SoCon Baseball Recaps for February 23, 2008
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 10, GEORGE MASON 9
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 28, GEORGE MASON 14
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Gabe Marchant hit three homers, and Michael Kohn and Michael Harrington added two home runs each helping the College of Charleston to a season-opening doubleheader sweep of George Mason, 10-9 and 28-14, before 738 at Patriots Point Stadium on Saturday. The teams combined for 18 homers on the day, including a school record-tying six by Charleston in the nightcap.
The Cougars set a school record for most runs scored in a game. The old mark was established in Charleston's 26-3 win over Howard on Feb. 10, 2002. Charleston also tied its school mark for most hits in a game with 28 in the second contest. The Cougars had 28 hits in its 23-9 win over George Mason last season.
Charleston Coach John Pawlowski, in his ninth season as mentor of the Cougars, earned his 300th career coaching victory in the opener (300-172-1). The Cougars improved to 2-0, while George Mason is 0-2.
In the opener, Marchant belted two homers, including a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning to lift the Cougars. Marchant, whose two-run homer to right in the third inning staked the Cougars to a 6- 2 lead, hit an 0-2 pitch off Patriots relief pitcher T.J. O'Grady for a grand slam that gave Charleston a 10-8 lead. Marchant finished with a career-best six RBI and three runs scored.
For Charleston, Mike Hentz's two-run homer to right center in the second inning gave Charleston a 3-0 advantage. Harrington's one-out solo homer to right in the third gave the Cougars a 4-2 lead.
Ryan Uphouse paced the Patriots with five hits including a pair of homers. Uphouse hit solo homers in the third and fourth innings. He also drove in a run in the seventh with a double to left that pushed George Mason's lead to 8-6. For the GMU, Scott Krieger hit a solo homer in the fifth and Justin Bour added a two-run shot in the seventh that tied the game at 6-6.
Curtis Dowling (1-0) picked up the win in relief retiring the only batter he faced in the seventh inning. Jesse Simpson struck out five over the final two innings for his first save of the season. O'Grady (0-1) suffered the loss surrendering two runs on a hit.
In the nightcap, Kohn hit three-run homers in the third and fourth innings and Marchant hit a solo shot in the fifth. Jeremie Tice, Joash Brodin and Harrington added homers for the Cougars.
For George Mason, Mark Hill hit a solo homer in the fifth inning. Krieger, who also hit three homers in the twinbill, added a two-run homer to center in the fifth inning and a grand slam to left in the seventh.
Austin Garrett (1-0) picked up the win working six solid innings. Garrett allowed four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Mike Modica (0-1) suffered the loss surrendering 12 runs on 13 hits over 3 1/3 innings of work.
The final game of the three-game series is Sunday at 1:00.
ELON 5, LA SALLE 3
ELON 5, LA SALLE 4
ELON, N.C. -- The Elon Phoenix rallied from deficits in both games of a doubleheader against the La Salle Explorers to claim two non-conference baseball victories from Latham Park on Saturday. Elon took game one 5-3 and earned a 5-4 decision in the night cap to improve to 3-0. La Salle is now 0-3 on the year.
In game one, the Explorers jumped on top 1-0 when John Malloy homered over the rightfield wall on the first pitch of the game. La Salle's advantage reached 3-0 in the third inning. Shane Frangiosa led off with a single and went to second on an Elon error which also allowed Malloy to reach. Justin Handler doubled home Frangiosa before John Rickards' ground out plated Malloy.
Elon got one back in the fourth when Neal Pritchard belted his first career-homer. The Phoenix trimmed its deficit to 3-2 in the fifth after Chris Dove tripled and scored on a Donny Jobe single.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jobe led off with a single before Pat Irvine drew a walk. Following an Explorer pitching change, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Bennett Davis then doubled both runners home before heading to third on a ground out. Pritchard's sac fly to center allowed Davis to score the game's final run.
