Story courtesy of Davidson sports information
Wofford 25, Davidson 15
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? The Davidson Wildcats and Wofford Terriers combined for 40 runs and 41 hits in a 25-15 slugfest won by Wofford in the rubber game of a Southern Conference series on Sunday afternoon at Davidson's Wilson Field. The 40 runs are the most ever in Wildcat history, spanning more than 100 years. Wofford improved to 12-8 on the season and 2-1 in the conference, while Davidson dropped to 10-6 and 1-2.
The previous record for combined runs in a Wildcat game (39) came on May 2, 1961 when Davidson scored seven in the ninth against The Citadel to defeat the Bulldogs, 20-19.
The Terriers batted around twice in the game, scoring six in the first and 12 in the decisive sixth inning, plus added five in the fourth. Wofford stroked four doubles and slammed five home runs in the game, including a grand slam by Eric Sturkie.
Davidson didn't get the bats going until Wofford's 12-run sixth, scoring 11 runs over the last four frames. Fourteen different Wildcats recorded hits in the contest, including five of whom recorded their first collegiate hit. Senior Jay Heafner was the offensive star for Davidson, going 4-for-5 with a double, three-run homer, three runs and four RBIs.
The first batter of the game, Bradford Eaves, foreshadowed the offensive explosion to come by belting his second home run of the season. Brandon Waring also homered in the inning, a two-run job for his fourth long ball of the year, and Wildcat starter Blake Osborn (0-2) faced five batters without retiring a batter. Three Davidson errors in the inning led to three unearned runs as well, and when the third out was recorded, Wofford owned a 6-0 lead.
The Terriers tacked on single runs in the second and third, the latter on Stephen Johnson's second homer this year. In the fourth, Wofford strung together three singles, a hit batter, a two-run double by Johnson and a two-run single off the bat of Keith Munns for five runs and a 13-3 lead.
The sixth simply put the game well out of reach. Sturkie, who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the inning, later batted in the same frame and provided his grand slam. Four batters later, Munns turned on a pitch for a three-run homer.
Adam Wood had four of Wofford's 20 hits in the game and scored four times. Munns led all players with five RBIs, and John Brandt went 3-for-5 with four runs and drove in two.
Coming off the bench to contribute to the Davidson cause were senior Dan Obermeier, who went 2-for-3 with a three RBIs and a two-run homer, and freshman Jordan Mills with a single, double, two walks, three runs and an RBI.
Dawson Smith (1-0) picked up the victory in relief of Whit Kennedy, who left in the fifth with an injury.
The only pitchers in the game to not allow a run were Wofford's Ben Austin who got the final three outs, and Davidson junior Sean Lennox, who surrendered two hits in the final two frames and struck out two in his first career pitching assignment.
Davidson will try to bounce back with a difficult task at ninth-ranked South Carolina on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. Wofford, meanwhile, hosts Quinnipiac tomorrow afternoon at 3:15 p.m.
Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 16, Western Carolina 3
ELON, N.C. -- Elon’s Chris Price and Chris Vasami combined to go 5-for-9 with three runs scored and drove in 10 RBI as the Phoenix upended the Western Carolina Catamounts 16-3 from Latham Park on Sunday afternoon. The win gave Elon (12-6, 2-1 Southern) two wins in the three-game league series.
Western Carolina (6-8, 1-2) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer from Steven Strausbaugh before Elon cut the margin in half in the bottom of the frame when Price doubled home Donny Jobe.
The Phoenix exploded for five runs in the third inning to grab the lead for good. A walk to Jobe sandwiched between a line out and a fly out was followed by a walk to Price. Vasami then hit his first career triple, driving home both runners to give Elon a 3-2 lead. Following a walk to Pat Irvine, Catamount starter Brock Thornburg balked in Vasami for the third run of the inning. After a walk to Grant Rembert, Robert Rodebaugh doubled home two to cap the Phoenix scoring.
WCU trimmed one run off the 6-2 Phoenix lead in the fourth when Trey McDaniel led off the inning with a homer to right. Elon answered Western’s one run with four of its own in the bottom of the inning on a grand slam from Price to right that gave the Phoenix a 10-3 advantage.
