley and Rubinstein both blasted solo homers in the win. Eight of the Mountaineers nine starters banged out one hit apiece to pace the Mountaineers.
In the nightcap, Sherrill needed just 101 pitches to blank the Golden Griffins. He allowed just five hits and struck out three while moving to 3-0 on the season and lowering his ERA to 1.38. ASU had played 118 games since its last shutout win, a 6-0 whitewashing of Wofford by Taylor Craig on May 16, 2003.
Ford gave Sherrill all the run support he would need in the first inning when he launched a 400-plus foot two-run homer to highlight a three-run frame for the Mountaineers. The 6-3, 250-pound junior added an RBI single in the sixth inning to finish 2-for-4 with three RBI in his first start since transferring to ASU from Louisburg J.C.
Freshman Nick DeRose added a 3-for-4, two-run effort to lead the 10-hit attack.
No player had more than two hits in the twinbill for Canisius (3-11).
With the two wins, Appalachian moved to 8-5 on the season. ASU didn’t record its eighth win until the 31st game of the season a year ago.
The Mountaineers will look to complete a four-game sweep of the Griffins on Sunday at 1 p.m. at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls.