FRIDAY, APRIL 6
ELON 5, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 4
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern, who had two potential solo home runs robbed by Elon earlier in the game, fell short in its ninth inning rally losing 5-4 Friday night (April 6) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles (17-17 overall, 1-6 Southern Conference) lost their fourth straight at home.
The ninth inning rally started when Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) drew a one-out walk, his third walk in the game matching a personal-high. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) walked off Tom Porter to bring the tying run to the plate. Two batters later Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) reached on an infield single to load the bases with two outs.
Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) pushed the count full before drawing a walk to bring home one run. That chased Porter for Daniel Britt. Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) reached on a single deep in the hole at shortstop, scoring another run. But on the play pinch-runner David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) tried scoring from second base. Jordy Snider threw home to Drew Davis in time to tag him out and end the game.
Miller nearly got his second home run of the season in the seventh. He took a Steven Hensley fastball all the way to the wall in right field, but Ryan Addison snared the ball above the fence to make the catch and end the inning. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) had the same thing happen in the eighth inning. He hammered a shot to left field, but Pat Irvine made a leaping catch at the fence and robbed a home run.
The Phoenix jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Matt Hill lined a double, stole third and scored when Benedict’s throw went into left field. Adam Weaver lined a RBI double then, with the bases loaded, Robert Rodebaugh delivered a sacrifice fly.
Mike Economos (Atlanta/Marist) was hit in the helmet by Hensley to start the fourth inning. He took second on a wild pitch. During the next at-bat Blackburn walked. Benedict recorded the team’s first hit, a sharp single to center scoring one run. Brett Maxwell (Douglasville/Alexander) hit a double to deep right field and went to third on the throw home.
The relay throw of Addison to Hill to Davis just missed Blackburn but got Benedict who was two steps behind, but the Eagles cut the deficit to 3-2. It was Maxwell’s second career RBI.
Elon plated another run in the seventh. Irvine drew a one-out walk and scored on a RBI double from Chris Vasami. After an intentional walk to Rodebaugh, Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) came on in relief of Brian Wilkerson (Bonaire/Houston County). Kamppi got a foul out and groundout to get out of the inning.
Elon plated an insurance run after three consecutive singles with two outs in the ninth which proved to be the game winner.
Wilkerson (4-5) allowed four runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings. After the rocky third inning he settled down and struck out a season-high nine batters, including six straight at one point.
Beckham had two of the team’s five hits. The 7-8-9 hitters of Benedict, Maxwell and Pierce had a hit apiece but Elon held a 12-5 edge in the game.
Hensley (6-1) won his fifth straight decision, allowing two runs on three hits in eight innings. Britt earned his first save. Vasami had three hits while Rodebaugh and Chris Dove had two apiece.
UNC GREENSBORO 11, FURMAN 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. ?Senior Ryan Falcon allowed just three runs on five hits in seven innings of work and struck out a game-high eight batters as UNC Greensboro defeated Furman, 11-3, in game one of a three-game Southern Conference series on Friday evening at West End Field.
Senior Guy Welsh finished 3-for-6 with a home run and three RBI, while Matt Gaski also led the Spartans by going 2-for-3 and drawing three walks on the night. Scott Schneider and Tim Carrier each recorded two RBI for UNCG.
Falcon (3-5) earned his third win of the season and sophomore Clinton McKinney scattered just one hit and struck out two in two innings of relief.
Matt Klinker (3-3) took the loss after giving up seven runs on eight hits in four innings on the mound.
UNCG (16-14, 4-3 SoCon) took the early 2-0 lead in the visitor half of the first. Gaski reached on a single to left before Welsh blasted his second home run of the year over the left-center wall. The Spartans added two more runs in the second, giving them the 4-0 advantage. With the bases loaded, Schneider sent a single up the middle to score Ricky Orton and Carrier.
The Spartans put another run on the board after Welsh hit a RBI double in the fourth. Furman (8-21, 4-6 SoCon) responded in the same inning when Bobby Hubbard hit a homer over the right field fence, 5-1 UNCG.
Greg Feltes opened up the fifth with a double to right-center and was brought home when Sean Snell laced a double down the left field line. A fielder’s choice allowed Snell to score, giving UNCG the 7-1 lead. The Spartans scored two more runs on a RBI single from Brandon Harvey and a RBI fielder’s choice from Adam Deleo in the sixth.
