WESTERN CAROLINA 18, THE CITADEL 3
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Western Carolina posted seven runs in the home half of the first inning while starting pitcher Corey Martin allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings as the Catamounts routed The Citadel, 18-3, to outlast the rain and complete the series sweep of the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.
Sunday’s victory gave Western its first series sweep of The Citadel since 1994 when the Catamounts won three-straight over the Bulldogs in Cullowhee.
After sitting the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the first, the Catamounts (17-11, 3-3 SoCon) pushed across all the runs they would need in the home portion of the frame. WCU tallied seven runs on six hits ? all singles ? with a runs also scoring compliments of a passed ball, wild pitch and on a hit batsman.
Junior Barrett Shaft, who finished the day 3-for-4 and the series at 9-for-12, singled to center on the first pitch he saw from Citadel starter, Justin Smith, to open the inning. Classmate Jonathan Greene then laced a one-out single to left center to score Shaft from second, who advanced on a wild pitch. Back-to-back singles from senior transfer John Ingram and Kenny Smith loaded the bases for junior Steven Strausbaugh, who drove in his first of two runs on the day after being hit by a pitch. Ingram came home on a wild pitch, moving runners to second and third before sophomore Andy John hit an RBI single in the hole at short for the 4-0 lead.
A pair of one-out walks to freshmen Nick Liles and Brent Greer, sandwiched around a run-scoring passed ball, chased Smith in place of Chris McGuiness, who started the game as the Bulldog designated hitter. McGuiness surrendered a two-RBI single to Shaft before recording consecutive outs to end the inning.
The Catamounts would add three runs in the bottom of the fourth, using back-to-back doubles from Ingram and Smith to push the first run in before Liles bounced a two-RBI single through the right side to score the seniors and run the lead to 10-0. The advantage was stretched to a dozen as WCU plated one run in both the fifth and sixth. Junior Blake Murphy blasted his sixth home run of the season, drilling the first pitch of the fifth inning over the middle section of the Purple Monster in left for the 11 run lead. Liles scored in the sixth after opening the frame with a single and a two-base error by right fielder Sonny Meade, touching home on the RBI single by Greer.
The Citadel (17-11, 1-5 SoCon) rallied with a three-spot in the top of the seventh, using a three-run home run down the right field line by Meade off of Catamount reliever, Daniel Ottone, to slice the deficit to 12-3. However, the Catamounts erupted again in the home half of the eighth with six runs to provide the final tally, 18-3.
In addition to posting three hits (3-for-4) for his team-best 17th multi-hit game of the season, Shaft also drove in two and scored one run in the third-straight win for WCU. Liles also recorded three hits (3-for-5) and a game-high tying three RBI, with Ingram, Smith and pinch-hitter Tyler Kirkpatrick each racking up two hits a piece, with the latter going 2-for-2.
Martin was perfect through four innings before allowing his only hit of the game, an infield single to second base that was smothered by WCU second baseman, Smith, but did not allow a play to be made to first. The base runner was short-lived, though, as Martin induced a double-play ball, also to Smith, for the first two outs in the frame. Martin finished with a pair of strikeouts and one walk in his first starting appearance of the season, and just the fifth of his career. Catamount pitching, despite surrendering three earned runs, only allowed eight Bulldog base runners on just five base hits, only one of which was for extra bases.
Smith (4-2) suffered the defeat for The Citadel, only lasting a third of an inning while being saddled with seven earned runs, two walks and one strikeout. Right fielder Sonny Meade finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, all coming on the three-run homer.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 21, WOFFORD 9
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Ben Lasater hit for the cycle and scored four times as College of Charleston put up 11 runs in the second inning on the way to a 21-9 win over Wofford on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. With the win, the Cougars take the series 2-1.
Lasater tagged a single, double, triple and a solo home run in a 4-for-6 performance at the plate while scoring four times and driving in a run. The Cougars (20-8, 5-1) knocked 19 hits in the contest including four doubles and two home runs.
Wofford starter Zack Parmer (3-1) had a promising start in the game as he retired the first five batters including two strikeout victims. The Cougars did not take long to figure out the freshman southpaw, however, as they scored 11 runs in the second inning, all with two outs. A walk and a single put two men on base for Charleston before a two-RBI double from catcher Alex Garabedian scored the runners. Charleston followed with four straight base hits, including another two-RBI double from outfielder Stuart Haywood. Wofford called on reliever Tom Dolinak to get out of the inning, but Cougar designated hitter Graham Maiden added three more runs with a blast down the left field line before Dolinak forced a groundout to end the offensive rally.
The Terriers (17-13, 1-5) got on the board in the third with a solo home run by Adam Wood and an RBI single from Emre Caglayan. Wood hammered an opposite field blast to score Wofford's first run, recording his first homer of the season in the process. Catcher Adam Kearney followed with a double and scored on the next at bat when Emre Caglayan singled to right-center field.