In the fifth inning, Western Carolina had two runners aboard with two outs when Scott Ward hit a shot that went off the wall in left for what appeared to be a two-RBI double. The Phoenix appealed that Ward missed first base on the play and the umpires agreed, ruling Ward out and erasing the two runs from the scoreboard.
Elon added three more markers in the fifth on a Vasami double and one in the sixth on a Catamount error. The Phoenix finished the day’s scoring in the eighth inning with two runs. The first came when Jobe singled home Danny Miller. The final run crossed the plate when John Walker drew a bases loaded walk, forcing in Matt Hill.
Phoenix starter Matt Chastain improved his record to 4-0 this season after throwing 6.0 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. Chastain struck out three. Three Elon relievers combined to allow one hit and no walks over the final 3.0 innings of work.
Thornburg suffered the loss and dipped to 1-1 on the year. He lasted just 3.0 innings and gave up nine runs on five hits and six walks.
Price finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs and five RBI. He now has 152 RBI in his career and sits fourth in Elon history in that category. Vasami posted a 3-for-5 day with one run and a career-high tying five RBI. He finished a homer shy of the cycle. Jordy Snyder also had a solid day at the plate, earning three hits in five at bats and scoring once for the Phoenix.
Western’s Grey Gregory was the only Catamount player to record more than one hit, going 2-for-5 with one run scored.
Elon out-hit Western Carolina 14-8 on the day and committed just one error to two for the Catamounts.
The Phoenix returns to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon when it visits High Point in a 2:30 p.m. contest. Western Carolina will play again on Wednesday at Georgia at 5:30 p.m.
Story courtesy of Furman sports information
Furman 13, Coppin State 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ryan Hodinka won his fourth consecutive start and Ben Terry went 5-for-5 and scored two runs to lead Furman to a 13-3 win over Coppin State in baseball action Sunday afternoon at Furman Stadium.
The game was called by mutual agreement after Furman scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 10-run lead.
The victory gave Furman (9-5) a three-game series sweep of the Eagles (3-15-1).
Hodinka, a senior lefthander and preseason All-Southern Conference selection, improved to 4-0 on the season after hurling seven innings of effective ball, yielding six hits, two runs, and no walks while striking out five.
Furman pounded out a season high 19 hits against Coppin State pitching, including five by Terry, whose afternoon included four singles and a double. For the weekend the leadoff hitting Cincinnati, Ohio, product went 11-for-15 (.733) with three RBI and five runs scored. Tony Maccani went 2-for-4, homered, and drove in three runs, and A.J. Davidiuk and Will Stembridge collected three hits and two RBI each for the Paladins.
As it had in the first two games, Furman struck early against Coppin State, scoring three runs in the second against Eagle starter Bill Auch (1-3). Stembridge led off with a single, and Maccani followed his third home run of the season, a two-run blast over the left field fence. With one out, Ben Terry reached on a bunt single, stole second, and came around to score on an error to put Furman ahead 3-0.
The Paladins made it 4-0 an inning later after Davidiuk doubled and later scored on Stembridge’s sacrifice fly.
Coppin State sliced the Furman advantage to 4-2 in the fourth, but the Paladins answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame courtesy of four hits and a pair of Eagle errors for a 7-2 advantage.
The Paladins tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh and finished the contest with a four-run eighth, highlighted by Joe Daysh’s two-run single to left that gave Furman its 10-run lead, after which the game was called.
Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it takes on UNC-Asheville in Asheville in a 2:00 p.m. game. The Paladins will entertain Penn State in a three-game series next weekend, starting with a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Story courtesy of The Citadel sports information
Butler 10, The Citadel 6 (11 inn.)
Charleston, S.C. ? Butler scored four in the 11th inning to avoid a three-game sweep as Butler downed The Citadel, 10-6, Sunday afternoon at Riley Park. The Dogs went into extra frames for the second consecutive game, taking a 4-3 victory over Butler in 11 frames on Saturday.