Hubbard sent another solo roundtripper to right for the Paladins in the sixth and followed with a RBI single in the eighth, cutting the lead 9-3.
UNCG quickly responded in the ninth when Carrier hit his team-leading fourth homer over the left field wall. The Spartans got their final run of the evening on a Furman error, taking the 11-3 victory.
WESTERN CAROLINA 10, DAVIDSON 4
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Sophomore southpaw Drew Saberhagen pitched six strong innings, and the Catamounts backed him with four home runs as visiting Western Carolina pulled away late to defeat Davidson on Friday night in a Southern Conference baseball game at Wilson Field, 10-4. Kenny Smith smacked two of the long balls to help WCU improve to 19-11 on the season and 5-3 in the league. The Wildcats suffered their seventh straight defeat in falling to 15-18 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
Saberhagen (3-1), the son of former two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen, needed 98 pitches to get through six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and and uncharacteristic four walks while striking out four. He was able to pitch out of jams in each of the first three innings unscathed, leaving six runners stranded, before retiring the side in order in the fourth. The only run off him came in the fifth when sophomore Matt Webb hit a lead-off double, went to third on a fly ball and came home on a grounder to third. But while warming up to start the seventh, Saberhagen motioned to the dugout and left with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Catamounts had already staked Saberhagen to an 8-1 lead by the time he exited. Preseason SoCon Player of the Year Steven Strausbaugh, battling a prolonged slump this year, provided the first two runs with his second home run of the year to straight-away center in the second inning. In the fifth, it was Blake Murphy who provided the two-run shot, his seventh, putting WCU up 4-0. The two home runs were the only mistakes made by freshman starter Thomas Middour as only one other runner got as far as second base while he was on the mound into the seventh.
The seventh is when the game got away from the Wildcats. Middour left with runners at first and second with one out, but Jonathan Greene poked a single through the right side to greet reliever Bobby DeMuro. Thanks to a strong throw from right fielder Blake Osborn, the second out came at the plate as the runner on second could not beat the throw. The third out was difficult to come by, however, as John Ingram ripped a two-run single and Smith followed with his first of two homers for an 8-1 lead.
The two teams traded runs in the eighth ? Western’s came on an RBI single by Brent Greer; senior Wildcat Rob Wilson hit a ground-rule double to score fellow senior Alden Crissey who had singled.
Smith cranked an opposite-field shot to right-center, his 11th of the year, to lead off the ninth for the 10th Catamount run before Davidson mounted a rally in the bottom half. The first three runners reached base with Webb lining an RBI single to center. With one out, Crissey hit his own RBI single, and Davidson then loaded the bases with two outs. But reliever Andrew Larrimore got the final out on a pop to second to end the game.
Smith went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs to lead Western Carolina’s 12-hit attack, while Greene was perfect at the plate with two singles and three walks.
Crissey was one of four Wildcats with two hits, including a double, and Osborn hit a pair of doubles off Saberhagen. Six of Davidson’s 10 hits came in the final two innings.
Middour (4-3) pitched well despite his final line of five runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.
THE CITADEL 11, WOFFORD 8
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Freshman second baseman Bryan Altman blasted a walk-off home run in the tenth to score three and lift The Citadel past Wofford, 11-8, in Southern Conference baseball action at Riley Park on Friday night. The Bulldogs evened the score at eight in the ninth to send the game into extra frames and post their 13th come-from-behind victory of the season. The Bulldogs improve to 18-12, 2-5 SoCon while Wofford falls to 17-15, 1-6 SoCon.
Down 8-7 in the ninth, the Dogs loaded the bases with a single and two walks. Freshman designated hitter Richard Jones hit a two-out single to short and was able to beat the throw at first, allowing Altman to score from third to tie it up. Terrier reliever Mike Gilmartin then forced junior third baseman Matt Arnold to ground into a fielder’s choice, sending the game to the 10th.
Bulldog closer Link Saunders retired Wofford in order to begin the frame. Gilmartin forced a flyout before surrendering back-to-back singles to sophomore catcher Sid Fallaw and junior Conrad Kellahan. Altman then jumped on a 0-1 offering and sent it over the left field wall for his fourth round-tripper of the season, snapping the Dogs’ four-game losing streak.