Charleston would take an 18-2 lead in the top of the fourth. Lasater opened the inning with a triple after a diving Caglayan could not come up with a line drive down the right field line. Michael Harrington followed with an RBI single to score Lasater. After a walk put men on first and second, Maiden hit a ground ball to Wood, who opted for the double play opportunity at second base. Wood's throw was off line, however, and skipped into left field allowing Harrington to score and Michael Kohn to reach third. Back-to-back singles from Cougar catcher Alex Garabedian and outfielder Gabe Marchant would score the runners before another RBI base hit from Chris Campbell, and a bases-loaded hit batter and walk added the final runs of the inning.
Following an RBI single from Harrington in the sixth, Charleston would score on another bases-loaded hit batter to take a 20-2 lead. Lasater led off the inning with a double and scored on the next at bat when Harrington singled. After two walks loaded the bases, shortstop Oliver Marmol took a pitch in the elbow to turn the wheel and score Harrington. The run was one of three for Harrington, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in Sunday's outing.
The Terriers clawed back to score five runs in the sixth. Wofford went to the bench and called on four pinch hitters in the inning who all reached base and scored to cut the Cougar lead to 20-7. Mo Seay started the rally with a lead-off double and Steven Fusaro followed with a walk to put men on first and second. A fielding error by Charleston second baseman Joey Bergman allowed Nick Yeaw to reach first and load the bases for Kearney, who came through with a double down the left field line to score two. Pinch hitter Kyle Behrendt matched Kearney with another two-run double and scored on the next at bat when Michael Gilmartin singled to right field.
In the next half inning, Lasater completed the cycle after mashing a solo shot to put Charleston up 21-7.
Seay matched Lasater's solo blast with one of his own in the bottom of the seventh to regain the run and narrow the deficit to 21-8. The homer was the first blast of Seay's college career as he reached new career highs with two runs and two hits.
Fusaro added another solo bomb in the top of the ninth for his first of the season as well. The run was the second of the game for Fusaro, who came into today’s contest with only one at bat on the season.
Michael Bunton (3-0) picked up the win for the Cougars after holding Wofford to four runs and five hits over five innings while striking out two and walking three. Parmer (3-1) took the loss for Wofford after allowing eight runs on six hits over 1 2/3 innings of work.
APPALACHIAN 4, FURMAN 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Tom Prosser’s RBI single in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and helped Appalachian State to a 4-3 win and series sweep of Furman in Southern Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Furman Stadium.
Prosser’s decisive hit plated Issac Harrow, who was hit by a Nick Hollstegge pitch to lead off the frame and advanced to third on David Towarnicky’s single. Towarnicky later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Baker to complete the rally.
Garrett Sherrill (6-2) earned the win in relief after pitching the final 3 1/3 innings in relief of Mountaineer starter Aubrey Edens. Sherrill gave up an RBI single to Will Stembridge in the eighth but rallied to retire Paul Ortenzo on a groundout to strand runners at second and third. In the ninth Sherrill surrendered a pair of infield singles but managed to escape a one-out, first and third situation, allowing the Moutaineers to hang on for the win.
The victory marked the sixth straight win for Appalachian State (18-11, 7-2 SoCon) and fifth consecutive setback for Furman (8-19, 4-5 SoCon).
The Paladins committed three errors in the contest, giving them 13 miscues in the series. The three-game sweep was the fourth suffered by Furman this year and third sustained at home. Furman is hitting just .225 over its last five games and only .274 on the season, 50 points below last year’s .324 clip.
Nick Hollstegge (0-3) absorbed the loss for Furman after allowing two runs, just one of which was earned, on four hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief. He walked one and struck out two.
Furman starting pitcher Mason Smith was forced to leave the game due to a left wrist injury sustained while attempting to complete a double play at first base in the second inning. The Paladin junior finished the inning and went back to the mound in the third but was unable to continue.
Prosser, Harrow, and Jason Rook had two hits each for Appalachian State, which totaled 10 hits in the contest. Furman also had 10 hits, including two each by Stembridge, Connor Lind, Spence Gibbs, and Jay Jackson.
The Paladins broke on top with a pair of runs in the second inning off Mountaineer starting pitcher Aubrey Edens. With two outs, Lind singled, Gibbs walked, and Bobby Hubbard was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tony Maccani then singled through the left side to give Furman a 2-0 lead.
Appalachian State got on the board in the fifth on Nick DeRose’s RBI bunt single that scored Prosser.
The Mountaineers tied the game in the sixth when Prosser worked a bases loaded walk off Hollstegge to score Andrew Franco.
ASU then scored twice in the eighth, highlighted by Prosser’s go-ahead single, to go up 4-2.
After making it 4-3 with a run in the eighth, Furman appeared poised to tie the game in the ninth after Joe Daysh and Connor Lind delivered a pair of infield singles to put runners at first and third with one out. Spence Gibbs failed, however, to get the tying run home following a weak pop up to shortstop, and Bobby Hubbard grounded out to end the contest.
