ELON 19, DAVIDSON 7
ELON, N.C. ? The Elon Phoenix erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to erase a 5-3 deficit and then cruised to a 19-7 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Davidson Wildcats from Latham Park on Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix improved its record to 16-14 overall and 6-2 in SoCon play and has now won nine consecutive Southern Conference series. The Wildcats dropped their record to 15-14, 4-4 and have now dropped three straight games.
Elon went on top 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Chris Vasami left the yard for the third time this season with a blast to left-center. Ryan Addison followed with a single through the right side of the infield and stole second before Pat Irvine doubled down the leftfield line to plate Addison.
Back-to-back one-out doubles down the leftfield line from Jordy Snyder and Matt Hill upped Elon’s advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
Davidson got its first two runners aboard in the third as Tommy Piacenza reached on a catcher’s interference and Brett Shore put down a bunt single. Zach Kayne’s sacrifice moved both runners up before Matt Webb lifted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Piacenza with Davidson’s first run of the series.
Gregory Zage led off the Davidson fourth with a double down the rightfield line. Rob Wilson’s single through the left side put runners on the corners and brought Blake Osborn to the plate. Osborn lined a 3-1 pitch from Will Romanowicz into left to push Zage across the plate and pull the Wildcats within 3-2. An Elon error loaded the bases with no outs and Davidson tied the score at 3-3 on Piacenza’s sac fly to right that drove in Wilson. Kayne’s sinking liner into center fell for a single that plated Osborn with the go-ahead run. Webb followed with a screamer through the left side of the Phoenix infield to score the fourth run of the frame.
Elon answered in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Addison walked and stole second. Irvine’s infield single looked as if the Phoenix would have runners on the corners, but the throw from the Wildcat shortstop was wide at first and allowed Addison to score and Irvine to move to second. Davidson’s Thomas Middour plunked Drew Davis and Chase Austin on 1-1 pitches to load the bases. Snyder grounded a ball to third and the Wildcats threw home to erase Irvine, but the bases remained loaded for Hill. Hill chopped a ball down the third base line that Davidson let roll to see if it would go foul, but the ball hit the bag at third for an infield single and plated Davis to knot the game at five. Elon went back on top on Chris Dove’s infield single as Austin scored. On the play, the ball sailed past the first baseman and Snyder crossed the plate while Hill moved to third and Dove to second. After Weaver walked to load the bases back up, Vasami singled up the middle to drive home two more and put the Phoenix up 9-5. Addison then cleared the bases with his sixth homer of the season, a three-run shot to left-center.
Zach Booker led off the Elon sixth with a pinch-hit solo homer to left, extending the Elon lead to 13-5. The bomb was Booker’s second of the 2007 campaign.
Three straight base hits with two outs in the top of the seventh scored two runs for Davidson. Both Zage and Alden Crissey scampered home on Wilson’s double off the wall in left which provided the final runs of the game for the Wildcats.
Elon tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the seventh on four hits and three Wildcat errors.
Romanowicz picked up the win to move to 4-1 on the season. He went 6.2 innings and allowed seven runs (four earned) on 10 hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. Daniel Britt and Greg Jones combined to give up no runs on three hits while fanning four over the final 2.1 innings of action for Elon.
Taking the loss for Davidson was Thomas Middour who dipped to 4-2. He was touched up for nine runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. He walked three and struck out one. Sean Lennox was the only one of four Wildcat pitchers who did not allow a run or hit. Lennox threw 1.1 shutout innings.
Offensively, Elon was led by Vasami’s 3-for-5, three-run, three-RBI performance and Addison’s 2-for-3, three-run, four-RBI outing. With his day, Vasami moved into a tie for ninth on Elon’s all-time home runs list with 22 and also moved into ninth place on Elon’s career RBI list with 119. Matt Hill added two hits in four trips to the dish and scored once and drove in two.
Davidson was led by Webb and Wilson who had two RBI each. Crissey, Zage, Wilson and Osborne all logged two-hit games.
WESTERN CAROLINA 12, THE CITADEL 5
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Western Carolina sent fifteen batters to the plate in the home half of the seventh inning with nine of them crossing home plate as the Catamounts rallied from a 5-3 deficit to win game two of the three-game series, 12-5, over The Citadel Saturday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.
Western was lead by junior Barrett Shaft who hit 3-for-4 for the second-straight day adding three RBI. His classmate, Jonathan Greene, was a perfect 3-for-3 with one driven in while freshman Nick Liles went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Along with Greene, junior Steven Strausbaugh also scored a pair of runs in the game with freshman infielder Brent Greer recording three runs scored on a 1-for-4 outing, reaching three times on Bulldog errors.
The Citadel (17-10, 1-4 SoCon) used a three-run top of the sixth inning ? including a two-run home run to left by Trey Thomas ? to erase Western’s early 3-1 advantage. However, the Catamounts erupted in the home half of the seventh by scoring nine runs, chasing Bulldog starter Matt Crim for reliever Raymond Copenhaver, who entered the day with a 1.82 ERA.
Copenhaver failed to record an out in the seventh as Greer reached base on an error to open the frame, later scoring on a Shaft double which was followed by a Blake Murphy single and that was all for the right-handed freshman. Reliever Matt Reifsnider, entering with nobody out, gave up a single to Greene which scored Shaft to tie the game, 5-5, still without an out having been recorded.
With runners on first and second John Ingram laid down a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher Reifsnider who threw to third where Murphy slid in safely to load the bases. Smith grounded out to shortstop, but drove in Murphy on the play, to put the Catamounts back in the lead, 6-5. After a Strausbaugh walk, Liles drove in two more Catamount base-runners on a single to the gap, giving Western an 8-5 lead still with only one out recorded. The rally continued as Andy John was hit by a Reifsnider pitch, again loading the bases for Greer who reached on a throwing error for the second time in the frame. The error by the short stop Jordan allowed Liles and Strausbaugh to score for the Cats. Shaft then drove in his game-high third run of the day on a sacrifice fly followed by three-consecutive walks to plate the final run of the frame giving the Catamounts a seven-run lead, 12-5, after seven innings.
All told, The Citadel used five different hurlers in the bottom of the seventh inning alone.
After the nine-run seventh inning Catamount reliever Bryan Corbett pitched a perfect eighth inning followed by freshman Ryne Nelson tossing a one walk and one strikeout ninth to seal the series win over The Citadel.
Western Carolina starting pitcher Drew Saberhagen (2-1) did not factor into the pitching decision as he allowed five runs and only one walk in 6.2 innings pitched for his fourth no decision of the season. Freshman reliever Chris Masters (4-2), who worked one third of an inning, earned the victory allowing just one hit in two batters faced.
The Citadel’s Copenhaver dropped to 1-1 on the season, failing to record and out while allowing two hits and three runs against three Catamount hitters.
APPALACHIAN STATE 7, FURMAN 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Jason Rook pitched seven strong innings and Jerod Faggart homered and drove in three runs to power Appalachian State to a 7-1 win over Furman in Southern Conference baseball action Saturday evening at Furman Stadium.
The win marked the sixth straight triumph for Appalachian State (17-11, 6-2 SoCon) and the fourth consecutive loss for Furman (8-18, 4-4 SoCon). The Mountaineers will attempt to complete their second straight league series sweep in Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. finale.
Rook (4-3) surrendered only five hits and a walk while striking out five. Bobby Hubbard’s solo home run in the seventh accounted for Furman’s lone run. The Paladins managed only seven hits in the contest and committed three errors, giving them 10 miscues in the series’ first two games.
The Mountaineers, meanwhile, collected 10 hits, nine of which came in the first five innings against Paladin starting and losing pitcher Jay Jackson (1-2).
One of the few bright spots for Furman was the work of freshman reliever Ian Parry, who allowed only one hit in four shutout innings of work.
Appalachian State would score all the runs it would need in the second inning in taking a 2-0 lead. Isaac Harrow drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on David Towarnicky’s double to left centerfield. Faggert followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Harrow, and Towarnicky scored after Furman second baseman Marcus Rose dropped a pop fly off the bat of Nick DeRose.
The Mountaineers made it 4-0 in the fourth. Faggert was hit by a Jackson pitch to lead off, and moved around to third on Chris Baker’s soft single down the left field line. Baker then stole second, and advanced to third after Paladin catcher Nick Karow’s throw to second bounced into the outfield, allowing Faggert to score. Tom Prosser capped the two-run frame with a sacrifice fly that plated Baker.
ASU took control of the contest in the fiifth with three runs, highlighted by a solo home run by Andrew Franco and Faggert’s two-run blast to left field that stretched the Mountaineer advantage to 7-0.
Furman broke through in the seventh with Hubbard’s lead off home run. Will Stembridge and Jay Jackson followed with back-to-back singles and advanced on a wild pitch before Rook settled down to retire Cole Franklin on a short fly to centerfield and Karow on a groundout.
Zach Quate and Brandon Graves worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings to preserve the victory for the Mountaineers.
UNC GREENSBORO 7, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? UNC Greensboro defeated Georgia Southern in game two of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon as the Spartans claimed a 7-6 Southern Conference win
Sophomore Greg Martin (1-0) picked up the win and didn’t allow a GSU run or hit in 2-1/3 innings of work. Starter Matt Gibbs picked up three strikeouts in 2-1/3 innings, while Clinton McKinney finished with a game-high six strikeouts in relief.
