WESTERN CAROLINA 26, WOFFORD 12
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? John Ingram slammed three home runs while Blake Murphy and Steven Strausbaugh added two apiece to lead Western Carolina to a 26-12 win over Wofford in the series opener Friday evening at Russell C. King Field. The game featured 12 home runs, seven by Western Carolina and five by Wofford.
Ingram's three home runs gave him six RBIs on the night while the first baseman posted a 4-for-6 performance with four runs and a double. Strausbaugh drove in five runs and scored four times while Murphy contributed four RBIs and six runs. Catamount cleanup hitter Kenny Smith also added three RBIs and four runs while going 4-for-4 with a double at the plate.
Brandon Waring knocked one of Wofford’s five home runs and drove in five RBIs in a 2-for-4 outing that also included a double. John Brandt, Keith Munns, Adam Kearney and Emre Caglayan all homered for the Terriers to bring their conference-leading home run total to 90 on the season.
The Catamounts claimed a 4-0 lead to begin the game with four runs on four hits in the first, including a two-run homer by Ingram. Murphy started the rally with a double to the left-center gap and scored on a base hit through the left side by second baseman Smith. The RBI base knock extended Smith’s hitting streak to 17 games. Jonathan Greene drove in Smith from second base with a double off the left-center field wall, and Ingram capped the rally with a two-run blast to the same spot.
Brandt gave Wofford its first run of the game with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning. Brandt slammed the first pitch he saw to straight away center field for his fourth home run in Wofford’s last six games. The home run, Brandt’s 13th, gave the senior utility player his 55th RBI this season to move to second on the school’s single season RBI list.
Western Carolina regained the run and added three more in the top of the third with three home runs to go up 8-1. Murphy and Strausbaugh started the inning with back-to-back shots while Ingram added a two-run shot later in the inning for his second of the game to score Smith, reached on a bloop single to left.
The Terriers chipped away at the early deficit by scoring three runs in the bottom of the third to narrow the score to 8-4. Shane Kirkley knocked in the first run with an RBI single up the middle to score Eric Sturkie, who led off the inning with a base hit through the left side. The base knock sent Bradford Eaves to third to put runners at the corners for Waring, who cleared the bases with a double to the right-center field fence.
Ingram knocked his third home run of the game in as many at bats to cap a four-run fourth inning that put Western Carolina up 12-4. Wofford freshman Tom Dolinak started the inning and retired the first batter, but walked Murphy and Strausbaugh to put two runners on base for Smith. Smith drove in both runners with a double off the center field fence, and scored on Ingram’s homer to left center field. The home run prompted Wofford to bring in southpaw Chip Hunt, who ended the inning by forcing a groundout.
Wofford responded with three home runs in the next half inning to score five runs. Emre Caglayan and Keith Munns started the rally with back-to-back shots on two straight pitches. The leadoff homer was the first round-tripper of the season for Caglayan and the eighth on the year for Munns. Sturkie followed with a single up the middle and advanced to third on another base knock by Eaves. Waring then came to the plate and crushed a 1-0 fastball over the left field fence to narrow the deficit to 12-9. The home run was the 22nd of the season for Waring.
The Catamounts matched Wofford with five runs in the fifth to retake an eight run lead. Three straight walks gave Western Carolina its first three runs of the inning, and a bases loaded single by third baseman Nick Liles gave the Catamounts two more.
Strausbaugh launched his second homer of the game to give Western Carolina three runs in the sixth and a 20-9 lead. The three-run shot drove in Hatley, who reached on a walk, and Murphy, who singled through the left side.
The Catamounts rallied for four more runs in the top of the seventh to go up 24-9. Murphy highlighted the inning with a three-run homer, his second of the game, to drive in Barrett Shaft and pinch hitter Adam Baker who each reached with singles. Baker contributed the other run of the inning with a base knock that drove in Ingram after the first baseman doubled to lead off the inning.
Catcher Adam Kearney drove in two runs for Wofford with a pinch-hit homer, his fourth of the season. Kearney’s bomb scored Brandt after the senior led off the inning with his second hit of the game.
