UNC GREENSBORO 5, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Matt Gibbs and Kory Judd combined on a five-hitter and Brandon Harvey drove in two runs as UNC Greensboro beat 27th-ranked College of Charleston, 5-3, in Southern Conference baseball action before 374 at Patriots Point Field on Saturday.
With the win, the Spartans improved to 26-25 overall and 12-11 in league play. The Cougars, who were held to a season-low for hits and runs scored, fell to 37-14 and 18-5. The series finale is Sunday at 5:45.
Gibbs (5-4) picked up the win allowing just three runs on four hits over seven innings. Gibbs, who retired 10 in a row at one point, walked four and struck out three. Kory Judd, who worked out of a bases loaded, one-out situation in the eighth, picked up his second save of the season. Brian Schlitter (4-4) was the tough-luck loser for the Cougars.
Ricky Orton and Harvey delivered two-out, run-scoring hits in the first off Charleston starter Clay Caulfield to give UNCG a 2-0 lead. Graham Maiden's RBI grounder in the bottom of the inning scored Michael Harrington and cut the lead to 2-1. Charleston tied in the third at 2-2 when Gabe Marchant scored on an errant throw.
The Spartans scored an unearned run in the sixth to take the lead for good. Guy Welsh tripled to right to start the inning and eventually scored when second baseman Chris Campbell's throw to third on a grounder by Greg Feltes skipped into the third base dugout allowing Welsh to score for a 3-2 lead.
Feltes had an RBI triple to right and Harvey a sacrifice fly to right in the eighth that stretched UNCG's lead to 5-2. Ben Lasater's bases loaded sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Oliver Marmol for the final margin.
THE CITADEL 8, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Four home runs powered The Citadel past Georgia Southern, 8-3, Saturday afternoon at Riley Park to clinch their first Southern Conference series since taking two of three from Davidson. The Bulldogs improve to 28-22, 11-12 SoCon while the Eagles fall to 30-24, 11-12 SoCon.
The Bulldogs set a new single-season record in round-trippers as the four they collected on the afternoon gave the Dogs 55 on the year, surpassing the previous record of 54 set in 1997. Freshman catcher Richard Jones enjoyed a pair of homers for the second time this season, as senior first baseman Zach Brown and junior left fielder Chris Swauger were responsible for the other two jacks. Brown moved up to eighth place on the single-season list in home runs with his 12th on the season, tying him with Chip Cannon. Swauger put himself in seventh along with former associate head coach Chris Lemonis and Ryan Butler with 23 career round-trippers. It was the first time that Jones, Brown and Swauger all smashed a home run in the same game.
Georgia Southern struck first as Justin Klinger was able to score on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Will Southwell in the second. The Citadel quickly retaliated as Jones crushed a 1-2 offering over the right field wall to lead off the bottom of the frame. Jones has homered in the Dogs’ last six weekend series.
The Eagles went back up again in the third as another fielder’s choice, this time by Matt Miller, plated a run. The Dogs answered back with two of their own courtesy of Brown’s two-run shot to give the lead to The Citadel for the first time in the contest, 3-2.
Klinger doubled to begin the sixth for the Eagles before Shehan drew a walk. Both runners moved over on a sac bunt by Southwell. Klinger was able to race to the dish as freshman shortstop Kyle Jordan fielded a grounder off the bat of A.J. Wirnsberger and decided to try and get the out at third where Shehan slid in safely to even the score at three.
That would be the last time the Eagles would be able to score as the Bulldogs answered back with five runs. Swauger launched a solo shot to right center in the sixth before the Dogs ignited for four runs in the seventh. Senior center fielder Chance Smith sprinted to the plate on a passed ball before Brown ripped an RBI-double down the right field line. Jones capped off the scoring with a two-run blast to make the final, 8-3. The Citadel collected its 19th come-from-behind victory this season after falling behind 2-1 in the third.
Six different Bulldogs notched two hits while Brown and Jones paced the squad with three RBI each. Klinger and Mike Economos each tallied two hits for the Eagles on the day.
Bulldog starter Matt Crim (5-3) earned the win as he tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while fanning three and walking two. Brian Wilkerson (4-8) suffered the loss as he went 5.0 frames, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out three and not allowing a walk.
Seniors Justin Smith and Link Saunders closed out the game for The Citadel as Smith hurled 2.0 innings, holding the Eagles to only one hit while collecting three strikeouts. Saunders tossed the ninth, allowing a hit while fanning two.
The Bulldogs will go for the sweep as they face Georgia Southern for the series finale on Sunday, May 11 at 1 p.m. at Riley Park. The Dogs will recognize their seven seniors before the contest. Freshman right-hander Matt Reifsnider (3-2, 4.58 ERA) is scheduled for his second weekend start as the Eagles are expected to counter with senior lefty Josh Lairsey (2-1, 6.75 ERA).
WESTERN CAROLINA 21, WOFFORD 3
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Blake Murphy went 5-for-5 with three home runs and seven RBIs while Drew Saberhagen scattered five hits over six innings to lead Western Carolina to a 21-3 win over Wofford Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field.