Kyle Kamppi (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in 3-1/3 innings on the mound.
UNCG (14-13, 3-2 SoCon) jumped out to the early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Junior Scott Schneider sent a two-out double to right field to score Matt Gaski from second. Greg Feltes followed with a single to left to bring Schneider home.
GSU (16-16, 0-5 SoCon) scored three runs in the third to take its first lead of the game. Chris Shehan singled to score Jeremy Beckham from third and Mike Economos singled to right to bring Shehan and Matt Miller home.
The Spartans quickly answered with two runs in the same inning to go up 4-3. Tim Carrier opened with a double down the left field line and scored on a groundout from Guy Welsh. Two batters later, Sean Snell sent a RBI single to center, giving UNCG the one-run lead.
Kyle Blackburn gave the Eagles the 5-4 advantage in the fifth after he sent a two-run home run deep to centerfield. A.J. Wirnsberger singled and stole second before Blackburn hit his third homer of the year. Freshman Corey Overholtzer answered for UNCG in the sixth after he laced a two-run roundtripper over the right field wall, 6-5 UNCG.
Shehan tied the game at 6-6 after hitting his sixth homer of the year over left in the seventh. However, with the bases loaded in same inning, UNCG used a two-out RBI single by Brandon Harvey to take the 7-6 lead.
Martin retired the five batters over the last two innings to record his first win of the season. Schneider finished 3-for-4 with a RBI, while Feltes and Carrier each went 2-for-3 from behind the plate.
WOFFORD 8, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 5
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Ben Austin held College of Charleston to four hits and four runs over six innings before Charles Vartanian took over to complete an 8-5 Wofford win Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The victory was the first Southern Conference win of the season for Wofford and the first SoCon loss for College of Charleston.
Austin (7-2) allowed only three earned runs to record his team-high seventh win of the season. Vartanian notched his first save after taking over in the seventh and holding the Cougars to one run on four hits. Vartanian struck out three while walking none.
College of Charleston (19-8, 4-1) scored first on a fielding error in the opening inning. Oliver Marmol reached first base after being hit by a pitch to open the game and advanced two bases on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout to shortstop. Austin nearly escaped the inning unharmed, but shortstop Michael Gilmartin mishandled a ground ball to allow Marmol to score.
Bradford Eaves tied the game in the bottom half of the first for Wofford with a solo shot to left field for his third round-tripper of the season. Eaves went 3-for-4 in the game with one RBI and one run score.
Wofford (17-12, 1-4) added two more runs in the second on back-to-back RBI doubles from Adam Wood and Emre Caglayan. Sterling Dye led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from catcher Keith Munns. Wood followed with a two-bagger to left-center field to score Dye, and Caglayan matched Wood with another double to left to give Wofford a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Dye showcased his arm from right field to complete a double play and save a run. With Stuart Haywood on second following a leadoff double, Chris Campbell flew out to Dye in right. Haywood tagged up on the fly ball and sped toward third, but Dye gunned the ball to third baseman Brandon Waring, who put the tag on Haywood in time to complete the double play.
Wofford used the momentum to add two more runs in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI single from Wood. Shane Kirkley singled to left field to open the inning and advanced to second on a fielder's choice throwing error by Cougar third baseman Ben Lasater. Charleston starter Jeff Beliveau struck out the next two batters, but Wood made the Cougars pay for the error with a bases loaded single to right field to score two for a 5-1 lead.
Charleston struck back with a two-run homer in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-3. First baseman Michael Kohn reached base on a walk and outfielder Alex Garabedian slammed a two-run bomb to left-center to put the Cougars within two.
The Terriers matched the two-run shot with another multi-run blast from catcher Keith Munns in the fifth. Munns roped a 1-0 fastball to left field to score John Brandt, who reached first on an error by Marmol.
The Cougars pulled within two again in the seventh. Marmol led off with a double before Wofford went to its bullpen in favor of Vartanian. Vartanian got Haywood to ground out, but Campbell followed with an RBI double to score Marmol. Following a wild pitch that advanced Campbell to third, Vartanian forced two groundouts to end the inning, but the Cougars managed to score Campbell on the first force out.
Gilmartin gave Wofford an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI double to score Munns. The run was one of two in the game for Munns, who was 1-for-1 with two RBIs and two walks.
With an 8-5 lead entering the eighth, Vartanian went to work and held the Cougars without a run over the final two innings. Vartanian encountered a jam in the eighth with two men on and one out, but the senior flamethrower struck out the next two batters to escape the threat unharmed.
Jeff Beliveau (2-1) took the loss for College of Charleston after allowing seven runs - four earned - and nine hits over five innings. Beliveau struck out five and walked one.