Dawson Smith took the mound for Wofford in the top of the eighth in his first appearance since Feb. 18, and retired the side in order while striking out the last two batters.
Sophomore Nick Yeaw added a run for the Terriers in the bottom of the eighth with a bases loaded pinch-hit single. The knock to left field scored first baseman Adam Wood who led off the inning with a base hit up the middle.
Western Carolina added two more runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Brent Greer. The two-bagger plated Reid Rollison, who walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a base hit by pinch-hitter Jackie Corn.
In his school-record 53rd career start, Austin Redwine (4-5) took the loss after giving up eight runs over the first three innings. Redwine allowed eight hits while striking out one of his 18 batters faced.
Bryan Corbett (3-1) picked up the win for Western Carolina after pitching 3 2/3 innings in relief of starter Tyler Sexton. Corbett gave up three runs on six hits, but struck out five of his 17 batters faced.
Wofford and Western Carolina will continue the series with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday, May 12. Ben Austin (9-4) will take the mound for Wofford opposite Drew Saberhagen (6-1). The teams will conclude the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday with Wofford’s Senior Day ceremony taking place before the first pitch.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 6, UNC GREENSBORO 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Nick Chigges pitched a complete-game, five-hitter and became just the seventh player in SoCon history to reach 30 career wins while teammate Alex Garabedian belted a two-run homer as 27th-ranked College of Charleston opened its three-game Southern Conference baseball series with a 6-2 victory over UNC Greensboro before 386 at Patriots Point Field on Friday.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 37-13 overall and 18-4 in league play. The Spartans are 25-25 and 11-11. Game two of the series is Saturday at 6:00.
Chigges (10-0), a senior, allowed only two runs and added five strikeouts. He retired the final 10 batters he faced and 14 of the last 15 overall. Ryan Falcon (6-7) suffered the loss surrendering six runs on 11 hits over seven innings.
Jedd Cordisco's RBI double in the second scored Ben Lasater and gave Charleston a 1-0 lead. UNCG got a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single in the fourth from Adam Deleo that scored Greg Feltes and tied the game at 1-1.
Charleston answered in the bottom of the fourth. Graham Maiden was hit by a pitch and Lasater singled to start the inning putting runners after first and second. After Garabedian advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Michael Kohn delivered a sacrifice fly to right center scoring Maiden for a 2-1 Charleston lead.
Chris Campbell, who leads the nation with 73 RBI, had a one-out triple to center in the fifth that scored Michael Harrington and stretched Charleston's lead to 3-1. Brandon Harvey's second homer of the season, a solo shot to left center in the sixth, cut CofC's lead to 3-2.
Oliver Marmol's RBI infield hit in the bottom of the sixth gave the Cougars a 4-2 lead. Garabedian's two-run shot to left center in the seventh was his 12th of the season and gave the Cougars a 6-2 advantage.
Charleston, which had 11 hits, got two hits each from Maiden, Lasater and Garabedian. Matt Gaski had a double for the Spartans.
THE CITADEL 9, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 1
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Sophomore right-hander Wes Wrenn tossed his fourth career complete game while senior center fielder Chance Smith matched two career-highs to help The Citadel snap Georgia Southern’s 10-game winning streak with a 9-1 victory in Southern Conference baseball action at Riley Park Friday night. The Bulldogs improve to 27-22, 10-12 SoCon while the Eagles drop to 30-23, 11-11 SoCon.
The Bulldogs earned their first victory in game one of a three-game set since an 11-8 win over Wofford on April 6. Wrenn (4-5) collected his fourth win of the year as he allowed one run while striking out three and walking only one batter in his nine innings of work. Wrenn enjoyed his second complete game of the season after ending up on the losing end of a pitcher’s dual versus Elon on March 23. It also marks the third complete game by the Bulldog pitching staff this year as Matt Crim hurled a complete-game shutout over Appalachian State on April 13.
Aaron Eubanks (3-3) suffered the loss for Georgia Southern as he tossed 6.0 frames, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits while fanning two and walking one.