Saunders (4-2) was credited with the win as he tossed the final two frames and held Wofford to only one hit while fanning three in his first appearance since March 27 against Brown. Gilmartin (0-3) suffered the loss as he entered the contest in the ninth with the Terriers up by two.
Gilmartin threw 1.0 inning, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out and walking one.
Jones paced the Bulldogs at the plate as collected a career-high five hits and drove in a personal-best four runs on the night. The freshman also plated the tying run in the ninth. Altman and Arnold both registered three hits in the contest while junior left fielder Chris Swauger extended his hitting-streak to 12.
The Bulldogs hammered out 21 hits, the most since they put up 25 against Campbell earlier this season. The last time the Dogs scored more than 10 runs was on March 16 against Eastern Illinois.
Gilmartin and Brandt led Wofford at the dish as they tallied three hits each. Brandt notched his fourth career home run and collected three RBI. Keith Munns also went deep for the Terriers.
Wofford got the early 1-0 lead in the first on a fielder’s choice that allowed Brandon Waring to sprint home. The Dogs quickly tied it up with a Jones RBI-single. The Terriers then went on to score one in the second and third to go up, 3-1.
The Bulldogs retaliated again as a bases-loaded walk pulled The Citadel within one in the third before freshman left fielder Chris McGuiness evened the score for the second time in the fifth with a base hit to the gap in left center that drove in Jones.
Wofford went up by one again in the sixth as Gilmartin doubled down the right field line to plate Emre Caglayan who had led off the frame with a triple. A pair of home runs extended the Terrier lead to four in the seventh. Brandt hit a two-run shot and Munns lifted a solo homer to left to make 7-3.
An error by Wofford third baseman Waring allowed senior first baseman Zach Brown to score in the seventh before The Citadel returned the favor, allowing Gilmartin to score on an errant throw by Bulldog third baseman Arnold in the eighth. That would be the last time the Dogs would allow the Terriers to score as they were able to post six runs in the final three innings to take the 11-8 win.
Jones was responsible for half of the final six runs in the game as he drove in two in the eighth with a bullet up the middle and plated the tying run with a two-out, infield single in the ninth before Altman’s three-run blast.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 11, APPALACHIAN STATE 3
MT PLEASANT, S.C. - Nick Chigges struck out 12 over seven innings and became the winningest pitcher in College of Charleston history, and Chris Campbell added a three-run homer as the Cougars opened its three-game Southern Conference series with an 11-3 win over Appalachian State before 416 at Patriots Point Field on Friday.
With the win, Charleston improved to 22-8 overall and 6-1 in league play. The Mountaineers, who lost for the first time in nine games, fell to 19-12 and 7-3 on the season. Game two of the series is Saturday at 1:00.
Chigges, a senior, improved to 5-0 on the season and 25-4 in his career passing Scott Oliver on the school's all-time wins list. Oliver posted a 24-19 record from 1996-99. Chigges, who came within one strikeout of his career-high 13 strikeout performance in an 11-0 complete-game blanking of Ball State in last year's Lexington Regional, allowed three runs, none earned, on seven hits over seven innings.
Campbell, a senior, became the first Cougar to collect 300 career hits with his seventh inning three-run homer to left center that gave Charleston a 7-3 lead. It was his fifth of the season.
The Cougars grabbed a 2-0 first inning lead on Michael Harrington RBI triple to center and an RBI single to left by Ben Lasater. The Cougars stretched their lead to 4-0 in the second inning on run-producing singles by Gabe Marchant and Stuart Haywood.
The Mountaineers cut the margin to 4-3 in the fourth on an RBI single by Tom Prosser and a two-run single by Chris Baker.
The Cougars added four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Oliver Marmol had a two-run double, Campbell and RBI infield single and Michael Kohn scored on a balk for the final margin.
SATURDAY
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 10, APPALACHIAN STATE 6
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Alex Garabedian collected three hits including a three-run homer and pitcher Jeff Beliveau struck out seven as the College of Charleston defeated Appalachian State, 10-6, in Southern Conference baseball action before 322 at Patriots Point Field on Saturday.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 23-8 overall and 7-1 in league play. The Mountaineers fell to 19-13 and 7-4. The series finale is 1:00 on Sunday.
