Story courtesy of Furman sports information
Furman 14, Georgia Southern 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Case Cassedy went 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs to propel Furman to a 14-3 win over Georgia Southern in Southern Conference baseball action Friday evening at Furman Stadium.
Cassedy’s two-run single highlighted a six-run sixth inning that saw the Paladins break open a 4-3 contest en route to the victory, evening the series at one game apiece. The finale is slated for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
The win marked the 16th triumph in the last 18 games for Furman (22-11, 9-2 SoCon) against Southern Conference opponents dating back to last year and the 10th decision in the last 11 home games for the Paladins.
Furman out-hit the Eagles (20-18, 7-4 SoCon) 12-9 and swiped six bases in the contest, which also included seven wild pitches. Matt Miller led Georgia Southern with three hits in four at-bats.
Ryan Hudson (1-0) picked up the win in relief after hurling 3 2/3 innings and three walks while striking out four.
Dustin Evans (1-2) took the loss after working just three innings and yielding six runs on six hits and two walks.
Furman touched up Evans for a pair of runs in the second inning. With one out Joe Daysh singled, advanced to second on an error, and to third on a passed ball before coming home on Will Stembridge’s RBI single up the middle. Stembridge then stole second and scored on a single by Spence Gibbs.
Georgia Southern quickly responded in the third, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead on a two-run double down the left field line by Jeremiah Parker and a sacrifice fly by Griffin Benedict.
The Paladins regained the lead in bottom of the frame on an A.J. Davidiuk RBI single and a wild pitch, which plated Cassedy.
Furman broke the game open in the fourth, taking advantage of four walks, a hit batsman, a wild pitch, and just two hits to score six runs for a 10-3 advantage. The big blows came on a two-run single by Cassedy off Eagle reliever Aaron Eubanks and a two-run base hit by Paul Ortenzo off Mike Chiciak.
The Paladins tacked on four runs in the seventh, combining four hits with a Georgia Southern error for the final tally of the game.
Story courtesy of Wofford sports information
Appalachian State 16, Wofford 3
SPARTANBURG, SC ? Jonathan Reeder held Wofford to six hits and Appalachian State’s offense collected out 13 hits in leading the Mountaineers to a 16-3 win over Wofford Friday night at Russell C. King Field.
Reeder improved to 3-3 on the season. He allowed a leadoff single to Chuck Eller then retired the next nine men he faced.
Wofford scored two runs in the fourth when John Brandt belted his team-leading 10th home run of the season with one man aboard.
Appalachian State scored twice in the first off starter Dawson Smith when Kevin Butler walked and Ben Billingsley doubled to put runners on second and third. David Rubinstein followed with a two-run double.
ASU added a run in the second when Chris Baker led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Wes Borden and scored on a wild pitch.
In the third, the Mountaineers scored four times to take a 7-0 lead. Smith walked the first two batters and gave up a two-run double to Adam Beasley before yielding to lefty Chip Hunt. Beasley moved to third on a balk and scored on a wild pitch. Rubinstein also drew a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a balk and scored on a wild pitch.
ASU added six runs in the seventh. Baker had an RBI double while DeRose and Rand Smith hit run-scoring doubles before Billingsley knocked a two-run homer. The Mountaineers tacked on two more runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Borden and an infield groundout by DeRose.
Wofford added a run in the eighth when Keith Munns and Eric Sturkie hit back-to-back doubles to start the frame.
Appalachian State hit eight doubles in the game with DeRose, Beasley and Baker each collecting two apiece.
Smith took the loss to even his record at 2-2.
Wofford is now 15-23 overall and 2-11 in Southern Conference play. Appalachian State improved to 14-19-1 and 3-10 in the league.
ASU and Wofford will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday at King Field.
Story courtesy of UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 5, Davidson 3
GREENSBORO, NC ? Starting pitcher Nick Starnes struck out a career-high 12 batters en route to his fourth win of the season as UNC Greensboro defeated Davidson 5-3 Friday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Starnes (4-1), a junior from Haw River, NC, allowed three runs on seven hits in 7-2/3 innings on the hill. Patrick Currin pitched the final 1-1/3 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.
Wildcat starting hurler Blake Osborn (3-5) took the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out two in 6-2/3 innings of work.
Davidson (12-22, 2-11 SoCon) struck for two runs in the top of the first inning to grab an early 2-0 advantage. Ronnie Shore led off the inning with a sharp single off the foot of UNCG starting pitcher Nick Starnes before stealing second base. Starnes retired the next two hitters to keep Shore from scoring, but first baseman Gregory Zage delivered a two-run homerun over the rightfield wall to collect his team-leading seventh roundtripper of the season.
UNCG (15-21, 5-5 SoCon) played long ball in the home half of the second to tie the game at two runs apiece. Wes McCall led off with a single to centerfield before David Adams hit a two-run homerun just over the leftfield wall for his first four-bagger of the season.
Sean Snell gave the Spartans a 3-2 lead and extended his hitting streak to 12 games in the process with a single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth. David Adams connected for his second hit of the game with a two-out double to right center and advanced to third on a pass ball before Snell recorded his sixth RBI of the season.
