SoCon Baseball Recaps for March 11, 2008
ELON 8, WINTHROP 7
ELON, N.C. -- The Elon Phoenix jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then held off a late comeback by the visiting Winthrop Eagles to pick up an 8-7 non-conference victory from Latham Park and improve to 14-1 this season. The Eagles dropped to 3-9 on the year.
In the bottom of the second, Chase Austin led off with a walk before the next two hitters were retired. Austin moved to second when Mike Melillo was hit by a pitch. Harry Austin then doubled home both runners, just missing his first career homer as the ball went off the wall in left.
Elon extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Greg Annarummo and Melillo went back-to-back with solo home runs. Annarummo's first career homer went over the wall in left-center while Melillo's first blast of the season went to left.
Chris Dove led of the fifth with his fourth triple of the season and 12th three-bagger of his Elon career which ties him for sixth on Elon's career list. Dove then crossed the dish when Donny Jobe put down a bunt base hit.
Winthrop came back in the sixth as Eddie Tisdale reached on a leadoff single. Kevin Nolan followed with a single to right before Elon starter Cory Harrilchak retired the next two hitters. Both Tisdale and Nolan came around to score when Billy Froehlich laced a 3-2 pitch to left that got past a diving Pat Irvine for a double. Bryn Henderson's single to the gap in right scored Froehlich to trim Elon's edge to 5-3.
The Eagles tied things up in the seventh on a two-RBI single from John Murrian which plated both Tisdale and Nolan.
Elon responded with three in the bottom of the frame to regain the lead for good. Harry Austin got things going with a single single through the left side of the infield. Dove's bunt single put men at first and second. After a strike out, Bennett Davis hit his team-leading fourth homer of the year to left, driving in three.
A two-run eighth for Winthrop closed the gap to 8-7. The inning began with three straight singles from Bennett Jordan, Aaron Bonomi and Tyler McBride to load the bags. Tisdale grounded into a double play, scoring Jordan and moving Bonomi to third. Bonomi later scored on an Elon error.
Phoenix closer Thomas Girdwood came on for the ninth and allowed a lead off infield single to Eddie Rohan. Rohan was quickly erased when Froehlich grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Girdwood then got Henderson to fly out to right to end the game.
Harrilchak lasted 6.0 innings and gave up three runs on nine hits. Jesse Lewter (1-0) earned the win in relief by going 1.1 innings and surrendering two runs (one earned) on three hits. Girdwood's save was his third.
Josh McDonald (0-2) was tagged with the loss after he allowed three runs on five h its in 3.0 innings of relief work. Starter Billy Tinsley saw Elon score five runs on five hits in his 4.0 innings of action.
Dove, Harry Austin and Neal Pritchard all logged 2-for-4 days at the plate. Dove scored twice, as did Melillo. Davis drove home three while Harry Austin had a two-RBI performance for Elon.
Winthrop's Tisdale logged a 3-for-5, two-run day while Froehlich, Henderson and Jordan had two hits apiece. Both Murrian and Froehlich drove home two Eagle runs.
Up next for Elon is a road contest at Campbell on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. This will be just the second game away from Latham Park for the Phoenix in the 2008 campaign.
THE CITADEL 13, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 1
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? The Citadel pounded out 13 runs on 11 hits Tuesday night, topping rival College of Charleston, 13-1, in a non-conference game in front of 2,545 fans at Riley Park. Chris Swauger went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in the game while Asher Wojciechowski struck out nine across six innings of work.
The Citadel (10-3) notched their first win over the Cougars at Riley Park since April 25, 2006 and Tuesday night’s game marked the Bulldogs’ largest margin of victory over Charleston since topping CofC 19-3 on March 29, 2003.
“We’re just trying to get better everyday,” said The Citadel head coach Fred Jordan. “They [College of Charleston] have got a great team and we just had a good night.”
Wojciechowski (2-0) received his second win in four appearances and tied a career-high nine strikeouts in his third start of the season. Wojciechowski gave up one run on three hits ? a Jeremie Tice home run ? while walking four.
Wojciechowski partnered with Raymond Copenhaver and Chris Boyce to shut down a Cougar offense that leads the Southern Conference in batting average, runs, hits and extra-base hits. Wojciechowski is now second in the league in ERA with a 0.86 mark while The Citadel’s Matt Reifsnider leads the SoCon with a 0.73 mark.
College of Charleston’s lone run came from Tice’s home run in the second inning and the Cougars could only get three runners into scoring position throughout the rest of the game. CofC (10-4) only managed to get five hits off of three Bulldog pitchers.