David Towarnicky gave ASU a 1-0 lead in the second when two-out double to right center that scored Chris Baker. ASU stretched the lead to 3-0 in the fifth on a fourth inning sacrifice fly from Isaac Harrow and a fifth inning sacrifice fly by David Rubinstein.
The Cougars used seven hits, a walk and two errors to score seven times in the bottom of the fifth. After, Oliver Marmol's RBI double to left and Stuart Haywood's run-scoring infield hit cut the margin to 3-2, Michael Harrington lined a two-run double down the left field line that scored Marmol and Haywood to give Charleston the lead for good at 4-3. Michael Kohn eventually capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to left.
Garabedian's homer to right center with two outs in the seventh gave Charleston a 10-3 lead. He finished with two runs scored and three RBI. Ben Lasater and Haywood added two hits each.
ASU got a two-out, three-run double in the ninth from Andrew Franco for the final margin. Franco, DeRose and Rook finished with two hits each for the Mountaineers.
Beliveau (3-1) picked up the win allowing three runs, two earned, on just four hits over the first 7 1/3 innings. Jason Rook (4-4), who blanked Charleston on just one hit threw the first four innings, suffered the loss surrendering seven runs, four earned, on six hits.
FURMAN 7-4, UNC GREENSBORO 3-9
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman split a Saturday Southern Conference baseball doubleheader with UNC Greensboro, winning game one, 7-3, before falling in the second game, 9-4.
Furman’s victory in the opener marked the 330th career triumph for Paladin head coach Ron Smith, making him the all-time winningest coach in school baseball history. Now in his 14th season at the helm of the Paladin program, Smith surpasses his former collegiate coach Tom Wall, who recorded 329 wins in 22 seasons (1970-71, ?74-93).
The doubleheader split gave UNC-Greensboro (17-15, 5-4 SoCon) the series two games to one and snapped a seven game losing streak for Furman (9-22,
5-7 SoCon).
Bobby Hubbard went 4-for-4 and scored a pair of runs to pace Furman to the win in game one. Connor Lind and Joey Rodgers added two hits each for the Paladins, who totaled 12 hits in the contest ? the team’s highest total in the last 10 games. Furman’s seven runs, meanwhile, marked the most since registering a 9-3 win over Georgia Southern on March 24.
Adam DeLeo paced UNCG at the plate in game one, going 3-for-4.
Ricky Orton’s RBI single off Paladin starter Jay Jackson in the second inning gave UNCG a 1-0 lead.
Furman answered with three runs in the third against UNCG starter and losing pitcher Matt Gibbs (3-2), highlighted by an RBI double by Lind and two-run single by Tony Maccani.
After the Spartans made it 3-2 with a run in the fourth, Furman scored twice in its half of the frame on a wild pitch that plated Marcus Rose and an RBI single by Hubbard that drove home Rodgers, making it 5-2.
UNCG scored a run in the fifth to cut that advantage to 5-3 before Ian Parry (3-1) came on in relief of Jackson and struck out Greg Feltes with a runner at third to end the inning.
Parry limited the Spartans to just three hits and struck out two over the final 4 1/3 innings to earn the victory.
In game two UNCG struck for four runs on five hits in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run triple by Greg Feltes, to take command of the contest.
The Spartans tacked on a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings off Paladin starting and losing pitcher Mason Smith (1-5). Smith, who exited his start a week ago against Appalachian State after getting hit on the left wrist while attempting to complete a double play at first base, yielded eight runs on 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
The Spartans led 8-4 after five innings and cruised to the win behind solid relief pitching by Nick Starnes (2-2), who tossed 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball to collect the victory
Adam DeLeo’s solo home run in the ninth inning accounted for UNCG’s final run of the game.
THE CITADEL 17-8, WOFFORD 5-7
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Citadel baseball team defeated Wofford 17-5 in game one of Saturday's double header and followed with an 8-7 extra-inning win in the finale to complete a three-game sweep over the Terriers at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
Game 1: The Citadel 17, Wofford 5
In the opener, Richard Jones scored four times and drove in four runs with a grand slam to power The Citadel to a 17-5 win over Wofford.
Jones went 3-for-4 with a home run, double and single and was also hit by a pitch in two at bats. Chris McGuiness also drove in four runs in a 3-for-4 outing that included a bases loaded double.