Butler first baseman Clayton Deeb ripped a two-run home run to spark the four-run rally in the sixth when Butler tied it up, 6-6. Deeb was also part of the four-run rally in the 11th as he batted 3-for-6 on the day, including three RBI and scoring two. Junior first baseman Zach Brown led the Bulldog offense as he was 3-for-5, including a career high four RBI.
Brown (1-2) also suffered the loss in the contest, throwing two innings and allowing two earned runs on two hits. Butler reliever Josh Vollmer earned his first win of the season as he held the Bulldogs scoreless through seven innings. Vollmer scattered four hits and struck out three.
The Citadel took an early 2-0 lead in the second as senior center fielder Trent Weathers singled up the middle. Freshman designated hitter Sonny Meade lined a base hit that tipped off the first baseman’s glove, which allowed Weathers to race to third. Brown drove Weathers in with a single to left. Senior catcher Brady Mashak and senior third baseman Tripp Cappelmann worked the count for back-to-back walks that allowed Meade to trot home.
The Dogs added three more in the third as senior right fielder Matt Covington led off with a walk and moved over to second as Butler second baseman Jeff Brown mishandled a grounder that let Swauger reach first. A sac bunt off the bat of senior shortstop Matt Matulia advanced the runners.
Weathers was intentionally walked to set-up the potential double-play. Meade grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Butler to get the lead runner out at the plate. Zach Brown then stepped in and ripped a double to the gap in right to clear the bases and put The Citadel up, 5-0.
Butler got on the board in the fourth. First baseman Clayton Deep ripped a two-out double and right fielder Stephen Gill singled him in to give Butler their first run of the day.
The Bulldogs tacked on another run in their half of the inning. Sophomore left fielder Chris Swauger smacked a base hit to left to plate freshman second baseman Conrad Kellahan to restore the five-run lead.
Butler edged closer with one run in the fifth as Dempsey came around to score after Cappelmann threw a bunted ball in the dirt at first. Butler then exploded for four more in the sixth to knot the game at six.
Citadel pitcher Justin Smith came on in relief and gave up a single to third baseman Matt Ferguson. Deeb then sent a 3-2 offering over the left field fence for his first home run of the season. Freshman Brett Bull then took to the mound. Bull allowed a single by Gill before forcing Jeff Brown to groundout to third. Barnes blasted a triple deep to center to bring in Gill as Dempsey knocked in Barnes with an RBI-groundout to make the score, 6-6.
The Bulldogs went into extra frames for the second consecutive game as a double-play ball got Butler out of the ninth.
Butler plated four in the 11th to go up, 10-6. Jeff Brown scored the go-ahead run after sliding in safe at home as Zach Brown could not get the ball out of his glove in time to throw him out. Pinch-hitter Alex Rinearson tallied an RBI-single to put Butler up two. With two outs, Kellahan mishandled a toss at second from Matulia that allowed two more to score.
Butler reliever Evan DePotter came on to shutdown the Bulldog offense in their half of the inning.
Covington reached base on a throwing error by Butler catcher Edwin Rodriguez, but was out on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Swauger. DePotter then caught Matulia and Weathers swinging to preserve the 10-6 victory.
The Bulldogs will remain at home to host Charleston Southern on Tuesday, March 14 at 6 p.m. in Riley Park. The Dogs then travel to Las Vegas, Nev. to take on UNLV for a three-game series March 17-19.
Story courtesy of College of Charleston sports information
St. John’s 10, College of Charleston 8
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. ? Brendan Monaghan RBI single in the top of the eighth broke a 5-5 tie and lifted St. John’s to a 10-8 win over College of Charleston before 562 at Patriots Point Field on Sunday.
The Red Storm salvaged the final game of the series by scoring five times in the eighth for a 10-5 lead.
After Monaghan’s single drove in Eddie Schultz for a 6-5 lead, Will Vogl and Bryan Dirr added RBI singles in the inning. Vogl, led off the game with fifth homer of the season, a blast to right center on the game’s first pitch from Charleston Drew Shamrock.