Tom Porter (1-0) earned the victory in relief of Cory Harrilchak who lasted 4.2 innings and surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits. Harrilchak also fanned five. Porter went 2.1 shutout innings and allowed just two hits. Thomas Girdwood hurled the ninth, striking out two, to pick up the first save of his career.
Kevin McGovern (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs without recording an out.
In game two, Elon grabbed an early 1-0 lead Matt Hinson scored on an Irvine single in the third inning.
La Salle answered with three in the top of the fourth. Kevin Jones led things off with a homer to left. Mike Dertouzos continued the rally with an infield single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a fly out. With two down, Handler plated Dertouzos with a single down the rightfield line. Rickards followed with a RBI triple to the rightfield gap.
In the bottom of the seventh the Phoenix rallied with two outs. With the bases loaded and two away, a wild pitch allowed Chris Dove to scamper home. The throw to the plate from the La Salle catcher sailed over the pitcher's head and allowed Jobe to also come home, knotting the game at 3-3. Back-to-back walks reloaded the bases and then Pritchard took ball four on a 3-1 count, forcing in Irvine with the go-ahead marker.
Dertouzos started the La Salle half of the eighth with a game-tying homer to center, but the Explorers could not push across another run for the rest of the contest.
In the bottom of the eighth, Elon plated the winning run Dove scored on an Explorer error.
Greg Jones (1-0) earned the win by hurling 1.0 inning in relief. Girdwood went the final 0.1 inning to pick up his second save of the day. Daniel Britt earned the start and lasted 4.1 innings and gave up three runs on nine hits.
TJ Chism (0-1) took the loss after walking four, giving up two hits and allowing three runs (one earned) to score in 1.2 innings of relief work. Kevin Fuqua threw a solid 6.0 innings as the Explorer starter and surrendered just one run on four hits while striking out five.
On the day, Jobe finished 4-for-8 with two runs scored and three RBI while Pritchard posted a combined 3-for-6, one-run, three-RBI performance.
La Salle's offense was led by Frangiosa's 4-for-9, one-run day and Jones' 3-for-7, one-run, one-RBI performance.
Elon will go for the four-game series sweep on Sunday when the two squads square off at 1 p.m. from Latham Park. Gates will open at noon.
WOFFORD 14-3
WOFFORD 15-1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? In the season opening doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, the Wofford baseball team defeated St. Peters at Russell King Field. The Terriers were led by freshman Jake Williams with five hits on the day and junior Scott Summers with seven innings pitched.
In the first game, the Terriers won by a score of 14-3. Senior Ben Austin was the starting pitcher for Wofford and went six innings with six strikeouts. Austin was credited with the win. Eric Miksitz started for St. Peters and went three innings with three strikeouts. Williams led the Terriers with three hits and three RBIs, including a home run in his first collegiate at bat. The Peacocks were led by Joe Romano with two hits.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Wofford won 15-1. Junior Scott Summers was the starting pitcher for the Terriers. He was credited with the win as he pitched seven innings with five strikeouts. Santo Maertz started for St. Peters and went five innings with seven strikeouts. Senior Adam Kearney led Wofford with three hits, six RBIs, and two home runs. Dennis Alexander, Mike McGuire and Connor Mullee recorded the only three hits of the game for the Peacocks.
Due to previous schedules, the teams will not make-up the doubleheader that was rained out on Friday afternoon. The Terriers will face USC Upstate on Tuesday at 7:00 pm at Russell King Field.
UNCG GREENSBORO 12, KENT STATE 3
KENT STATE 7, UNC GREENSBORO 5 (10 innings)
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? The UNC Greensboro baseball team won a commanding 12-3 victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday to open up the 2008 baseball season. KSU made it a split as they took a 7-5 extra-inning victory in the day’s second game.
The Flashes (1-1-0, 0-0-0 MAC) lit up the board first as Jeremy Rohan slammed a two-run shot over the leftfield wall in the top of the first inning. The Spartans (1-1-0, 0-0-0 SoCon) cut the lead to one as a double to right center from second baseman Tim Carrier brought the shortstop, Matt Gaski, around to the plate.