Shane Kirkley blasted a two-run shot in the top of the first inning to give Wofford (17-16, 1-7) an early 2-0 lead. Kirkley pulled a 1-2 fastball over the left field fence to drive in Bradford Eaves, who reached base with a single up the middle. The homer was the 11th of the season for Kirkley and the 150th hit of the junior second baseman's career.
The Citadel (19-12, 3-5) got on the board in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from shortstop Kyle Jordan. Jordan lined a base hit to right-center field to score Jones, who got on base with a single. The Bulldogs threatened later in the inning with the bases loaded, but Wofford starter Ben Austin kept his cool and forced a groundout to escape the inning with the lead still intact.
Wofford would take back the run in the next half inning on an RBI single from John Brandt that scored Eaves from second base. The run was the second of the game for Eaves, who finished 2-for-3 and recorded his 100th career hit.A bases-loaded double from Chris McGuiness started a four-run third inning for The Citadel to put the Bulldogs on top 5-3. Zach Brown reached base with a single and advanced to third on another base hit from Jones. A walk to Matt Arnold loaded the bases for McGuiness, who blasted a liner to the right-center field gap to clear the bases. Ryan Altman added another run in the inning with a pop up to shallow right field that three Terriers converged on, but could not make a play on. The bloop single allowed McGuiness to score from second.
McGuiness added another RBI in the fourth to give The Citadel a 6-3 lead. The freshman designated hitter pulled a ground ball through the right side to drive in Jones, who reached base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After giving up the single, Austin came back with two straight strikeouts with two men on base to leave the inning with minimal damage.
A two-run bomb in the fifth inning by left fielder Chris Swauger gave The Citadel a five-run lead and prompted the Terriers to go to the bullpen. Wofford called on freshman reliever Tom Dolinak who pitched out of the inning without allowing a run.
Wofford put together a two-run two-out rally in the top of the sixth to narrow the deficit to 8-5. Citadel Starter Matt Crim retired two of the first three batters, but Wofford managed runs on an RBI single from Michael Gilmartin and a fielding error by Jordan at shortstop. Catcher Adam Kearney reached first base on a fielder's choice, and outfielder Emre Caglayan followed with a single to put two men on for Gilmartin. Gilmartin singled to right-center to drive in Kearney and send Caglayan to third, extending the freshman shortstop's hitting streak to 13 games. Caglayan scored on the next at bat when Eaves hit a groundball to shortstop that Jordan fielded, but bobbled when trying to make the throw to first. Caglayan finished 3-for-4 in game two to extend his hitting streak to six games.
The Citadel broke the game open in the bottom half of the sixth with a six-run inning that featured a grand slam by Jones. With the bases loaded and one out, Jones pulled a towering shot over the video board in right field to give The Citadel a 14-5 lead.
After adding three more runs in the eighth, freshman Nick Sprowls came in to close out the ninth inning for The Citadel and retired three of four batters to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
Crim (3-2) earned the victory for The Citadel, throwing six innings while holding Wofford to five runs - four earned - and 10 hits. Crim struck out seven in the outing while walking one.
Austin (7-3) took the loss for Wofford after allowing eight runs - seven earned - over four innings. The junior right-hander struck out five in the outing, including the 50th strikeout of his career.
Game 2: The Citadel 8, Wofford 7 (10 innings)
In the nightcap, Chance Smith drove in the game-winning run with a two-out single through the right side in the bottom of the 10th inning to complete an 8-7 win for The Citadel
The base hit came after Wofford issued an intentional walk to cleanup hitter Zach Brown to load the bases with two outs. Smith, who was hitless in the series prior to his final at bat, drove in Bryan Altman from third after Altman doubled earlier in the inning. The run capped a comeback in which The Citadel tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run from Chris Swauger.
For the first time in the series, The Citadel scored first as Brown hit a two-out RBI double to give his team a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The senior cleanup hitter drove in Altman from first base after Altman led off with a single.
Wofford gained the lead in the next half inning on back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Brandon Waring and John Brandt led off with two straight base hits before a walk to Emre Caglayan loaded the bases. Citadel starter Chris McGuiness forced a popup for the second out of the inning, but walked the next two to give Wofford two free runs.