Every Bulldog starter registered a hit in the contest except for freshman second baseman Bryan Altman, ending his career-long hitting streak at 12 games. Smith paced the Dogs with three hits, including a two-run home run, while driving in four and scoring twice. Junior third baseman Matt Arnold and freshman shortstop Kyle Jordan enjoyed a multi-hit game as well with two hits each.
Mike Economos and Will Southwell led the Eagle offense with two hits a piece, combining for four of GSU’s five hits on the evening. The Bulldogs posted 11 hits in the contest while Smith and senior first baseman Zach Brown both smashed a round-tripper.
Brown put the Dogs on the board early as he launched his 11th homer of the season over the fence in right field, giving The Citadel a 1-0 advantage in the second. Smith added two with a bomb over the scoreboard in left while sophomore designated hitter Sonny Meade notched an RBI-single to put the Bulldogs up by four in the third.
The Eagles were able to avoid the shutout in the sixth as Jeremiah Parker pushed a run across the dish with an RBI-groundout before the Dogs ignited for five runs in the seventh. Smith picked up his third and fourth RBI of the night with a base hit through the left side and eventually came in to score on a wild pitch. Freshman catcher Richard Jones added the final two runs with a single to right center to make it 9-1.
The Bulldogs will try to clinch the series as they face Georgia Southern for game two on Saturday, May 12 at 2 p.m. at Riley Park. The Citadel will send left-hander Matt Crim (4-3, 5.76 ERA) to the hill while the Eagles will counter with freshman righty Brian Wilkerson (4-7, 6.12 ERA).
APPALACHIAN STATE 8-1, LONGWOOD 2-0
FARMVILLE, VA. -- Longwood University dropped a baseball doubleheader to visiting Appalachian State University Friday at Lancer Stadium, falling 1-0 in the second game after an 8-2 defeat in the first game. The Lancers were playing their final home games of the campaign, and dropped to 34-18 with one game remaining, while the Mountaineers improved to 29-23. Longwood will conclude its 2007 season on the road this Sunday, May 13, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg beginning at 2 p.m.
In the nightcap, ASU manufactured the game’s only run in the third inning with a walk, sacrifice bunt, and a double down the right-field line by Nick DeRose (1-2, RBI). Chris Baker (0-0) scored the run after drawing the first of his three walks in the contest. Aubrey Edens (2-3) took care of the rest for the Mountaineers with a complete-game shutout, scattering six hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Longwood sophomore left-hander Kevin Light/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (5-3) took the hard-luck loss while pitching the first 6.0 solid innings, yielding just two hits and the one earned run with five strikeouts and three walks. Senior lefty Needham Jones III/Portsmouth (Woodrow Wilson) pitched the final 1.0 inning of relief, allowing just one walk as well. Freshman Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (2-3) collected two hits for the Lancers.
In the opener, the visitors scored two runs in the first inning and never trailed with leads of 2-1 after four innings, 4-1 after six innings, and 8-2 after seven innings. Jason Rook (6-5) earned the mound win with the first 7.0 innings, scattering five hits and two runs, one earned, with three strikeouts and two walks. Rook (3-5, 3 RBI) also helped himself at the plate with three hits and three RBI, including a two-run home run to right field in the sixth after an RBI single in the first. Isaac Harrow (2-5, 4 RBI) added two hits and four RBI to the attack, including a three-run double in the seventh after an RBI single in the first as well. Andrew Franco (2-3, RBI) also had two hits, including an RBI single in the seventh for ASU.
Longwood scored a run in the fourth inning when sophomore Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (0-4) reached on a fielding error, stole second base, advanced to third on a ground-out, and crossed the plate on a wild pitch. The Lancers added a run in the seventh as freshman Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (0-2) drew a one-out walk and scored on a two-out double to deep center field by classmate Frank Berry II/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-2, RBI). Senior captain Tyler Ames/Exmore (Northampton) (2-3) collected two hits for the hosts.
Longwood senior right-hander Brian McCullough/Virginia Beach (Princess Anne) (6-4) took the pitching loss with the first 6.1 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, six earned, with three strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore right-hander John Walker II/Alexandria (West Potomac) pitched the final 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits with one strikeout.