Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 9, High Point 4
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- The Elon Phoenix tied a season-high with five homers en route to a 9-4 non-conference baseball victory over the High Point Panthers from Erath Field on Tuesday afternoon. With the win, Elon improved to 13-6 on the year. High Point fell to 7-16.
In the opening inning, Elon’s Donny Jobe hit his first career homer in a Phoenix uniform with a shot that cleared the wall in rightfield on a 2-1 count. Following a walk to Adam Weaver, Panther start Zach Zupan retired Chris Vasami. Chris Price followed with his third home run of the year as he sent a blast down the rightfield line to put the Phoenix ahead 3-0. Zupan then set down the next two hitters to put an end to Elon’s first inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, High Point’s Mark Shorey cut the Panther deficit to 3-1 with a solo homer to right.
Elon picked right up where it left off in the second inning when Paul Bennett walked to lead off the frame and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Danny Miller was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second for Jordy Snyder. Snyder then launched his first homer in a Phoenix uniform, a three-run shot to left to push Elon’s advantage to 6-1.
An RBI double from Shorey plated Chris Norwood with High Point’s second run of the day in the bottom of the third inning.
High Point came back in the bottom of the sixth inning, starting the rally with one out when J. Williams and Dustin Holtzman put together back-to-back singles before the Phoenix went to its fourth pitcher of the day in George Blystone. Blystone got pinch-hitter Jon Pavlack to ground out to put runners on second and third with two outs. Elon then turned to Kevin Regan who retired pinch-hitter Billy Aguiar to end the threat.
The Phoenix tacked on a run in the seventh inning when Grant Rembert singled home Vasami with Elon’s seventh run of the afternoon.
Shorey struck again in the bottom of the seventh, knocking a two-run homer to centerfield to close the gap to 7-4.
Robert Rodebaugh’s first homer at Elon that cleared the wall in right-center and pushed Elon’s advantage back to four runs at 8-4.
Vasami hit a bomb to left with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Elon’s fifth of the day, to give Elon a 9-4 lead.
With his one hit today, Price has moved into a tie for ninth place on Elon’s career hits list and is even with both Tony Pigott and Shaun Kopcznyski with 191.
Brian Ebert (1-0) earned his first career victory in relief. Ebert threw 1.2 innings and did not allow a hit or a run. Elon starter Justin Bors lasted 3.1 innings and struck out a career-high eight hitters. Bors allowed two runs on six hits.
Zupan suffered the defeat to fall to 0-3 this season. He lasted just 1.0 inning, allowing three runs on two hits.
Elon will visit Campbell on Wednesday evening for a 7:00 p.m. tilt from Buies Creek, N.C.
Story courtesy of College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 10, Charlotte 8
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Oliver Marmol's two-out, three-run double capped a five-run eighth inning as the College of Charleston rallied from an 8-0 deficit to defeat Charlotte, 10-8, before 303 at Patriots Point Field on Tuesday.
Charleston improved to 13-4 with the win, while the 49ers fell to 14-5.
Trailing 8-5 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Cougars got a two-run double from Matt Kirkpatrick that cut the margin to 8-7. Marmol, who had a career-high four RBI, laced a 2-1 offering from Charlotte's relief pitcher Erik Walker down the left field line scoring Michael Harrington, Kirkpatrick and Joey Friddle for a 10-8 lead.
The 49ers built an 8-0 lead after five innings thanks to a seven-run fifth highlighted by Aaron Bray's three-run double and Mike Ambrose's RBI single with two outs.
The Cougars got a RBI double from Friddle and a pair of run-scoring grounders in the sixth inning that cut UNCC's lead to 8-3.
Charleston got a pair of runs back in the seventh on an RBI grounder by Ben Lasater and Phillip Coker's infield single that closed the margin to 8-5.
Charleston, which banged out 18 hits, got four hits each from Coker and Friddle. Coker and Alex Garabedian, who went 2-for-3, extended their hitting streaks to 17 games each, respectively.
Freshman Brendan Stines (1-0) picked up the win in relief pitching a scoreless top of the eighth. Josh McLaughlin recorded his second save when he blanked Charlotte in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts. Walker (0-2) suffered the loss allowing two runs on two hits over 2/3 of an inning.
The Cougars play at Charleston Southern on Wednesday at 2:00.
Story courtesy of The Citadel sports information
The Citadel 8, Charleston Southern 5
Charleston, S.C. ? Senior Trent Weathers ripped a pinch-hit double in the eighth to drive in the go-ahead run as The Citadel defeated Charleston Southern, 8-5, Wednesday night in Riley Park. The Bucs scored five in the third to take a 5-3 lead, but could not get any runs across the plate for the remainder of the game.
Junior Link Saunders (3-1) earned his third win of the season as the tossed two frames, giving up three hits and striking out three. Andrew White (0-1) suffered the loss, pitching two thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits.
Bulldog freshmen were responsible for the first four runs as designated hitter Sonny Meade drove in two and catcher Sid Fallaw and right fielder Graham Couch each tallied an RBI. The seniors put the game away as Weather plated the game-winner and Brady Mashak tacked on a couple of insurance runs.