ELON 4, DAVIDSON 3
ELON, N.C. ? The Elon Phoenix completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Davidson Wildcats in Southern Conference baseball action from Latham Park, using some timely hitting and key defensive plays to earn a 4-3 win. The Phoenix now sits at 17-14 overall and 7-2 in league play while the Wildcats fell to 15-15, 4-5 after the sweep.
The Phoenix got the scoring started in the bottom of the third inning. Matt Hill led off with a walk and went to third on a failed pick off attempt. Chris Dove drove Hill in with a blooper down the rightfield line and went to second when the Wildcat outfielder mishandled the ball. Dove moved to third on Adam Weaver’s league-leading 12th sacrifice bunt on the year. After Pat Irvine walked, Chris Vasami was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rob Wilson got Davidson out of the jam by getting Ryan Addison to ground a ball back to the mound for a force out at the plate and then got Mike Melillo to fly out to center to end the inning,
Alden Crissey started the Davidson fourth with a double to left before Gregory Zage walked. Wilson moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt before Blake Osborn drew a walk to load the bases. A four-pitch walk to Chris FitzPatrick plated the tying run in Crissey. Zage came home to give the Wildcats the lead on a sac fly from J.P. Craven.
With one down in the bottom of the fourth, Jordy Snyder walked and stole second. A passed ball let Snyder move to third. After the second out was recorded, Dove tripled to right, driving home Snyder to even the score at two.
Wilson doubled with one away in the top of the sixth and Jesse Lewter walked Osborn to give the Wildcats two runners before Brian Ebert came in from the pen for Elon. FitzPatrick loaded the bases with an infield single to bring Craven to the plate. Elon turned the ball over to Tom Porter at this point. Porter threw one pitch and got Craven to ground into a 5-2-3 double play to end the Davidson scoring threat.
Back-to-back singles from Weaver and Irvine put runners on first and second to start the bottom of the eighth. Vasami was hit for the second time on the day to load the bases. Ryan Addison lifted a fly ball to center, but it was not deep enough to allow Weaver to tag and score. On a third strike to Melillo, the ball bounced away from the Wildcat catcher and allowed Weaver to score the go-ahead run. Both Irvine and Vasami also moved up a base. Drew Davis drove home Irvine with an infield single that left runners on the corners.
The ?Cats trimmed the Elon lead to 4-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth when Hugh Eden singled home FitzPatrick. Porter then walked Zach Kayne on four pitches to bring Matt Webb to the plate. Porter got out of the jam by getting Webb to fly out to left.
Porter earned the victory to improve to 2-2 after throwing 3.2 innings and allowing one run on three hits. He also fanned three. Lewter went 5.1 innings and gave up two runs on four hits and struck out six Wildcats.
Wilson took the loss and fell to 1-3 after throwing a complete game. He surrendered four runs on six hits and struck out two.
Dove went 2-for-4 with two RBI while Irvine also banged out two hits to lead Elon at the plate.
Crissey went 3-for-4 with a run and FitzPatrick added two hits in three trips to the plate and scored once and drove in one to lead Davidson.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 9, UNC GREENSBORO 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Georgia Southern reliever David Cogswell allowed no runs and just two hits in three innings on the hill as UNC Greensboro fell, 9-2, to the Eagles in game three of the three-game Southern Conference series Sunday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Cogswell struck out two batters and gave up one walk to earn his first win of the season. GSU starter Aaron Eubanks gave up two hits and did not allow a run in 3-2/3 innings of work.
Freshman Alex Shelton (1-3) took the loss after allowing four runs and four hits in 4-1/3 innings on the mound. Shelton struck out a game-high six batters.
GSU (17-16, 1-5-0 SoCon) pushed across three runs in the visiting half third beginning with a RBI single by Mike Economos. Justin Klinger followed with a deep two-run home run to right center for the 3-0 lead. The Eagles added another run in the fifth after Brett Maxwell hit a solo home run over the leftfield fence, his first of the season.
UNCG (14-14-0, 3-3-0 SoCon) got on the board in the fifth, making it 4-1 in favor of GSU. Greg Feltes hit a bases-loaded groundout to score Matt Gaski, who singled to open the inning. The Eagles, however, quickly responded and picked up three runs in the sixth. With runners on each base and one out, Brian Pierce hit a bases-clearing double to deep left-center, putting GSU up 7-1.
The Eagles plated two runs in the seventh on a triple by Griffin Benedict.
A.J. Wirnsberger and Economos opened the inning with singles and were brought home after Benedict sent a one-out triple to right-center, 9-1. The Spartans tacked on a run late in the ninth after pinch-hitter Jake Linney hit a two-out RBI double to right-center, but GSU closer A.J. Battisto retired the final batter to end the game.
Gaski led UNCG at the plate and went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while senior Guy Welsh finished 2-for-4 on the afternoon.