WOFFORD 16, TENNESSEE 9
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Brandon Waring and John Brandt combined for nine RBIs as Wofford scored 16 runs over the final three innings to claim a 16-9 win over Tennessee Wednesday night at Russell C. King Field.
Despite drawing two walks, including an intentional free pass to first, Waring managed to drive in four runs and score twice for his team-leading 55th run of the season. Brandt added the exclamation point to the comeback victory with a grand slam in the eighth ? the first of his career ? to drive in five runs, which matches a career high set in 2005.
Wofford (21-21, 4-11 SoCon) trailed 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before scoring twice with back-to-back sacrifice fly balls. The Volunteers reclaimed the runs in the top of the seventh, but Wofford strung together a season-high nine runs in the bottom of the seventh to take an 11-9 lead. Brandt sealed the comeback with a grand slam in the eighth as the Terriers added five runs in their last at bat.
Charles Vartanian picked up his 13th career save in the victory to tie the school’s all-time saves record set by George Lehr from 1999-2002.
Tennessee (23-18) got on the board quickly with a three-run two-out rally in the first inning. Shawn Griffin drove in the first two runs with a two-out double down the left field line to score Yan Gomes and J.P. Arencibia. After Gomes reached on a fielder’s choice and Arencibia walked, Griffin slammed a deep fly ball to left field that Brandt followed to the warning track, but could not hang on to after slamming into the fence. Griffin would score on the next at bat on a throwing error by Wofford starter Tom Dolinak, who overthrew his first baseman after fielding a bunt single by Danny Lima.
In the top of the third, Wofford center fielder Emre Caglayan made a diving catch on a tailing line drive to the outfield with runners on first and second to save a run. The Volunteers would come away from the inning with a 4-0 lead, however, after Gomes scored on a wild pitch following a leadoff walk.
Tennessee took a 7-0 lead in the fourth after scoring three runs without managing a single hit. Left fielder Jarred Frazier was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Andy Simunic followed with a ground ball to Dolinak, who was late in firing to second base for the double play to allow both runners to stay on base. A sacrifice bunt from leadoff man Julio Barbon advanced the runners into scoring position, and a wild pitch allowed Frazier to score from third. After Tony Delmonico walked, Wofford went to its bullpen and called in southpaw Chip Hunt to take the mound. Delmonico stole second to put runners in scoring position again, but Hunt would allow only one more run in the inning on an RBI fielder’s choice fly ball to right field that Sterling Dye cut off and threw to second for a force out.
Hunt would cruise through the next two innings while allowing only one hit. With the Volunteer offense held in check, Wofford began to chip away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Dye showcased his speed again after dropping a bunt single down the first base line and beating reliever Bryan Powell to the bag. Shane Kirkley followed with a double down the left field line to advance Dye to third, and Waring and Brandt hit back-to-back sacrifice flies to score the runners.
Tennessee regained the runs in the next inning on back-to-back RBI base hits from Lima and Ryan Jones. Designated hitter Shawn Griffin reached third with a triple, and Lima drove him in with a single through the right side. Lima would then steal second and score on a double from Jones before Hunt forced the next two batters out to end the inning.
The Terrier bats finally came alive in the bottom of the seventh as Wofford batted around the order to score nine runs and take an 11-9 lead. Brandon Waring hit a bases-loaded double to bring Wofford within one run, and Caglayan tied it by driving in Waring with a single. Sturkie gave the Terriers the go-ahead runs with a two-run two-out double off the left-center field wall. Caglayan led off the inning with a double, and following another base hit by first baseman Adam Wood, Sturkie would drive in Wofford’s speedy center fielder with a base hit to center field. Leadoff man Michael Gilmartin walked to load the bases, and Dye and Kirkley added back-to-back RBI base hits to score two and keep the bases loaded for Waring at the cleanup spot. Waring would then rip a double down the left field line to clear the bases and bring Wofford within one run. Tennessee reliever Ryne Simpson retired the next two batters, but Caglayan tied the game with an RBI single before scoring the go-ahead runs along with Wood on Sturkie’s two-run double.