Charleston got a three-run homer from Alex Garabedian in the bottom of the ninth for the final margin. Garabedian was 3-for-5, while teammate Phillip Coker went 2-for-5.
Colin Lynch (1-0) picked up the win in relief tossing the final 4 1/3 innings. Josh McLaughlin (1-1) suffered the loss surrendering a run on three hits over two innings.
Charleston plays host to Charlotte in a 5:00 start on Tuesday.
Story courtesy of UNC Greensboro sports information
Kent State 11, UNC Greensboro 5
GREENSBORO, NC ? Kent State leftfielder Kurt Eichorn went 3-for-3 with two home runs and five RBI as the Golden Flashes powered past UNC Greensboro 11-5 to claim a 2-1 series victory Sunday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Eichorn struck for his first roundtripper in the top if the first to put the Golden Flashes out in front 2-0. After UNCG starting pitcher Jonathan Nichols retired the first two batters he faced, Drew Saylor reached base after being hit by a pitch before Eichorn crushed a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield wall for his fourth home run of the season.
Kent State (7-5) extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third when Joe Tucker scored on a sacrifice fly from Eichorn. Tucker led off the frame with a single to leftfield and then stole second and third before touching home on Eichorn’s fly to center.
UNCG (4-12) tallied its first run of the afternoon when junior Jermaine Mitchell collected the first Spartan hit and extended his hitting streak to ten games in the process with a triple to left centerfield. Guy Welsh picked up his team-leading 13th RBI of the season when he plated Mitchell on a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
The Golden Flashes scored another three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 6-1 highlighted by a two-run double to rightfield off the bat of catcher Todd Balduf. The Spartans answered with two runs of their own in the home half of the sixth on a single to rightfield by Brandon Harvey to score Welsh and Logan Smith.
Kent State used a pair of home runs in the seventh inning to score another four runs and essentially put the game out of reach. Saylor opened the inning with a double and Eichorn followed with a towering home run to straight away centerfield for his second four bagger of the game. Balduf, who like Eichorn, collected five RBI on the day, laced a two-run home run to leftfield to give the Golden Flashes a 10-3 lead after seven and a half innings of play.
The Spartans managed two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI groundout from David Adams and a single by Harvey. Harvey finished the afternoon going 2-for-3 with three runs driven in.
Starting pitcher John Pacella (1-0) earned the win for the Golden Flashes after allowing one run on two hits in five innings on the hill. UNCG starting hurler Jonathan Nichols (0-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on one hit in 1-2/3 of work on the mound.
UNCG returns to action Wednesday when the Spartans travel to Raleigh to take on in-state and ACC foe North Carolina State at 4 p.m.
Story courtesy of Georgia Southern sports information
Coastal Carolina 17, Georgia Southern 13
South Alabama 15, Georgia Southern 4
MOBILE, Ala. ? It was unlucky sevens for Georgia Southern baseball Sunday afternoon (March 12) at Stanky Field. The Eagles fell behind by seven runs to start each game, losing to Coastal Carolina 17-13 then 15-4 against host South Alabama.
The Eagles (9-10 overall) finished the day with 31 hits ? 21 against Coastal and 10 versus USA ? but gave up 39 in the losses. Chris Shehan had the hot bat during the three games in Mobile, finishing 9-for-15 with seven RBI.
CCU chased starter Josh Lairsey with two outs in the first inning of game one, plating five runs off six hits. The Chanticleers added two more runs on a Brant Peacher home run, extending their lead to 7-0 after two.
Chris Hollis was hit by a pitch to start the third. Matt Miller hit a double then Greg Dowling followed with a RBI single. Griffin Benedict lined a sacrifice fly. Shehan delivered a run-scoring single with two down, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Coastal (5-12) staged a two out rally in its half of the third when John Mariotti nailed a 3-run homer. Dowling added a two-out RBI single in the fourth, then Andrew Berroth needed just four pitches for GS in a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Shehan and Hollis registered RBI singles in the fifth.
Shehan came through again in the sixth, getting another two-out RBI single. Jeremy Beckham had the fourth single of that inning, loading the bases. Brian Pierce was hit by a pitch, which made it a 10-8 game.