Murphy crossed the plate five times while reaching base in all six of his plate appearances. His three home runs came in successive at bats and drove in all seven of his RBIs. The Catamount offense added seven total homers in the contest, as Jonathan Greene added two and Steven Strausbaugh and Kenny Smith added one each in addition to Murphy’s multi-run shots.
Saberhagen (7-1) picked up the win after holding Wofford scoreless over the first six innings. The redshirt sophomore scattered five hits and three walks during his outing while striking out three. Andrew Larrimore picked up his first save of the season for Western Carolina after tossing the final three innings in which he allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Senior second baseman Eric Sturkie hit a solo home run for Wofford (23-29, 6-17) while Sterling Dye and Emre Caglayan added RBIs in the seventh inning for Wofford’s three runs. Sturkie’s blast was his second of the series and his fourth on the season. Bradford Eaves went 4-for-4 with four singles and a run while Brandon Waring was 3-for-5 and Shane Kirkley was 2-for-4 with one run scored.
The Catamounts (36-15, 17-6) picked up where they left off Friday night and took a 3-0 lead on a three-run homer by Smith in the first inning. With a 3-1 count, Smith yanked a fastball to the left-center power alley to drive in Murphy, who reached with a base hit, and Strausbaugh, who walked. After the home run, Wofford starter Ben Austin settled down and struck out three batters to end the inning.
Strausbaugh saved a run in the bottom of the first by throwing out Eaves at the plate on a base hit to right field by Waring. After a single by Eaves and a walk to Kirkley, Waring knocked a ground ball through the right side. Eaves rounded third and headed to the plate, but Strausbaugh fielded the roller and fired to Murphy at the plate just in time to beat a sliding Eaves.
Murphy kept the momentum in Western Carolina’s favor with a two-run homer in the top of the second. The blast to center field drove in leadoff man Barrett Shaft and put the Catamounts up 5-0 heading into the bottom of the second.
Strausbaugh threw out another runner on a sacrifice fly ball in the bottom of the second to preserve the five run lead. With Dye on third base following a two-base throwing error by Murphy, Sturkie lifted a fly ball to Strausbaugh in right field. Dye tagged up after the catch, but the Catamount right fielder got the ball to Murphy just in time to swipe Dye’s leg before he crossed the plate.
Murphy capped a four-run third inning with his second home run of the game, a three-run shot that put Western Carolina up 9-0. All four runs in the inning were unearned, as the Catamounts took advantage of a Wofford throwing error that botched a potential double play. First baseman John Ingram drew a walk to start the inning and advanced to third on a ground ball back to the mound that was fielded by Austin, but thrown just past the glove of Michael Gilmartin at second base. Mitchell Hatley drew another walk to load the bases before a wild pitch allowed Ingram to score from third. Murphy then cleared the bases with his second home run of the game, a three-run shot over the left field fence.
Western Carolina added three more homers in the fourth to score six runs and take a 16-0 lead. Greene, Murphy and Strausbaugh each added round trippers for the Catamounts for the team’s fourth, fifth and sixth homers of the game. Murphy’s shot was his third homer of the game and his fourth hit in as many at bats.
Greene led off the top of the fifth with another home run to put Western Carolina up 17-0 before the Catamounts added four more runs in the next inning to stake a 21-run lead. With the bases loaded following a walk and two singles, Greene was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run. Ingram then singled to right field to drive in another run before Wofford called on Reid McElveen to take the mound. With one out, McElveen forced a potential double play ground ball, but Nick Liles beat the throw to first to preserve the inning and allow another run to score. Designated hitter Brent Greer added an RBI double for the final run of the inning. McElveen cruised through the next two innings and gave up only three more hits while holding the Catamounts without a run for the first time in the game.
Western Carolina changed pitchers to begin the seventh, and Wofford took advantage and scored three runs beginning with Sturkie’s solo home run. Sturkie started the rally with a blast to straight away center off of Larrimore for his fourth homer of the season. Eaves then drew a walk and advanced a base on a base hit by Kirkley. Waring added another base knock to load the bases before Dye drove in a run after beating out an infield single down the third base line. Caglayan sent in the final run of the inning after taking a bases loaded walk on a full count.
After the three run Wofford rally, Larrimore settled down and did not give up another run over the final two innings. The Terriers managed three more hits before the game ended, but could not string together a comeback.
Austin (9-5) was credited with the loss after allowing 15 runs, 11 earned, on nine hits through the first 3 2/3 innings. The junior right hander struck out six and walked six. The six strikeouts pushed Austin’s season strikeout total to 82 on the season, making him only the seventh Terrier in school history to reach 80 strikeouts in a season. With one series left in the season, Austin is currently fifth on the single season list and could move to as high as fourth after his next start.
Wofford will close out the series against Western Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m. while also concluding their home season at Russell C. King Field. The game will be the last home outing for eight Wofford seniors as John Brandt, Jesse Cole, Eric Sturkie, Charles Vartanian, Austin Redwine, Steven Fusaro, Bradford Eaves and Lance Player will all be honored with a pre-game Senior Day ceremony prior to the first pitch.