After tying the game in the second with an RBI single, The Citadel took a 5-2 lead in the third with a three-run two-out rally. Wofford starter Zack Parmer retired the first two batters, but the Bulldogs strung together a base hit and back-to-back walks to load the bases for catcher Sid Fallaw, who came through with an RBI single through the right side to score two. Graham Couch followed with a bloop single to left field to add another run. Couch drove in two runs during the game while going 3-for-3.
Bradford Eaves cut the Bulldog lead to 5-3 in the fourth with an RBI infield single that scored Sterling Dye from third. Dye reached base on a walk and stole second and third before scoring after Eaves beat out a groundball to shortstop.
A two-run homer from John Brandt started a three-run fifth for Wofford which gave the Terriers a 6-5 lead. Brandt bashed a high line drive to the left-center power alley to drive in Waring, who led off with a double. Keith Munns followed by scoring from third on the next at bat after beating out a throw at the plate on a fielder's choice ground ball. Dye slashed a groundball to third baseman Trey Thomas, who made a diving stop and came up firing to home plate. Munns got under the tag, however, and slid between the legs of Fallaw to give Wofford the lead.
The Terriers went to the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth and called on Adam Kearney, who pitched the final five innings to set a new career high. Wofford gave Kearney another run to work with in the seventh on an RBI single from Kirkley.
Kearney did not surrender a run until the eighth inning when The Citadel tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Altman and a solo home run from Swauger.
The Terriers looked to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth when Dye slammed a triple to the right-center field gap. Citadel reliever Link Saunders held Wofford in check, however, and retired the next two batters in order to escape the inning unharmed.
With the game tied at 7-7, the teams went to extra innings for the second time in the series. Saunders held Wofford without a hit in the top of the extra inning, and earned the win in following half inning when Smith singled to drive in Altman.
Saunders (5-2) held Wofford to one hit over the final two innings while striking out two to pick up his second win of the series.
Kearney (0-3) took the loss for Wofford after allowing the go-ahead run in the bottom of the tenth. Kearney allowed three runs on five hits while striking out three.
ELON 4, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 3
STATESBORO, GA. ? For the first time in 16 games when leading after eight innings Georgia Southern squandered a lead as Elon rallied for a 4-3 win in 10 innings. The Eagles, playing in their first extra-inning game this season, fell to 17-18 overall and 1-7 in the Southern Conference.
Chris Vasami lined a leadoff double in the 10th inning off Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine). He went to third base on a deep fly ball from Robert Rodebaugh and scored on Ryan Addison’s single up the middle. Kamppi struck out the next two batters looking to end the inning. The Eagles attempted a late rally to tie the game.
David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) drew a two-out walk in the 10th. He stole second and went to third on Brian Pierce’s (Roswell/Roswell) infield single. But Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) grounded out to end the game.
Tied at 2-all in the eighth, Justin Klinger (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead. Coming on to pinch-hit, Klinger hammered a shot into the trees beyond the left field fence. Klinger’s solo shot was his second round-tripper this season, as two of his three hits this year have been a long ball. However, the Phoenix tied it in the ninth.
Pat Irvine hit a leadoff double, but pinch-runner Matt Link was picked off base by A.J. Battisto (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove). Jordy Snyder singled, stole second and scored on a single from pinch-hitter Ryan Adams. Kamppi came on in relief and got out of the jam thanks to a strikeout and groundout, stranding runners at the corners.
In the ninth Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) walked to start the frame. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) tried to get a sacrifice bunt down, but Ryan Basham turned a 1-6-3 double play. Mike Economos (Atlanta/Marist) then walked. Pinch-runner Chris Hollis (Loganville/Faith Academy) advanced to second on a wild pitch but a groundout ended the threat.
The Eagles struck first during the fourth inning. Wirnsberger drew a leadoff walk off Will Romanowicz, who had not walked a batter in his previous two outings. Economos sacrificed him over to second. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) singled through the left side, the Eagles’ first hit since Miller led off the game with a single. Two batters later Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) lined a 3-2 pitch just over a leaping Snyder at shortstop.
Elon (20-14, 9-2) threatened in the fifth. Snyder broke up Aaron Eubanks’ (Moultrie/Colquitt County) no-hit bid with a single down the right field line to start the inning. Chris Dove lined a two-out double down the left field line putting both runners in scoring position. Adam Weaver tried dropping a shot into shallow right field. But Economos made a diving catch, all while avoiding second baseman Beckham to end the inning.