Wofford would get some insurance with a five-run eighth inning that featured a grand slam by Brandt and a sacrifice fly by Wood. Brandt’s four-run blast scored Dye, Kirkley and Waring after the trio reached base on back-to-back hit by pitches and an intentional walk to Waring. Caglayan tripled after the Brandt homer and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Wood.
With the lead in hand, Wofford called on Vartanian to close out the final two innings. The senior flame-thrower retired six straight batters, including two strikeouts, to preserve the lead and pick up the 13th save of his career, tying the school record.
Chip Hunt (2-2) picked up the win for Wofford after holding the Vols to two runs and four hits over 3 2/3 innings while striking out two. Zane Stone (1-1) took the loss for Tennessee after giving up four runs, including the go-ahead run, over 2/3 of an inning.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 13, GEORGIA STATE 9
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern fell behind early but scored 11 unanswered runs during the middle innings to defeat Georgia State 13-9 Wednesday afternoon (April 25) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles
(24-22 overall) completed the two-game sweep of their in-state rival.
The Panthers (20-22) jumped on the board quickly in the first inning. Charlie Pelt hit his second home run of the series, and 10th this season, a 2-run shot to right field on John Ducey’s (Augusta/Westside) 3-2 pitch with one out. Luke Gordon followed with a triple to centerfield. The infield was pulled in when Matt Van Horn hit a sharp grounder that went off Ducey’s glove to second baseman Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin). His throw home to Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) easily got Gordon out at the plate. Ducey got a strikeout to end the inning.
Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) knocked the first of his two doubles in the game to start the second inning. Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) lined a single to centerfield. Shehan held up at third but scored the Eagles’ first run when Eric Suttle bobbled the ball. Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) hit a grounder that went through the legs of shortstop Chase Childers, allowing Southwell to tie the game.
Georgia State plated four runs in the fourth inning. Dusty Bennett lined a 2-run single. Suttle hit a RBI single then two batters later a throwing error on a potential double play ball allowed another run to score, giving the Panthers a 6-2 lead. But from there it was all Georgia Southern.
Some clutch two-out hitting during the Eagles’ half of the frame tied the game. A single from Southwell, and Pierce and Beckham getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases. Relief pitcher Joel Reeves (2-1) got the second out of the inning. Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) lined a 2-run double down the right field line. Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) delivered a single to left field that tied the game.
Shehan led off the fifth hitting his second double, number 14 this season for the sophomore third baseman. He eventually scored on Pierce’s single with two outs that bounced over the head of third baseman Bradley Logan.
The Eagles broke the game open in the sixth, scoring six times. Mike Economos (Atlanta/Marist) doubled down the left field line to start the inning. Miller greeted Robert Hasenfelt by taking his first pitch over the right field fence. Parker scored when the Eagles hit into a double play.
A wild pitch brought home the fourth run of the inning. A single from David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) then walk to Pierce and Beckham reaching on an error loaded the bases. Economos delivered a 2-run single to centerfield extending the lead to 13-6.
Georgia State scored three times in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Kevin Dooley hit a two-out double that scored two Panthers.
Miller finished 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs, including his second home run this year and team-leading 16th double. Economos finished 2-for-2 with two RBI while Shehan added two hits and scored twice. Richardson went 2-for-5 as six different Eagles turned in a multi-hit effort. Southwell tied his personal-high with three hits and scored three runs. Parker added three hits and two RBI as the Eagles banged out 16 hits in the game.
David Cogswell (Toccoa/Stephens County) picked up the win in relief, improving to 2-0. He gave up two hits in 2.1 scoreless innings. Ducey was charged for four runs on six hits in 3.1 innings, striking out four. Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) and Blake Nation (Brooks/Starr’s
Mill) threw 1.1 and 1.0 scoreless innings of relief, respectively.
Starter Brandon McCreery allowed five runs on five hits in 3.1 innings. Reeves suffered the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in 1.2 Panthers had two hits apiece.