With KSU unable to deliver in the top of the second, another RBI from Carrier knotted the score at 2-2. Both teams remained scoreless through nearly three innings before the Spartans opened up with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
After being hit by a pitch, the designated hitter Greg Feltes scored a run off a right center double by the first baseman, Ricky Orton. With two strikes against him, the right fielder Sean Snell snapped a triple over the center fielder’s head to bring Orton around. Snell’s time on base was short-lived as a Pedro Leon, the left fielder, dropped the ball into right center and brought him around for a run.
The Spartans scored single runs in the sixth and the seventh inning before the Flashes were able to bring a runner around full-circle. With the bases loaded, Brad Winter hit a groundball to the shortstop to advance all runners and bring Doug Sanders home.
Up 7-3, UNCG pushed their lead even further scoring five in the bottom of the eighth inning. Third baseman Ray Quinones opened with a solo homerun. After back-to-back errors put two runners on the bags, Feltes stepped up and blasted it over the outfield wall. Orton tallied the fifth run following a fielder’s choice.
UNCG went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to hold off KSU and take the game, 12-3.
Two Spartans went 4-for-5 in game one. Orton finished with three singles, one double, two runs and one RBI. Snell hit for the cycle collecting a homerun, a triple, a double, and a single. He also added two runs and four RBI.
Starting right-hander Matt Gibbs (1-0) nabbed the win for the Spartans with three strikeouts and zero walks in his five innings on the mound. The loss went to KSU’s Alan Morrison (0-1).
Game two was a much different story as the two teams remained neck-and-neck through nine and into an extra six outs.
Kent opened up the game once again with two runs in the first with single advances from Rohan and Winter. With runners on second and third following a passed ball, Snell tied the score at 2-2 with a ball through the right side.
UNCG took a brief lead in the second off a sacrifice fly from Carrier, but KSU tied it right back up in the next inning with a Rohan solo shot over the left field wall.
Centerfielder Corey Overholtzer gave to the lead back to the Spartans with a solo homerun of his own to open the fourth inning. The blue and gold held onto the lead through the fifth inning before KSU was able to tie it up once again. With a runner on second, Chris Tremblay doubled to right center and brought the score to 4-4
Carrier put the Spartans in front once again with a single through the left side, but Kent responded in the top of the eighth to tie the game for the fourth time.
With both teams held scoreless through to the end of the ninth, the game was sent into extra innings. A few fielding changes by the Spartans seemed to be slowing down the Flashes, but a two-run rally on two gave KSU the lead and the eventual 7-5 win.
Quinones and Overholtzer both went 3-for-4 at the plate with Overholtzer adding a run and an RBI.
Jon Pokory (1-0) earned the win for the Golden Flashes. Sophomore Rob Gilliam (0-1) took the loss after giving up five hits and two runs in his 2.1 innings at the rubber.
The Spartans and the Flashes will finish out the series with a 1pm game on Sunday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE 8, APPALACHIAN STATE 1
APPALACHIAN STATE 7, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 5
RALEIGH, N.C. ? Thanks in large part to its clutch pitching out of the bullpen, Appalachian State University baseball began the 2008 season with an impressive doubleheader split at NC State on Saturday afternoon. Appalachian dropped the season opener, 8-1, but rebounded to win the nightcap, 7-5, in front of 1,763 fans at NC State’s Doak Field.
Appalachian’s trio of Matt Andress, Aubrey Edens and Garrett Sherrill combined to toss 5.1 innings of two-hit, one-run relief in the nightcap to key ASU’s second victory in nine all-time meetings versus NC State. The win was also just the second for Appalachian in its last 24 matchups versus Atlantic Coast Conference competition.
Andress was spectacular from the moment he entered the nightcap, as he struck out the first batter he faced with two runners on base and two outs in the bottom of the fourth, limiting what could have been a big inning for NC State and sending the Mountaineers into the fifth inning trailing by just one run at 4-3. The right-handed sophomore went on to retire the first eight batters he faced, allowing the Apps to mount a four-run rally in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead.