The Eagles added a run in their half of the sixth Shehan lined a leadoff single up the middle. On a hit and run, Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) ripped a shot into the right field gap, extending the lead to 2-0. However, an error in the seventh led to two unearned runs for the Phoenix.
Defensive replacement Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) misplayed a ball that resulted in Irvine winding up at second base. Snyder lined a RBI double down the left field line. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third base and he scored on Mike Melillo’s sacrifice fly, evening the score at 2-all.
Miller, Shehan, Benedict and Pierce had two hits apiece. Eubanks scattered three hits in six scoreless innings. He walked four and struck out five but did not factor in the decision. Kamppi (0-2) gave up one run on two hits in 1.2 innings, striking out three.
WESTERN CAROLINA 2, DAVIDSON 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Thanks to terrific pitching, the Western Carolina Catamounts completed a three-game sweep of host Davidson on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field, 2-1. Corey Martin tossed 5.1 scoreless innings, and Greg Holland closed out the final two frames to help the Catamounts improve to 20-11 on the year and 6-3 in the Southern Conference. Davidson lost its eighth straight game to fall to 15-19 overall and 4-8 in the league.
Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, the Wildcats had a terrific scoring opportunity as Brett Shore and Matt Webb singled to lead off the frame. A 1-0 pitch got away from the catcher for a passed ball, and the ball ended up in the dugout despite the catcher’s attempt to keep it in play. Davidson had runners at second and third and nobody out when Martin got the first out on a pop to short before being relieved by Chris Masters. The left-hander struck out the next batter, then got the final out on a fly to center, keeping the Wildcats off the board.
Both teams were held scoreless through five innings, before the Catamounts scored both of their runs in the sixth by taking advantage of some uncharacteristic wildness by Davidson starter Rob Wilson. With one out, Blake Murphy and Jonathan Greene each drew walks, and John Ingram drove home the first run with a single past a diving shortstop. Greene and Ingram then pulled off a double steal, and Greene came home when the throw was missed by the third baseman. Wilson avoided further damage when Ingram was thrown out trying to score on a shallow fly to center.
A lead-off double by Shore in the eighth caused WCU to summon Holland from the pen, and he retired the first two batters he faced. But senior Gregory Zage lined an RBI single to center to get the ’Cats within a run, and Wilson tried to help his own cause with a double just inside the left-field line, putting runners on second and third. Holland was able to get the third out, however, swinging on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to end the threat.
In the ninth, he set the Wildcats down in order to earn his sixth save of the season, and second of the series.
Martin (3-0) allowed just five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in his 5.1 innings of work to earn the victory.
Wilson (1-4) surrendered just three hits and two runs, only one earned, in 7.1 innings while walking a career-high six batters and striking out three.
Ingram had two of Western Carolina’s four singles in the game and the only RBI.
Shore led Davidson at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and the squad’s only run.
The game was played under protest after the sixth inning.
SUNDAY
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 8, ELON 7
STATESBORO, GA. ? Chris Hollis’ (Loganville/Faith Academy) 2-run single with one out in the ninth capped a rally as Georgia Southern pulled out an 8-7 win Sunday (April 8) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles (18-18 overall, 2-7 SoCon) snapped a five-game home losing streak.
Down 7-5 to start the bottom of the ninth Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) singled through the left side, his fourth hit which tied a career-high. Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) walked, which chased relief pitcher Tom Porter. Brian Ebert (0-3) entered the game but walked Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) to load the bases.
J.D. Reichenbach entered the game and walked Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) on a 3-1 pitch to make it a one run game. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) hit a sharp grounder to first baseman Chris Vasami, who threw home for a force out at the plate.
Hollis lined the first pitch just over an outstretched Jordy Snyder at shortstop. Miller beat the throw home to the plate as GS pulled off its third win in 19 tries when trailing after eight innings.
Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange), making his first start in two weeks, struck out two of the first three batters he faced in the first inning. However Elon would load the bases and eventually score four runs. Snyder plated two on a double down the left field line.
Georgia Southern cut the deficit in half in the second inning. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg), Mike Economos (Atlanta/Marist) and Parker hit consecutive doubles to nearly the same spot in left field, bouncing off the fence. For the sophomore Shehan it was the first of two on the day (11th overall surpassing his season total from last year). Economos hit his team-leading 13th while Parker hit his sixth.