ELON 7, UNC ASHEVILLE 4
ELON, N.C. - Pat Irvine went 3-for-3 from the plate and was just a home run shy of the cycle to lead the Elon Phoenix to a 7-4 victory over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs on Wednesday night in non-conference action at Latham Park.
Elon moves to 24-20 on the season while UNC Asheville falls to 17-29.
UNC Asheville got on the board in the top of the first inning. Kevin Mattison led off with a triple down the right field line before Steve Burnich struck out but reached first base on a dropped third strike, allowing Mattison to score from third.
In the bottom half of the frame, Chris Vasmi reached on an error and stole second base before a double from Pat Irvine sent him home to tie the game, 1-1.
Elon posted three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead. Drew Davis reached first on a bunt single and Adam Weaver singled through the left side to put runners on first and second before Chris Dove drove a triple down the right field line to send both runners home and give Elon a 3-1 edge. Jordy Snyder earned a walk to put runners on the corners before he stole second and the throw to attempt to get him out allowed Dove to steal home.
UNC Asheville cut the lead to two in the top of the fourth frame when Kyle Smith singled to left field with two runners on to send Justin Schumer home and cut the lead to 4-2.
Irvine earned a walk and Zack Booker singled up the middle to put runners on first and second before Weaver singled into left field to send Irvine home and put Elon ahead 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs responded in the top of the sevent inning when a two-run homer from Mattison cut the lead to one at 5-4.
Elon added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth frame. Weaver was hit by a pitch and Mike Melillo earned a walk to put runners on base. Dove then knocked a grounder to the third baseman, Justin Schumer, who tried to make the double play but instead threw the ball over the second baseman's head allowing Weaver to go home. Jordy Snyder then knocked a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Melillo and give Elon the 7-4 lead.
With one out, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the top of the ninth inning. But Elon reliever Will Romanowicz struck out the next batter and got Edmond Locklear to fly out to finish the game.
In his first start, Daniel Britt (1-1) picked up the win after throwing 6.0 innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out two batters. Josh Lett (0-5) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs after tossing 6.0 innings and giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits while fanning three batters.
Irvine led Elon from the plate, going 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Weaver was 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI while Dove provided two RBI.
Mattison led UNC Asheville at the dish, going 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.
UNC GREENSBORO 17, NORTH CAROLINA A&T 10
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? UNC Greensboro hammered out 17 hits and scored runs in all but two innings as the Spartans defeated cross-town rival North Carolina A&T, 17-10, on Wednesday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Freshman Rob Gilliam (2-0) picked up the win after scattering four hits and four runs in 3-1/3 innings of relief. Gilliam struck out a game-high five batters.
Jonathan Smith (0-3) took the loss for the Aggies after allowing seven runs on eight hits in two innings on the mound.
Adam Deleo led the Spartans behind the plate and finished 4-for-5 with two RBI. Tim Carrier recorded three hits, while Matt Gaski, Guy Welsh and Ricky Orton each had two hits on the night. Orton tallied three RBI for UNCG.
North Carolina A&T (16-26-0) scored four runs in the top of the first to take an early 4-0 lead. Nelson Santos started things off and sent a one-out home run to right-center. Two batters later, Charlie Gamble hit a RBI single through the left side. Joe McIntyre followed with a two-run homer, giving NC A&T the four-run advantage.
UNCG (22-19-0) immediately answered in the same inning and scored five runs for the one-run advantage. With runners on first and third, Orton sent a one-out blast over the rightfield fence for his third homer of the season.
Scott Schneider and Deleo closed out the inning with RBI singles, giving the Spartans the 5-4 lead.
The Spartans plated a run in the second on a sacrifice fly making it 6-4 in favor of UNCG. The Aggies responded with a run in the third on a RBI double from McIntyre to cut the lead to one.
Greg Feltes put UNCG up 7-5 in the third when the junior crushed his fourth roundtripper of the season over the left-center fence. The Spartans got another run in the inning on an Aggie wild pitch.