After surrendering his only run in the seventh, Andress gave way to Edens, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth unscathed to set the table for Sherrill, who retired the side in order in the ninth to register his ninth-career save.
Shortstop Jason Altenhof, catcher Jerod Faggart and left fielder Nick DeRose notched two hits apiece to pace Appalachian at the plate in the nightcap. Altenhof drove in two runs while Faggart and DeRose each scored two.
The win in game two came on the heels of an ugly loss in the season opener. NC State jumped out to a 7-0 lead after just four innings and never looked back en route to the easy win.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers seemed poised to get back into the contest when they loaded the bases with nobody out. However, ASU’s Wes Hobson lined out to NC State shortstop Tommy Foschi, who tossed the ball to second baseman Dallas Poulk to double Altenhof off second. Poulk then threw to third base in an attempt to catch Appalachian’s Andrew Franco off the bag. Franco got back in time, but NCSU third baseman Matt Payne saw that ASU’s Isaac Harrow was all the way to second base, so he threw to first baseman Pat Ferguson to complete the very unconventional 6-4-5-3 triple play, squashing any ASU momentum. In the bottom of the stanza, the Wolfpack tacked on four more runs and the rout was on.
Despite the loss, the Mountaineer bullpen was also a bright spot in game one, allowing no earned runs on just four hits over five innings. In all, six ASU relievers combined to limit NC State to just one earned run on six hits over 10.1 innings on the afternoon.
The two teams meet in the rubber match of their
DELAWARE 7, THE CITADEL 2
THE CITADEL 12, DELAWARE 0
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? The Citadel struggled to overcome a strong performance on the mound by Delaware’s Mike McGuire as the Bulldogs fell in the 2008 season opener, 7-2. Chris Swauger led the way for The Citadel, going 2-for-3 from the plate and being responsible for both of the Bulldogs’ runs.
Delaware (1-0) was propelled by the performance of first baseman Ryan Cuneo, who went 4-for-5 from the plate with two RBI and one run scored. Starting pitcher Mike McGuire (1-0) went 7.0 innings for the Blue Hens, giving up only two runs on four hits and striking out six Bulldogs.
The Citadel (0-1) lost their home opener for the first time since 2003, when the Bulldogs dropped a 9-4 contest to Tennessee. Matt Crim (0-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits. Crim gave up five walks and struck out five in 5.0 innings pitched.
The Citadel’s only runs came in the third inning as Swauger blasted a triple down the right field line, scoring Matt Simonelli who had reached second on a walk and a stolen base. Swauger scored off the next pitch as Sonny Meade singled to second on the first pitch. The Bulldogs were unable to put anymore runs across the plate the rest of the game, only putting a runner on second twice later in the game.
Facing a 2-0 deficit in the top of the fourth, Cuneo hit an RBI single up the middle with two aboard to put the Blue Hens on the board. Danny Overcash followed Cuneo with a single to short to load the bases. Left fielder Josh Dean drove in two runs with a double to left field on Crim’s first pitch, scoring Cuneo and Ryan Reed. The Bulldogs retired the side as Jon Duvall fouled out to right field.
In the top of the seventh, Delaware tacked on three more runs to give the Blue Hens a 6-2 advantage. Kyle Davis led the inning off with a double to left field on an 0-2 pitch from The Citadel’s Brett Bull. Adam Tsakonas doubled down the left field line, scoring Davis and Bull put runners on first and second as he hit Alex Buchholz on the first pitch. Jared Olson advanced Tsakonas to third and Buchholz to second as he grounded out to first. Ryan Reed notched his only RBI of the game as he grounded out to second, scoring Tsakonas from third. Cuneo recorded his second RBI of the game with a single to right field as he sent Buchholz home. Scott Schokley, who entered the game for an injured Overcash in the third inning, struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Blue Hens would tack on one more run in the eighth as Tsakonas singled through the right side on a 2-2 offering by relief pitcher Raymond Copenhaver to score Josh Dean from third.
The Citadel hit four home runs, including senior Matt Arnold’s first career grand slam, as the Bulldogs recorded their first win of the season in a 12-0 victory over Delaware Saturday afternoon at Riley Park.
Arnold, Bryan Altman, Sid Fallaw and Chris Swauger all went deep in the game as the Bulldogs (1-1) scored 12 runs off 12 hits against four different Delaware pitchers. Freshman pitcher Asher Wojciechowski (1-0) recorded an impressive debut as he struck out nine and gave up only two hits in 6.0 innings of work.
Jon Duvall was the only Delaware runner to get past first base in the game, advancing to second on a passed ball after reaching on a walk in the fifth inning.
The 12-run loss was the worst by Delaware since dropping a 15-3 decision against UNC Wilmington during the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament back on May 29, 2004.
Delaware (1-1) used four different pitchers in the game as The Citadel’s bats came alive in the second game on the day. Corey Crispell (1-0) was credited with the loss for the Blue Hens.
The game marked the first time since May 18, 2007 that the Bulldogs had hit four home runs in a game as the Bulldogs hit four against Furman to close out the regular season last year.
The most home runs The Citadel has ever hit in a game was six, which the Bulldogs have done twice. The Citadel hit six at Marshall on March 22, 1997 in a seven-inning game that The Citadel won, 10-3. That game also went down as a Southern Conference victory as 1997 marked the final year the Thundering Herd were members of the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs matched that long ball performance at East Carolina two days later on March 24. The Citadel topped the Pirates in that game, 19-6.
Fallaw’s home run was a solo shot in the second inning that came with two outs. The junior catcher sent the ball over the fence in left-center in his first at-bat of the season. Fallaw hit one home run all year last season.
Bryan Altman recorded the fourth home run of his career with a shot that went over the fence almost exactly where Fallaw’s ball went. Altman’s two-run home run came with no outs in the fourth inning and Richard Jones on first base. Altman’s last home run came in the 2007 Southern Conference Tournament, sending the Bulldogs to the tournament championship game for the third time in four years with a 5-2 win over Elon.
Swauger hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning with Simonelli on second.
Arnold’s first career grand slam came in the eighth inning with two outs as the Bulldogs solidified their win by scoring six runs in the inning. With two outs and two runners on, Delaware walked Sonny Meade to load the bases, bringing up Richard Jones. Delaware’s Steve Ulaky struggled with his control as he walked Jones, scoring Chris McGuiness from third. Altman came up next and also drew a walk, scoring Simonelli.
Arnold sent the first pitch delivered by Ulaky over the right field fence, unloading the bases and scoring the last four runs of the inning. Arnold had not homered since April 13 of last season when he hit a two-run shot at Appalachian State.
The Citadel and Delaware are set for the rubber game of the series on Sunday, Feb. 24. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Riley Park.
DAVIDSON 8, RADFORD 3
DAVIDSON 10, GEORGETOWN 3
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Davidson pitching allowed just six runs in 18 innings, and freshman designated hitter Danny Weiss opened his college career with four hits and five RBIs on the day as the Wildcats posted wins over Radford and Georgetown Saturday at Wilson Field.
Zac Long made his return to the mound for the first time since 2005 and scattered nine hits over five innings while allowing three runs and striking out five in an 8-3 win over Radford. Sophomore Thomas Middour gave up two runs and three hits through five innings in his start, a 10-3 victory over Georgetown.
Weiss finished the day 4-for-7 from the plate with a double and five RBIs. Sophomore Jay Honeycutt went 3-for-7 with a double, a homer and two RBIs.
Junior Chase FitzPatrick went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run to lead the Wildcat offense in the first game of the day.
The top of the order made things happen for the ?Cats in the first inning as Hugh Eden singled, Brett Shore reached on a bunt single and Zach Kayne walked to load the bases. FitzPatrick stroked a two-run double, and Matt Webb followed with a two-run single as Davidson took a 4-0 lead.
The Highlanders came back with two in the top of the third, but Davidson answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Weiss plated a run with a single, and Tommy Piacenza scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make the margin 6-2.
After Ben Toth got a solo home run in the fourth for Radford, FitzPatrick homered in the home half of the frame, and Honeycutt went deep in the fifth for the final 8-3 margin.
Sophomore Chris Kennedy tossed three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, and freshman Mike Frongello struck out two and retired the side in order in the ninth frame.
The Wildcats broke open a 5-3 game with five runs in the bottom of the eighth against Georgetown in the nightcap. Honeycutt led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. Weiss drove him in with a one-out single, and Chris FitzPatrick followed with a two-run double.
After a Matt Ray RBI single, Davidson used two consecutive squeeze plays to get two runs and make the margin 10-3. Frongello gave up a hit in the ninth, but that was the only damage the Hoyas would do as the rookie pitched three scoreless innings to record his first career save.
Honeycutt and Weiss each collected two hits in the game, and Weiss had four RBIs.
Davidson returns to action tomorrow as the Wildcats host Georgetown at 11 a.m. and Radford at 2 p.m. at Wilson Field.
WESTERN CAROLINA 11, MARSHALL 5
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina used four home runs and a trio of multiple-run innings to pick up its first victory of the season, rallying from down 4-0 to win 11-5 Saturday afternoon against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The win was also the first in the career of first-year head coach Bobby Moranda.
The Catamounts scored five in the fourth to erase the four-run deficit, then pushed across three in both the fifth and again in the eighth to secure the win.
Sophomore Nick Liles and junior transfer J.C. Lyons posted multiple hit games for the Catamounts, each securing two base hits including a double for Liles and a home run for Lyons. Senior Blake Murphy led all players with three runs scored thanks in part to a game-high three walks.
Joining Lyons with long balls on Saturday were Murphy, junior transfer Iain Sebastian and sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick.
WCU starter Garrett Ozar got off to a rough start in the first inning, allowing two runs on back-to-back solo home runs by Marshall's Brandon Casamassima and Jeff Rowley for an early Herd lead. The visitors manufactured two more runs in the top of the fourth, one scoring despite a bang-bang play at the plate between Ozar and Murphy.
Trailing 4-0, the Catamount bats awoke for the first time in the series in the bottom of the fourth inning. Murphy drew one of his game-high three walks to open the frame, then proceeded to steal both second and third, the latter coming simultaneously as a walk by Brent Greer. The next batter, Kirkpatrick, blasted one over the fence in right center field for a three-run shot to trim the deficit to one, 4-3. Freshman transfer, Ryan Mathews, then doubled and was scored on a floating home run to straight-away center by Sebastian to give WCU the lead for what proved to be for good.
All told, WCU plated five runs in the fourth using a pair of home runs.
Murphy again ignited a rally one inning later, crushing a two-run home run over the "Purple Monster" in left field to score both he and classmate Barrett Shaft, who was 1-for-3 on the day with a walk and a run scored. The scoring for the fifth was rounded out by the fourth homer, a solo shot to center field by Lyons for an 8-4 Catamount lead.
Western added three runs in the eighth including a sacrifice fly by Shaft and a two-RBI double by Lyons to extend the advantage to seven, 11-4. Marshall would push across one run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Lape, but left-handed reliever Chris Masters shut the door with a strikeout to earn his first save of the year.
Ozar earned his first win for the purple and gold, lasting five innings allowing four earned runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts. The Oak Park, Calif., native also picked off two Herd base runners - one at first and another at third base. Masters tossed the final four innings of three-hit, one-run relief with four walks and four strikeouts.
Steve Blevins was saddled with the loss for Marshall after allowing eight earned runs on eight base hits with four walks and five K's in 4.2 innings of work. Offensively for the Thundering Herd, four players posted two-hit games with Lape doubling twice and the pair of homers by Casamassima and Rowley.
Western hosts Marshall in the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. WCU left-hander Drew Saberhagen is scheduled to face Marshall freshman right-hander, Dan Strailey.
BOSTON COLLEGE 14, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 7
BOSTON COLLEGE 11, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 7
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern opened the season suffering a doubleheader sweep at J.I. Clements Stadium to Boston College, 11-7 and 14-7.
Game one started well for BC as leadoff hitter Marc Perdios hit a 3-1 fastball to centerfield, just out of the reach of Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock). Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange) rebounded to strikeout a pair of Eagles in the frame.
BC (2-0) added another run in the second thanks to Robert Anton’s RBI double. However, the Eagles charged back in their half. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) started the one-out rally with a single to third base. Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) walked then Jonathan King (Athens, TN/McMinn County) recorded his first hit as an Eagle, a RBI single to centerfield.
Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) walked to load the bases. Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) and Miller delivered back-to-back RBI singles putting GS ahead 3-2.
Eric Campbell nailed a 2-run homer in the top of the third then Michael Belfiore followed two batters later with a RBI single, giving BC a 5-3 lead.
Georgia Southern regained the lead in its half of the fourth. King singled, Pierce doubled and Beckham drew a walk to load the bases with no one out. Miller walked to bring home a run. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) grounded into a double play but Pierce scored to tie the game. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) roped a 2-run shot down the right field line for a 7-5 lead.
Boston College got a RBI groundout in the sixth, then staged a two-out rally in the seventh inning to regain the lead for good. Matt Hamlet hit a 2-run homer. Garret Smith singled and scored on Robert Anston’s RBI double for a 9-7 lead. BC batted around following a RBI double, RBI single and hit batter. Junior Blake Nation (Brooks/Starr’s Mill) came on in relief and got the final out of the inning.
Freshman Trent Franzago (Byron/Peach County) suffered the loss, allowing five runs in 1.2 innings. Murray was charged for five runs in five innings, striking out four. Nation matched a career-high throwing 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while fanning three. Miller, Shehan and King had two hits apiece for the Eagles.
James MacDonald (1-0) scattered three hits over the final five innings to earn the win. Starter Terry Doyle allowed seven runs on eight hits. He walked four and struck out three. Perdios, Campbell, Hamlet and Smith had three hits apiece.
The Eagles lost their fourth season-opener over the last five years.
Georgia Southern out-hit BC 18-15 in the nightcap, however the Eagles from the Atlantic Coast Conference hit seven home runs ? three by Sam Shaughnessy.
Shaughnessy, Campbell and Smith all hit a 2-run homer off Eagle starter Aaron Eubanks (Moultrie/Colquitt County) in the third inning.
GS got a run back in its half on Blackburn’s RBI groundout. However, Shaughnessy greeted freshman Michael Hester (Evans/Greenbrier) ? the first collegiate batter Hester faced ? with a solo home run to centerfield for a 7-1 lead. Hamlet hit a solo homer to start the fifth.
Jeremiah Parker lined a one-out single in the fifth. Wirnsberger lined a RBI double down the left field line, cutting the deficit to 8-2. The BC Eagles added a run in the sixth and threatened for more. Justin Davis (Pulaski/Metter) walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, but the redshirt-freshman got two straight out on a fielder’s choice to end the frame.
The Eagles got two runs back in the sixth. King lined a RBI single then Parker delivered a sacrifice fly, making it a 9-4 game. Shaughnessy hit his third homer of the game in the seventh inning. Parker hit his second sacrifice fly of the game during the eighth inning. However, with runners on the corners the Eagles could not push another run across. King and Shehan delivered RBI singles in the ninth inning for the final margin.
Eubanks (0-1) was charged for six runs in three innings, but the senior left-hander struck out five. King, Shehan and Pierce added three hits apiece while Parker and Wirnsberger had two each. Pierce hit a pair of doubles and three in all on the day.
Dan Houston (1-0) gave up four runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings. He walked one and struck out five. Shaughnessy tallied four RBI and Barry Butera drove in three runs.
Game three of the series concludes Sunday afternoon, first pitch at J.I. Clements Stadium is scheduled for noon.