During the fourth some clutch hitting tied the score. Parker singled up the middle, Pierce singled to left then Miller reached on a bunt to load the bases with no outs. Beckham lifted a sacrifice fly. With two outs, pinch-hitter Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) lined the first pitch to centerfield, tying the score at 4-all.
In the fifth, Elon put runners on the corners with no one out thanks to a walk and error. Murray struck out Robert Rodebaugh for the first out. Shehan made up for the error by nailing Pat Irvine at the plate then Murray struck out Snyder to end the inning.
Chris Dove lined a two-out triple in the sixth. Murray’s pitch with Adam Weaver at bat went to the backstop but Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) raced back and, with Murray blocking the plate, nailed Dove to end the inning.
Wirnsberger was hit by a pitch, for the team-leading 13th time, to start the sixth. He advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Shehan’s second double, giving the Eagles a 5-4 lead.
Murray gave up back-to-back singles to start the seventh, putting runners on the corners. That brought in John Ducey (Augusta/Westside) in relief. Vasami lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game. A walk and single loaded the bases. Ducey walked Snyder on a 3-2 pitch to give the Phoenix a 6-5 lead. David Cogswell (Toccoa/Stephens County) got Drew Davis on a grounder to Shehan, who started a 5-3 inning-ending double play.
The Eagles missed on an opportunity in the eighth. Hollis singled and advanced on an executed hit-and-run by Benedict. Shehan struck out for the second out. Greg Jones came on in relief, and his first pitch to Economos bounced over the catcher’s head allowing both runners to advance. But Jones got Economos swinging to end the Eagles’ threat.
Miller, Hollis, Shehan and Economos joined Parker with a multi-hit game, recording two each. The Eagles held a 17-11 edge in hits, their highest total since 17 versus Jacksonville on February 28. Shehan and Parker finished with two doubles each. Beckham tallied two RBI and Parker scored twice.
After a rough first inning, Murray settled down from the second to sixth inning. He was charged for six runs on nine hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) gave up one run on one hit working the ninth inning. He picked up his first win in an Eagle uniform, now 1-2.
Dove, Weaver, Vasami and Ryan Addison had two hits apiece. Snyder drove in three runs. Starter Jesse Lewter gave up four runs on nine hits in
3.2 innings.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 7, APPALACHIAN STATE 6
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Michael Kohn drove in Hutson Dodds with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth, and relief pitcher Russ Tomlinson pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth as College of Charleston completed a three-game Southern Conference series sweep over Appalachian State with a 7-6 victory before 435 at Patriots Point Field on Sunday.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 24-8 overall and 8-1 in league play. The Mountaineers, who out-hit the Cougars 15-9, fell to 19-14 and 7-5.
The Cougars rallied for two runs in the eighth to take the lead for good. Ben Lasater walked with one out and scored on Graham Maiden's triple off the centerfield wall that tied the game at 6-all.
A collision at home plate on Kohn's sacrifice fly allowed Dodds to score the game-winner as ASU catcher Andrew Franco couldn't hold David Rubenstein's throw from shallow right field.
The Mountaineers used an error, a walk and a hit batter to load the bases with two outs in the ninth. However, Tomlinson got Nick DeRose to bounce out to second on the first pitch to end the game.
Stuart Haywood had three hits and drove in four runs for Charleston. Haywood had a two-run double in the third, an RBI single in the fifth and a two-out, RBI single to center in the seventh that scored Michael Kohn and tied the game at 5-5. Chris Campbell followed with a run-scoring single to center that scored Gabe Marchant for a 5-4 Charleston lead.
ASU answered back in the top of the eighth. Chris Baker singled and DeRose walked with one out. After Jason Altenhof grounder to first moved runners to second and third, Jason Rook delivered a two-out, two-run single to center for a 6-5 ASU lead.
Tomlinson (3-1) picked up the win as he blanked the Mountaineers over the final 1 2/3 innings to earn the win. Garrett Sherrill (6-3) suffered the loss in relief for ASU surrendering four runs on five hits over two innings.
Baker and DeRose combined to reach base nine times. Baker went 4-for-4 with three runs scored while DeRose had two hits, walked twice and scored a run.