After the Aggies collected a run in the fourth, the Spartans struck for five runs in the same inning. Orton reached on a single and two batters later, scored on a wild pitch. Deleo sent his third hit of the night through the right side, scoring Feltes. After UNCG scored on another wild pitch, Gaski hit a two-bagger to right and plated two more runs to give the Spartans the 13-6 lead.
A&T catcher Neil Rosser led off the sixth with a home run to leftfield and Patrick Oates hit a two-run roundtripper in the seventh in an effort to close in on the Spartan lead. UNCG, however plated two more runs in the seventh highlighted by a RBI triple from Brandon Harvey.
Carrier collected his third hit of the game in the eighth when he laced a RBI triple to right field to give the Spartans the 16-9 lead. Two batters later, Welsh doubled to right-center to score Carrier for his second RBI of the evening.
The Aggies plated a run in the ninth but could not inch any closer, leaving the score 17-10.
GEORGIA 12, WESTERN CAROLINA 7
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Thirteen Bulldog batters hit during an eight-run eighth inning as the Bulldogs rallied from a 6-4 deficit to down Western Carolina, 12-7, Wednesday night in non-conference action at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Georgia also used a four-run fifth inning to tie the game at four midway through contest, erasing a 4-0 Catamount lead.
The loss, which was just the fifth at home this season and just the second in the last 16 ball games for WCU, also snapped a streak of 25-straight games won by the Catamounts when leading after the seventh inning.
During the eight-run rally, Western (28-13) used four different pitchers as Corey Martin came on in relief of Chris Masters, allowing two earned runs without recording an out. Junior Tyler Sexton was summoned from the bullpen for the first-time this season and allowed the game-winning run to suffer his first defeat of the year, falling to 6-1. The High Point, N.C., native gave up two earned runs on one hit, officially going two thirds of an inning.
Western Carolina starter, senior Tyler Johnson, went 4.1 innings allowing four runs, just one of which was earned, while walking three and striking out six. Masters tossed two and two thirds effective relief with one walk and two strikeouts.
Lost in the shuffle was a 3-for-5 outing by senior Kenny Smith, which included a double and his 14th home run of the year, a dozen of which have come at home. The Asheville, N.C., native finished with two RBI and a run scored in the loss. Juniors Steven Strausbaugh and Jonathan Greene each finished 2-for-5, with Strausbaugh ripping a double and driving in a pair while Greene scored twice on a pair of singles while striking out three times.
Western opened scoring in the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles from Greene and Smith, with the latter working a hit-and-run to perfection to move Greene to third with no outs. Junior Blake Murphy drove in the game’s first run with a one-out sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Greene from third to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead.
The lead was stretched to three in the third as freshman Nick Liles led off the frame with a single and was moved to second on a successful sacrifice bunt by classmate Adam Baker. Three batters later, with two on, Strausbaugh laced a two-RBI double to left center field scoring Liles and Barrett Shaft, who got on with a walk.
The fourth run came off the bat of Smith, who led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to give Western a 4-0 advantage. However, Georgia capitalized on four base hits and two Catamount errors to erase the deficit with a four-spot in the top of the fifth, tying the game at four.
WCU responded in the bottom of the frame, though, as freshman Brent Greer reached on one of the five Bulldog errors in the game and came home on a one-out double to left field by Smith. Greene, who also singled ahead of Smith, scored on Murphy’s second sacrifice fly of the night, propelling the Cats to a 6-4 lead, which it held until the eighth.
WAKE FOREST 12, APPALACHIAN STATE 5
BOONE, N.C. ― Visiting Wake Forest jumped out to an 11-2 lead after just three-and-a-half innings and went on to defeat Appalachian State University baseball, 13-5, on Wednesday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Wake Forest (24-22) scored four runs in the first, three in the second and four more in the fourth to grab the early nine-run lead. The Demon Deacons roughed up ASU starter Brandon Graves (Crawfordville, Fla./Wakulla) for seven runs on seven hits in just two innings of work. Making just his third start for Appalachian (23-20), Graves fell to 1-1 on the season.
