Story courtesy of UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 2, Furman 1
GREENSBORO, NC ? Senior Patrick Currin won his fifth consecutive decision as UNC Greensboro defeated Furman 2-1 Saturday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium to even a three-game series at one game apiece.
Currin (6-2), who came on in relief of UNCG starter Ryan Falcon, allowed no runs and just six scattered hits while recording four strikeouts in 4-1/3 innings of work.
Falcon, who made his 10th start of the season, was extremely effective on the hill as the Rougemount, NC native allowed just one run on four hits while collecting five punchouts in 4-2/3 innings of mound duty.
Ryan Hudson (1-1) took the loss for the Paladins after being touched for a run on a hit in 2-2/3 innings of work.
UNCG (18-26, 7-10 SoCon) grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from second baseman Shane Thompson. Mike Mongiello led off the inning by reaching base on an error on the Paladin infield before Sam Martin was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. After Roly Gonzalez advanced both runners up one base on a sacrifice bunt, Thompson delivered with his second RBI of the season with a fly into deep centerfield.
Furman (27-13, 13-4 SoCon) tied the game a half inning later on a wild pitched charged to Falcon. Ben Terry opened the inning with a single to rightfield and A.J. Davidiuk added a single of his own to left to put a pair on. Terry then scored the equalizer when he came all the way around from second on a wild pitch that the Spartan battery could not locate.
The Spartans finally broke the tie in the seventh inning when UNCG capitalized on a Furman fielding miscue. Mongiello started the rally with a two-out single to rightfield and then stole second. Wes McCall then hit a routine grounder to Davidiuk at shortstop that was thrown five feet about Joe Daysh at first base, allowing Mongiello to score the go ahead run.
Juniors Guy Welsh and Jermaine Mitchell led the Spartans at the dish as the duo each recorded a pair of hits. Terry finished the contest with a 3-for-4 showing for the Paladins.
UNCG and Furman put the finishing touches on a three-game series when the two teams meet in the rubber match Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Story courtesy of Western Carolina sports information
Davidson 12, Western Carolina 6
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Davidson freshman Chase FitzPatrick, who entered the game with one hit and no RBI, had a home run, a single and four RBI, while Rob Wilson added four hits, to lead Davidson to a 12-6 victory over Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Wildcats, who took advantage of four Catamount errors, improve to 16-26, 5-15 Southern Conference, while Western falls to 24-20, 10-10.
Western jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Tim Hallam and Barrett Shaft hit the first two pitches of the home half up the middle for singles. Steven Strausbaugh then hit a three-run home run to left-center for his SoCon-leading, 16th blast of the season.
Davidson used the long ball in the top of the second to tie the game at 3-3. Alden Crissy, who finished with three hits, and Wilson each had a one-out singles. Blake Osborn reached on a fielder’s choice. On the attempted double play, there was a WCU error, allowing Crissy to score. FitzPatrick made the Catamounts pay for the miscue with a two-run home run to left, his first career home run.
In addition to going 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored at the plate, Osborn (2-5) picked up the win as Davidson’s starter. He allowed seven hits and three runs with no walks and four strikeouts in five innings.
The Wildcats kept the momentum in the third. With two outs, Jat Heafner walked and Gregory Zage reached on an error. Crissy plated Heafner with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Davidson took advantage of Western’s third error to extend its lead to 7-3. Crissey started the frame reaching on an error and Wilson followed with a single. FitzPatrick kept his career day going with a two-run single to left. Shore followed with an RBI single. The Wildcats would put runners on second and third with two outs, but a double play by Western limited the damage.
Western used three doubles in the sixth to trim its deficit to two (7-5). Trey McDaniel doubled and scored on Jonathan Greene’s double. Donnie Wilson hen plated Greene with a double down the left field line.
The Wildcats got those runs back in the seventh to go up 9-5. Heafner, who had a leadoff walk, and moved to second when Zage walked as well. A double play put Heafner on third. Wilson delivered a two-out single and later scored on Osborn’s double to right-center.
Davidson once again took advantage of a WCU error to score three runs in the eighth for a 12-5 lead. After a leadoff walk to Eden, Shore reached on an error. A sacrifice bunt put the runners on third and second. With two outs, Zage tripled to drive in the two. Crissey capped the scoring with an infield RBI single.
In the ninth, Western would load the bases with one out thanks to a Donnie Wilson single, a walk to pinch hitter Scott Ward and Hallam was hit by a pitch. Incidently, with Hallam getting hit by a pitch it marked the 18th he has done so this season, which ties a WCU record. With two outs, Strausbaugh had an RBI single to keep the bases loaded. Heafner entered the game and got the final two outs to close out the game.
For Western, Hallam and Donnie Wilson each had three hits for Western, while Strausbaugh, McDaniel and Greene each had two. Tyler Sexton suffered the loss, falling to 6-5. He allowed seven hits and seven runs (five earned) with two walks and five strikeouts.
Western Carolina and Davidson will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday with first pitch set for 2 pm.
Story courtesy of Wofford sports information
The Citadel 7, Wofford 4
SPARTANBURG, SC -- Five different Bulldogs produced runs for The Citadel and Ryan Owens pitched eight complete innings as The Citadel edged Wofford 7-4 on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field in Spartanburg, SC.
With the win, The Citadel improves to 22-21, 7-10 in the SoCon, while the Terriers drop to 18-29, 4-16 in league games.
Matt Matulia (2-for-5) and Tripp Cappelmann (1-for-3) each drove in two RBI with Chance Smith, Sonny Meade and Brady Mashak each adding one. Kirkley led the Terriers going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two doubles. Bradford Eaves and John Brandt also added one RBI a piece for Wofford.
On the mound, Owens tossed seven strikeouts in his eight innings for the Bulldogs. Link Saunders came into the game in the ninth inning to earn his 13th save of the season, tying the single-season record for The Citadel. Wofford pitcher Lance Player threw eight and two-thirds innings, the longest outing of his career.
The Citadel built an early lead in the first inning. Chris Swauger reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a Sonny Meade single to center field. Zach Brown walked to load the bases, followed by a two RBI Matt Matulia single to left field that drove in Meade and Swauger for a 2-0 lead. Brady Mashak added a run with a hard hit single, scoring Matt Arnold who drew a walk, and Matulia scored when Wofford pitcher Whit Kennedy walked Tripp Capplemann.
The Terriers earned a run in the first inning on two walks and a hit by pitch. John Brandt received the RBI when he drew a walk, bringing in Zach Pittman.
Wofford tied the game in the fifth inning. Ben Austin led off the inning with a single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Eric Sturkie. Pittman was hit by a pitch and Shane Kirkley drove in Pittman and Austin with a double to left center field. Bradford Eaves’ single up the middle drove in Kirkley to tie the game 4-4.
The Citadel responded in the sixth inning with two runs, starting with a lead-off single from Matulia. Arnold was then hit by a pitch, followed by Mashak’s sacrifice bunt which advanced the two runners. Capplemann broke the tie with an RBI, driving in Matulia. Chance Smith finished off the inning for the Bulldogs with an RBI single to centerfield, plating Arnold for a 6-4 Bulldog lead.
The Bulldogs added one run in the ninth inning, starting the drive with Swauger’s triple to centerfield, his eighth on the season, becoming The Citadel’s single-season record in triples. Meade brought Swauger home to clinch the win.
The final game of the conference series will be played on Sunday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m.
Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 7, Georgia Southern 6
ELON, N.C. ? Robert Rodebaugh went 2-for-4 with a career-high tying five runs driven in and one run scored to lead the Elon Phoenix to a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles in front of 1,051 fans at Latham Park. With the victory, Elon equals its most wins since moving to NCAA Division I play and now sits at 34-19 overall and 15-5 in Southern Conference play. The Eagles dropped to 25-20, 11-6.
Elon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Rodebaugh touched off a bomb to dead centerfield for his sixth homer of the season. Riding home on the blast was Paul Bennett who had walked earlier in the inning.
Georgia Southern got one back in the second when Mike Economos hit a solo homer, his sixth of the year and second in the series.
The first three men reached for the Phoenix in the second inning as Pat Irvine doubled down the line in right and both Adam Weaver and Donny Jobe walked. A double play allowed Irvine to score and extend the Elon advantage to 3-1.
In the third, Matt Miller’s single up the middle plated Chris Hollis with the second Eagle run of the night.
With runners on first and second for Georgia Southern with one out, Brett Pelfrey hit a ball deep to right that Grant Rembert grabbed over his shoulder, saving at least one run from scoring. The threat ended with the next batter as Hollis grounded out to second for out number three.
The Eagles tied the score at three in the fifth when Matt Miller lifted his third home run of the season over the right-centerfield wall. They grabbed the lead at 4-3 a couple hitters later when Griffin Benedict doubled home Greg Dowling.
Pelfrey’s sixth longball of the year pushed the Eagle lead to 5-3 in the seventh inning.
Rembert’s double to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning extended his hitting streak to a team-best 14 games. Rembert moved to third on a ground out and scored on Jordy Snyder’s single through the left side of the infield to trim the margin to 5-4. Georgia Southern closer David Cogswell came on and immediately walked Adam Weaver to put runners on first and second with one out. After the second out was recorded, Bennett walked to load the bases. Rodebaugh launched the first pitch he saw to the gap in left, plating all three runs and giving Elon a 7-5 lead.
Georgia Southern’s Jeremiah Parker led off the top of the ninth with a double to right off of Phoenix closer Chad Tilley. Tilley then fanned David Richardson for out number one before Pelfrey singled home Parker.
Price posted a 3-for-5 night for the Phoenix and was the only Elon player other than Rodebaugh with a multi-hit game.
Economos finished his night 3-for-4, a triple short of the cycle. He had one RBI. Miller also tallied a three-hit day for the Eagles, going 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
Jesse Lewter (3-1) picked up the victory in relief of starter Matt Chastain. Lewter went 2.1 innings and did not allow a run on two hits. Tilley picked up his seventh save of the year after throwing the ninth inning. He surrendered one run on two hits.
Cogswell (2-6) took the loss after allowing two runs on one hit in 2/3 of an inning. Starter Dustin Evans went 4.0 innings and gave up three runs on three hits.
Elon will honor its seniors before Sunday’s game three with Georgia Southern from Latham Park. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.