Brett Shore tied the game at three runs apiece for the Wildcats in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single up the middle. Hugh Eden reached base on a bunt single and advanced to second base on a throwing error on the Spartan infield to start the rally.
The Spartans took a 5-3 lead after the bottom of the seventh as UNCG capitalized on a Davidson error in the outfield. After the Spartans loaded the bases with two outs, Guy Welsh lifted a fly ball into shallow rightfield that Blake Osborn juggled and then dropped, allowing Adam Deleo and Greg Feltes to score.
Senior shortstop David Adams paced the Spartans at the plate as the Statesville, NC native went 3-for-4 with two RBI on the evening and fell a triple shy of the cycle.
UNCG and Davidson continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 5, The Citadel 4
ELON, N.C. ? Adam Weaver lined a one-out single into right field to plate Paul Bennett from second base in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Elon a 5-4 Southern Conference baseball victory over The Citadel from Latham Park on Friday night. With the victory, Elon pushed its record to 27-11 overall and 10-3 in league play. The Citadel fell to 18-16, 4-6.
In the second, Elon loaded the bases with three straight singles from Chris Vasami, Robert Rodebaugh and Grant Rembert to begin the frame. The Phoenix plated the first run of the game when Ryan Addison lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Vasami. A wild pitch allowed Rodebaugh to scamper home to push the lead to 2-0.
Back-to-back throwing errors on Mark Egleton at third base allowed Elon to put runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the fourth for Pat Irvine. Irvine hit a soft grounder to short and was retired, but Rembert was able to score on the play.
Rodebaugh’s single to center with two down in the fifth drove home Chris Price who reached on an infield single.
The Citadel snapped Elon’s 25 inning league scoreless streak when Chris Swauger lifted a sacrifice fly to center that drove in Trent Weathers in the sixth.
Matt Arnold slapped a one out triple to the gap in right and scored the second Bulldog run of the night when Conrad Kellahan singled to left in the seventh. That was followed by a single from Tripp Cappelmann to put runners on first and second. Elon skipper Mike Kennedy then turned the ball over to Tom Porter to face Weathers. The Citadel evened the score at four when Weathers appeared to double home both Kellahan and Cappelmann. Weathers missed first on the play and the Phoenix appealed, taking the hit off the board.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Bennett singled up the middle. The speedy shortstop advanced to second on a wild pitch before Donny Jobe drew a walk. Weaver then singled to right to drive in Bennett with the game-winning run.
Chad Tilley (3-0) picked up the victory in relief. He threw 1.1 perfect innings, striking out two. Starter Lance Cole went 6.1 innings and surrendered four runs on two hits while fanning seven.
Justin Smith (4-1) took the loss after allowing one run in 2.0 innings of work. Wes Wrenn, the Bulldog starter, lasted 6.0 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits.
Vasami, Rodebaugh and Rembert each finished the night with two hits for Elon. Cappelmann was the only Bulldog with a multi-hit outing, posting two hits.
The two squads will face off in game two of the three-game series on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
Story courtesy of Western Carolina sports information
College of Charleston 17, Western Carolina 1
Cullowhee, N.C. ? The 17th-ranked College of Charleston Cougars banged out 18 hits and scored nine runs in the first three innings en route to a 17-1 victory over Western Carolina Friday night at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Larry Cobb and Phillip Coker each had four hits and three RBI for the Cougars (29-6, 11-2 SoCon), while Phillip Coker added four RBI on just one hit. The Catamounts, who lost for just the third time in 14 home games, fall to 19-15, 7-6 SoCon.
The game started well for Western with a Cougar strikeout. However singles by Coker and Oliver Marmol followed by a walk to Campbell loaded the bases. Jess Easterling plated the first run with a sacrifice fly and Campbell later scored on the play thanks to one of four Catamount errors on the night.
The second, Charleston took advantage of another error, scoring three runs on one hit. The Cougars then put the game out of reach in the third, scoring four runs on five hits. Cobb and Coker each had RBIs in the frame, while Campbell drove in two.
Western had their chances early, getting at least one on base in each of the first three innings. In the fourth and the bases loaded, Charleston starter Nick Chigges got a strikeout to end the Cats’ best chance to get back into the game. Chigges would improve to 6-1 on the season, scattering six hits over six innings. He allowed one run and three walks with five strikeouts.
After not scoring in the fourth, the Cougars tacked on three in the fifth, four in the sixth and one in the seventh for their 17 runs.
The Catamounts’ lone tally came in the fifth. After singles by Steven Strausbaugh and Trey McDaniel, Blake Murphy delivered an RBI single to left-center field.
In addition to Cobb and Coker, Charleston’s offense was led by Marmol, Ben Lassiter and Joey Friddle, each of whom had two hits. Easterling added three RBI.
Strausbaugh and Tim Hallam each had two hits for Wester. Caleb McConnell suffered the loss, falling to 1-3 on the season. He allowed three hits and five runs (three earned) with three walks and a strikeout. Andrew Larrimore closed out the game for Western, pitching a career-high four innings with five hits, two runs (one earned), no walks and two strikeouts.
The two teams will play game two of the three-game set on Saturday with first pitch set for 4 pm. The finale will come Sunday at 2 pm.