The Citadel (12-6) took an early 3-0 lead as Meade put the Bulldogs on the board with a sac fly to center in the first. The Dogs added two more in the second as freshman third baseman Trey Thomas smacked a lead-off double to
left and came around to score on a RBI-single off the bat of Fallaw. A pair
of fielding errors by Buc shortstop Adam Brown allowed Fallaw to come home.
Charleston Southern (8-13) took a two-run advantage in the third after exploding for five runs. Catcher John Cleaveland singled through the left side, stole second and raced home after Citadel first baseman Zach Brown threw a ball in the dirt trying to get Cleaveland out at third. Left fielder Justin Fyle ripped an RBI-double to the gap in left center before Hayes got a base hit up the middle to score the third run. Designated hitter Keith Stewart then stepped in and blasted a two-run bomb to left for his second home run of the season to put the Bucs up, 5-3.
Meade plated Couch with his second sac fly of the game to cut the Buc lead to one in the sixth. The Dogs then scored four in the eighth to retake the lead. With one out and the bases loaded, lefty Payton Tweddale came on to relieve Andrew White for the Bucs on the mound. Weathers doubled down the right field line to drive in the tying and go-ahead run before Mashak followed with another RBI-double to send two more across the dish.
Saunders came back in the ninth to close out the affair. The right-hander forced the first batter to groundout, relinquished a single and then registered a flyout. Saunders gave up another single but sat down pinch-hitter Wes Brundrige on three straight pitches for the final out of the game.
The Citadel now travels to Las Vegas, Nev. to begin a six game road trip. The Dogs take on UNLV March 17-19 for a three-game set and will then open up Southern Conference play at Georgia Southern, March 24-26.
Story courtesy of Auburn sports information
Auburn 7, Appalachian State 2
AUBURN, Ala. ? Right-hander Andy Masten threw 4.2 scoreless innings in relief for the Tigers, surrendering five hits and striking out six in his longest outing of the season as Auburn defeated Appalachian State, 7-2, at Plainsman Park Tuesday night.
“I was really proud of Andy,” Auburn Head Coach Tom Slater said. “Sometimes when adversity occurs, guys get their opportunity and when you get your opportunity you need to perform. Andy certainly did that for us.”
In his fifth appearance of the season and first since March 3, Masten came in early relief of starting pitcher Luke Greinke who, making his first career start, left the game after just 10 pitches with a strained muscle, which was not considered to be serious and was done just as a precautionary measure. Greinke gave up a hit and recorded a strikeout before leaving in the first inning with runners on second and third. He was tagged with two unearned runs.
The Tigers were led at the plate by right fielder Russell Dixon who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Infielders Tyler Johnstone and Andy Bennett each collected two hits and two RBI for the Tigers. Bruce Edwards (2-for-3, 2 R) also had a pair of hits.
The Mountaineers got on the board early with an RBI single by catcher Kevin Butler in the top of the first. Two batters later, centerfielder Chris Baker followed up with an RBI double off the left field wall. The Tigers answered in the bottom of the inning with a RBI double by Bennett, driving in catcher Josh Donaldson to cut the Mountaineers’ lead in half.
Auburn took the lead in the bottom of the second. After back-to-back walks by Mike Bianucci and Ben Jones, Johnstone knocked a bloop single into right field, scoring both Bianucci and Jones. With that hit, Johnstone extended his streak of reaching base safely to 30 games.
“When the blooper from Johnstone dropped in, it was like a sense of relief in the dugout,” Slater said. “I was proud of our ballclub. They continued to battle and played offense pretty well tonight”
The Tigers’ pitching staff did not allow a run after the first inning. Auburn relievers Masten, Andrew Hall, Peter Wiggins and Bryan Woodall shut out the Mountaineers in the last eight innings and did not allow a hit after the fifth inning.
Auburn extended its lead to four runs in the sixth inning. Following a walk by Justin Bristow, a single by Edwards and a bunt single by Johnstone, Dixon dropped a two-run single into right field, scoring Bristow and Edwards. A sacrifice fly by Bennett brought in Johnstone to give Auburn a 6-2 lead. The Tigers added their final run on an RBI single by Dixon in the eighth inning.
With the victory, the Tigers move back up to .500 (10-10) on the season and halt Appalachian State’s four-game win streak at four games. Auburn opens SEC play when it hosts ninth-ranked South Carolina this weekend for a three-game series. Tickets are still available for all three games.
Story courtesy of Georgia Southern sports information
Troy 14, Georgia Southern 10
TROY, Ala. ? Matt Miller finished 5-for-6 and Troy committed six errors, but the Eagles could not keep the Trojans off the scoreboard losing 14-10 Tuesday night (March 14) at Riddle-Pace Field. The Eagles (9-11 overall) lost their fifth straight while Troy won for the eighth straight time.
Troy (11-6) banged out 13 hits and took advantage of eight walks to score at least one run in every inning. The Eagles kept pace in the hits department also totaling 13. Six of the 10 runs Georgia Southern scored were unearned.
Miller lined a one-out single to centerfield in the first, however was picked off trying to steal second base. Three pitches later Greg Dowling slammed a shot just inside the right field foul pole for a 1-0 lead. It was his second homer on the season.
Clean-up hitter Josh Dew took advantage of a 15 MPH breeze blowing out, hitting a 2-run homer in the bottom half of the inning. Blake Green hit a solo shot with two down in the second, increasing Troy’s lead to 3-1.
The Eagles took advantage of the wind in the third, scoring five times. Brett Pelfrey and Chris Hollis walked. Miller dropped a single down the right field line to load the bases. Dowling walked on a 3-2 pitch, bringing home one run. Justin Klinger hit a deep fly ball to right field but Ben Woods dropped the ball, which tied the game. Griffin Benedict hit a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run.
Chris Shehan walked to again load the bases. Derrick Smith skied a popup to shortstop Tom King, but he could not come up with the catch. Shehan was caught off second base to end the inning but not before Dowling and Klinger scored to make it 6-3 Eagles.
Dew hit another 2-run homer with two outs in the third, doubling his home run total heading into the game. The Trojans used another two out rally the next inning. A walk and single put runners at first and second. Pelfrey made an excellent diving effort on a pop fly into right field but could not hold onto the ball as the tying run came home.
GS loaded the bases again in the fifth. Smith sent a shot deep to center but Ian Craze made the catch at the fence to end the inning. Josh Lairsey walked the bases loaded to start Troy’s half of the fifth, which brought in A.J. Battisto.
The junior right-hander walked home one run then gave up a 2-run single. Another one-out walk chased him in favor for Mike Chiciak. The Eagles then just missed on turning a double play, allowing another run home as Troy went ahead 10-6.
In the sixth, Pelfrey hit his team-leading eighth double. He would eventually score on a pair of groundouts cutting the deficit to 10-7. However, Troy took advantage of a hit by pitch, two wild pitches and a passed ball to score a run in its half.
During the seventh inning an error and two hits led to two unearned runs for Georgia Southern. Pelfrey hit a RBI groundout then pinch-hitting Jeremy Beckham lined a RBI single.
Georgia Southern thought they had gotten out of the seventh inning without any damage. With one out and the bases loaded King hit a ground ball to Shehan at third. He threw onto second but Craze’s slide completely took out Pelfrey at second and he could not make a throw to first. Head coach Rodney Hennon argued runner interference to both field umpires but to no avail.
The Eagles staged a two out rally in the ninth as Hollis reached on an error then Miller got his fifth hit, but the eventual tying run stayed on deck.
Miller became the second Eagle freshman in the last three games to register five hits joining Shehan (Coastal Carolina on Sunday). Dowling had two hits, scored three runs and walked twice, increasing his Southern Conference-leading walk total to 22. Shehan also recorded two hits while Benedict added to his team-leading RBI total, now at 19.
Lairsey (3-2) was charged for nine runs off seven hits in four innings. He walked four and struck out three.
Dew, one of four Trojans with a 2-hit game, totaled four RBI. JJ Whetsel (2-1) picked up the win in relief, giving up three runs (one earned) on eight hits in 4.1 innings.
The two-game series concludes Wednesday night (March 15), first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.
Story courtesy of South Carolina sports information
South Carolina 9, Davidson 2
Columbia, S.C. - Five pitchers limited Davidson to three hits with 15 strikeouts Tuesday night and senior Chris Brown and freshman Reese Havens homered in a 13 hit attack as ninth ranked South Carolina defeated the Wildcats 9-2 in college baseball.
Harris Honeycutt, 2-0, allowed two hits over the first five innings with eight strikeouts to claim the win. He lowered his season ERA to 0.87. The only other Davidson hit was a two run seventh inning home run by Pat Brady off reliever Wynn Pelzer following a hit batter. Pelzer struck out three in two innings, Conor Lalor fanned two, and Chase Tucker and Brandon Todd each registered a strikeout.
Michael Kaufman, 0-2, the first of six Davidson pitchers, was charged with the loss. Davidson's record dropped to 10-7 while South Carolina improved to 14-2.
Following a Davidson error, Brown hit his second home run of the season in the first inning and South Carolina added a third run on a walk to Robbie Grinestaff and an RBI double by freshman first baseman Justin Smoak.
Havens led off the bottom of the second inning with his first collegiate home run to increase the lead to 4-0. South Carolina added three runs in the fourth inning and scored single runs in the seventh and eighth.
Brown, Havens and Michael Campbell had two hits apiece for the Gamecocks with seven others contributing one hit. Neil Giesler drove in two runs with a fourth inning double to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Cheyne Hurst and Drew Martin also had RBI. One of Campbell's hits was a double.
South Carolina ends its homestand Wednesday night against Yale before traveling to Auburn to open the 30 game Southeastern Conference schedule this weekend against the Tigers. Game time Wednesday has been moved from 7 p.m., to 5:30 p.m., due to the South Carolina basketball team's scheduled 7 p.m., tip off against Western Kentucky in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament.
Yale, on a Southern trip, lost 6-0 at Stetson Tuesday and will come to Sarge Frye Field with a 5-5 record.