The Mountaineers did bang out 12 hits, but were never able to dig out of the early hole. Isaac Harrow (Hickory, N.C./Hickory) led the offensive effort with a pair of doubles and scored two of the Apps’ five runs. Jason Altenhof (Santa Fe, Fla./Santa Fe) and David Rubinstein (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) also added two hits apiece in the losing effort. Rubinstein added to his ASU single-season doubles record with a two-run two-bagger in the third inning. His 23 doubles rank second in the nation this season, just one behind Florida State’s Tony Thomas, Jr.
Evan Ocheltree paced Wake Forest’s 17-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with two doubles and five RBI on the afternoon. Brett Linnenkohl and Andy Goff each chipped in with three hits, including a pair of doubles apiece. In all, eight of Wake’s 17 hits went for extra bases.
WFU’s Joel Earnst (1-2) allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings to earn the win.
The setback prevented Appalachian from earning its first season sweep over Wake Forest in 11 years. The teams split two meetings this season, as ASU snapped a 17-game losing streak to WFU with a 10-9 win in Winston-Salem on Feb. 20.
The Mountaineers now embark on a season-long six-day break for final exams.
GARDNER-WEBB 9, FURMAN 8
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. -- Jay McConnell’s two-out double off the right center field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning drove home the winning run and lifted Gardner-Webb to a 9-8 win over Furman in baseball action Wednesday afternoon.
The win was the third in a row for Gardner-Webb (17-27) and the third defeat in the last four games for Furman (12-30).
Gardner-Webb tied the game at 8-8 on an RBI bunt single by Matt Rizzuto, two batters before McConnell stepped to the plate. McConnel worked a 2-0 count against Paladin reliever Ian Parry, fouled off a pitch, and then lined a 2-1 offering to the opposite field to score Ty Boyles for the game winner.
Furman (13-28) saw an early 6-1 lead evaporate in the middle and late innings. The Paladins went on top early, loading the bases with a walk to leadoff man Connor Lind, a bunt single by Marcus Rose, and a looping hit to left by Bobby Hubbard in the top of the first.
GWU starter Devin Campbell recovered to get a pop up for the first out, but the Paladins got a high chopper from Tony Maccani to plate Lind on a groundout for a 1-0 lead. Campbell seemed to have worked his way out of the inning with another fly ball to center, but the Bulldogs centerfielder J. Ahearn dropped the ball and saw it scoot past, allowing two runs to score for a 3-0 lead.
Gardner-Webb got on the board in the second, using a double from Nate MacDonald and a Justin Loyd sacrifice fly to trim the lead to 3-1.
The score remained 3-1 until the fifth, when Campbell got into further trouble. Three-straight one-out hits, including a three-run home run off the bat of Stembridge, pushed the Paladins lead to 6-1.
Gardner-Webb got a two-run double from Daniel Cooke and an RBI single from Jeremiah Lokken in the fifth to trim the lead to 6-4, but Furman answered with an RBI single from Jay Jackson to push its lead back to three runs, 7-4, in the sixth.
Gardner-Webb responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, trimming the lead to 7-6, and tied the score on a two-out RBI single by Rizzuto in the seventh.
In the eighth, Furman’s Marcus Rose skied a pop fly to shallow left that two GWU fielders apparently lost against the backdrop of the clouds, allowing Rose to reach second With two outs, Jackson hit a jam shot that fell softly through the right side for an 8-7 Furman advantage.
After Cooke flied out to deep center leading off the Bulldog ninth, Lokken came through with a towering double to center. A single by MacDonald got through the left side, moving Lokken to third.
Rizzuto then pushed a bunt past Parry and outran the defense, allowing Lokken to tie the game. A fielder’s choice grounder by pinch hitter Joey Testa erased Rizzuto, but left runners at the corner for McConnell, who delivered the game winning double.
MacDonald (3-2) picked up the pitching win in relief, allowing one hit in the top of the ninth. Parry (3-3) took the loss.