The Eagles took their first lead thanks to five runs in the seventh. Benedict hit a RBI single. An error and walk loaded the bases. Shehan ripped a single up the middle, in which centerfielder Dom Duggan bobbled the ball. That allowed the bases to clear. Beckham’s single plated Shehan for the go-ahead run, 13-12.
The Chanticleers used a pair of RBI doubles in the seventh to regain the lead by one run then scored three insurance runs in the eighth.
Shehan finished a career-high 5-for-6, actually recording seven consecutive base hits (dating back to Saturday night’s game) until grounding out to end the game. That is the first time an Eagle had seven straight hits since Jason Hurst accomplished the feat last year.
Miller and Dowling added three hits each as seven different Eagles registered a multi-hit game.
David Cogswell (0-3) was charged for one run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning, suffering the loss in relief.
John Mariotti (1-1) earned the win while Andy DeLaGarza retired all six batters he faced in order to get his first save of the year. Peacher finished 4-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBI.
South Alabama (14-6) got a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first then Aaron Eubanks hit the next batter. David Freese lined out to rightfielder David Richardson, who then threw on target to Benedict at the plate nailing Tyler Jones trying to score.
Aaron George hit a solo homer in the second, then later in the frame Lance Heisler hit a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. In the fourth, Jones lined a 1-2 pitch with two outs to deep centerfield ? his second triple of the game that scored two runs. Patrick Weaver hit a RBI double then Freese nailed a 2-run homer, extending the lead to 7-0.
The Eagles got on the board in the fifth. Dowling hit a RBI single then Benedict followed with a RBI groundout. Derrick Smith hit an infield single to put runners on the corners. Shehan ripped a 2-run double into the left field gap, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
However, the Jaguars blew the game open in the fifth scoring five runs (six in that entire frame) before GS could record an out.
Dowling, Shehan and Beckham had two hits each to lead the Eagles. Eubanks (1-2) suffered the loss, tagged for four runs on four hits in 3.2 innings.
P.J. Walters (4-1) gave up four unearned runs in eight innings, walking one while striking out 15. George and Jones had four hits apiece as Jones also drove in five.
The Eagles continue their swing through Alabama, playing Tuesday and Wednesday night at Troy. First pitch for each game is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.
Story courtesy of Appalachian State sports information
Appalachian State 11, Canisius 3
GRANITE FALLS, N.C. -- Appalachian State University baseball exploded for eight runs over its final two at-bats to complete its first four-game series sweep since 1985 with an 11-3 victory over Canisius on Sunday at M.S. Deal Stadium.
The four-game series sweep was Appalachian?s first since taking four at Catawba, March 3-5, 1985. The Mountaineers’ last sweep of any series of more than two games came at Davidson, March 10-11, 2001.
Appalachian (9-5) managed just two hits through six innings as the game went into the seventh knotted at 3-3. Left fielder David Rubinstein broke the deadlock in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run that gave ASU a 5-3 lead. The homer was the second in as many days and team-leading third of the season for the freshman from Charlotte.
The Mountaineers broke the game wide open with six runs in the bottom of the eighth. Chris Baker’s two-out, two-run single to right field capped the six-run outburst for the Apps. Rubinstein, fellow freshmen Rand Smith and Ben Billingsley and senior Kevin Butler also drove in runs in the Mountaineers’ six-run eighth.
Senior southpaw Josh Fish held Canisius (3-12) hitless over the final three innings of the contest to record his first win of the season. Rubinstein and Baker collected two hits apiece and Butler added a solo homer in the fourth to lead Appalachian offensively.
Canisius left-hander Ian Horner served up Rubinstein’s homer to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Second baseman Kevin Smith and right fielder Matt Mazurek each had two hits for the Golden Griffins.
A busy spring-break week lies ahead for Appalachian, as they travel to Auburn on Tuesday and N.C. A&T on Wednesday before opening the Southern Conference season in Boone next weekend versus two-time defending league champion College of Charleston. Tuesday’s first pitch at Auburn (9-10) is slated for 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST).