DAVIDSON 13, WOFFORD 10
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Blake Osborn drove in two runs and scored four times, including the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, to lead Davidson to a 13-10 win over Wofford Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. With the win, Davidson avoids the sweep, but Wofford takes the series 2-1.
Davidson (16-21, 5-10) rallied for four runs with two outs in the eighth inning to erase a 10-9 deficit. The game featured six lead changes and four home runs, as Keith Munns and Michael Gilmartin both added their seventh homers of the season for Wofford while Alden Crissey and Rob Wilson both went yard for the Wildcats.
Terrier outfielder Emre Caglayan gave Wofford (19-18, 3-9) a one-run lead in the third inning after leading off with a double and scoring on a groundout to shortstop by Bradford Eaves. The run was the first of two in the game for Caglayan, who set a career high with four hits in his five at bats to bring his batting average to .317 on the season.
Davidson struck back in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by Crissey and back-to-back doubles from Osborn and Chris Fitzpatrick to take a 3-1 lead. Crissey led off the inning with a solo blast to left-center field, and Wilson followed with a base hit to right field. Osborn would drive in Wilson from first base with a double on the next at bat before Fitzpatrick came through with another double down the right field line to score Osborn.
The Terriers regained the lead in the fourth when Gilmartin and Munns both mashed homers with two outs to add five runs and put Wofford up 6-3. Sterling Dye reached base with a two-out single, and Munns yanked a bomb to left-center for his second homer of the series. A walk to Adam Kearney and another base hit from Caglayan put two more men on base for Gilmartin, who pulled a 3-1 fastball over the right field fence to score three more runs.
Dye added another run in the fifth for Wofford with an RBI single. Dye drove in third baseman Brandon Waring, who opened the inning with a single and stole second for his 10th stolen base of the season. The base hit was one of three for Dye, who finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Davidson narrowed the deficit to 7-6 with a three-run sixth inning. The Wildcats opened the inning with three straight base hits, including an RBI single from Fitzpatrick that scored Wilson from second base. After a walk loaded the bases, Zach Kayne hit a ground ball to the right side that Terrier second baseman Shane Kirkley bobbled, allowing a run to score and the bases to remain loaded. Brett Shore added another run with a potential double play ground ball to Gilmartin at shortstop, but Wofford could only manage to convert one out on the play while another run crossed the plate. With only one out and runners on first and third, Waring snagged a hard-hit line drive to record the second out and keep the runners at bay, and reliever Lance Player escaped the threat by forcing a pop up on the next at bat to keep the Wofford lead intact.
Wofford would regain one of the runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Kirkley, but Davidson took back the lead in the top of the seventh with another three-run rally. Gregory Zage reached base on a fielding error to lead off the inning after his fly ball popped out of the glove of Wofford’s left fielder. Osborn made Wofford pay for the error with an RBI double to score Zage before Wofford went to its bullpen and called on senior hurler Charles Vartanian. The Wildcats would add two more runs in the inning, however, on a tweener through the left side by Fitzpatrick that scored Osborn, and a double to left field by Kayne to score Fitzpatrick.
Wofford came back with two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to regain a one run lead. After Dye opened the inning with a single, Munns was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second for designated hitter Kearney. Kearney put down a sacrifice bunt to pitcher Sean Lennox, who opted for the force out at third but overthrew his target which allowed Dye to score and Munns to reach third. The Wildcats then called on their closer/shortstop Matt Webb to escape the threat, but Emre Caglayan tagged him for a base hit to drive in Munns. Wofford tried to put up another run with a sacrifice bunt from Gilmartin, but Wilson, who came out of the DH spot to play first base when Webb came to the mound, fielded the ball and fired to the plate just in time to tag out pinch runner Chuck Eller.
Down 10-9 entering the eighth inning, Wilson mashed a solo home run down the left field line with two outs to tie the game. Davidson then loaded the bases on back-to-back base hits and a walk before Kayne sent two runners across the plate with a single to right field, while another scored on a Wofford throwing error on the same play.
Wofford would put runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth, but Webb (2-1) ended the inning with a strikeout before retiring the side in order in the ninth to earn the win. Webb held Wofford to two hits and no runs over the final three innings while striking out five of his 10 batters faced. Vartanian (0-1) took the loss for Wofford after allowing the go ahead run in the eighth.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 14, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 9
STATESBORO, GA. ? Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) tied a career-high of four hits and Georgia Southern hit a pair of 3-run homers, but it was not enough losing 14-9 to Charleston Sunday afternoon (April 15). The Eagles (20-20 overall and 3-9 Southern Conference) fell short in winning the series.
Michael Harrington put the Cougars ahead 3-0 in the first inning, hitting his sixth home run this season. However, the Eagles came right back to tie the game.
Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) reached on an infield single with one out. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) hit a sharp grounder to Oliver Marmol at shortstop, who bobbled the ball and both runners were safe. Justin Klinger (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) homered for the third straight weekend series, a 3-run blast to centerfield which tied the game.
Charleston (27-9, 10-2) used a leadoff single, hit batter, sacrifice bunt and another hit batter to load the bases in the top of the second inning. Stuart Haywood hit a RBI single then Chris Campbell lined a 2-run single for a 6-3 lead. A failed pickoff attempt at second base by Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange) helped Charleston extend its lead to 7-3. During that at-bat Gabe Marchant lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Graham Maiden.
Benedict hit an infield popup that no Cougar could come up with.Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) singled through the left side, which set the stage for Mike Economos (Atlanta/Marist). The senior hit his sixth home run of the season, a shot to straightaway centerfield, cutting the deficit to 7-6.
The first five Cougars scored in the top of the fourth, extending the lead to 12-6. Harrington hit his second home run of the game and Alex Garabedian added a 3-run shot. Haywood lined a leadoff homerun in the fifth, making it 13-6.
Shehan and Wirnsberger drew a walk to start the sixth. Benedict and Parker hit back-to-back RBI singles with one out, cutting the deficit to 13-8. Charleston threatened in the eighth, putting two runners in scoring position with no one out. With the infield pulled in, a groundout and infield popup accounted for the first two outs. A.J. Battisto (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) entered the game and promptly picked Joey Bergman off second base to end the frame.
Benedict tied his career-high, thanks to a leadoff single in the eighth. Parker lined a double down the left field line, his fourth double in the last five games, and Benedict beat the throw home cutting the Cougars’ lead to 13-9. Charleston added an insurance run in the ninth.
Murray (3-5) gave up seven runs (six earned) on six hits in 2.2 innings. He walked one, struck out two but hit four batters. John Ducey (Augusta/Westside) got the final out of the third inning, but was charged for four runs on four hits.
David Cogswell (Toccoa/Stephens County), who had not given up a run in seven outings, allowed two runs on nine hits while throwing a career-high 4.2 innings.
Benedict scored twice and drove in a run. Parker finished 3-for-3 with two RBI. Shehan and Wirnsberger scored two runs each.
Russ Tomlinson (4-1) came on in relief during the fourth and finished the game. He allowed three runs on four hits in 5.1 innings. Starter Michael Bunton gave up six runs on eight hits. Campbell and Garabedian had four hits apiece.