Swauger went 3-for-3 in the game with two walks and has now safely reached base in his last 10 consecutive plate appearances. Swauger was walked twice and hit two singles and a double while scoring three runs and driving in two.
The Bulldog offense came out of the gates firing, scoring seven runs in the first two innings and running of Charleston starter Clay Caulfield after only 1.1 innings of work. Caulfield was responsible for all seven runs off four hits in the first two frames and was unable to strike out a batter. All but one Bulldog batter reached base in the game.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 11, USC UPSTATE 8
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, all without recording an out, and seven starters had at least two hits in an 11-8 win over USC Upstate Tuesday night (March 11). The Eagles improved to 7-6 overall while the Spartans fell to 5-9 as both teams sat through a rain delay in the third inning.
USC Upstate took a 2-0 lead in its half of the third. A hit and error put the first two runners on. Groundouts from Casey Rivers and Andrew Runion plated both.
Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) lined a one-out single in the third. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) followed with a blast high into the trees beyond the left field fence. His fourth home run this year tied the score at 2-all.
With two down A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) and Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. That is when the umpires halted the game due to rain, which lasted 98 minutes.
Shehan came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth. He beat out a potential double play which scored a run for a 3-2 lead. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) hit his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot to right field.
The Spartans scored twice in the sixth to tie the game, but Shehan went deep again. The junior right-fielders solo shot (his first-ever two home run game, and team-leading fifth this year) with two down helped GS regain a 5-4 lead.
USC Upstate took the lead in the seventh, scoring twice. With a runner at third and two outs, Wirnsberger made a diving stop to his left at third base and threw onto first to save another run and end the frame.
That was the momentum shift Georgia Southern needed. Starting with Wirnsberger, the Eagles had five straight singles, a walk, a 3-run double from Porter and two more walks ? all without recording an out. Benedict and Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) recorded a RBI single during the stretch of five straight singles. Porter came within inches of his first career grand slam, hitting a bases clearing double off the top of the left centerfield fence.
Upstate threatened in the eighth, scoring two runs. Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine Military) entered the game. The Spartans loaded the bases with two outs, having the would-be go-ahead run at the plate, but Kyle Bowley fouled out to Parker at first base to end the threat.
Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) recorded a career-high four hits in as many at-bats. Porter had three hits and drove in three. Shehan recorded four RBI and scored twice. Blake Nation (Brooks/Starr’s Mill) recorded his first career win despite allowing four runs (three earned) in 1.1 innings. Kamppi gave up one hit in two scoreless innings. He fanned two without issuing a walk.
Eric Guillen had three of the Spartans’ hits. Dennis McCraney (0-2) gave up five runs on five hits without recording an out in the seventh.
The series finale takes place Wednesday afternoon (March 12), first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
VANDERBILT 5, WESTERN CAROLINA 3
NASHVILLE, TENN. - Playing its second nationally ranked team in three days, the Western Carolina Catamounts did something Tuesday that it could not do on Sunday in the tournament finale against the host Rice Owls - prevent the big inning. However, the fourth-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores used five, one-run innings to stake itself to a lead it would never relinquish in a 5-3 win in baseball action at Hawkins Field Tuesday afternoon.
Vanderbilt (9-3) tallied nine base hits, but had to hold off the Catamounts over the final three innings after WCU clawed its way back to within a run, 4-3, in the visitor half of the seventh.
The Catamounts were led by freshman Ryan Mathews, who did not start the game but came on in the fourth after Andy John pinch hit for starting left fielder, Matt Johns. Mathews finished 2-for-2 at the plate with a single and a double, scoring one of Western's two runs in the seventh. Junior transfer J.C. Lyons was 1-for-3 with a double while senior Blake Murphy was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
Catamount starter Drew Saberhagen (0-2) suffered his second defeat of the season, allowing just four earned runs while scattering seven base hits in five and two-thirds innings of work. The junior from Calabasas, Calif., struck out four, three of which were looking, while also walking four. Junior transfer Mike Tavernier pitched two and a third solid innings in relief, surrendering one earned run on two base hits, pitching around a pair of walks with two strikeouts.
Vanderbilt grabbed an early, 1-0, lead in the home half of the first inning. Centerfielder David Macias, who finished 1-for-5 but scored twice, doubled to left center to open the frame and five batters later was scored on an RBI single by Andrew Giobbi. The Commodores threatened to add more, loading the bases before a force out along the middle infield ended the inning and the threat.
The Commodores added a run in the second and third as Macias reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and touched home for a second time on an RBI single by Alex Feinberg. Again, Vandy threatened as shortstop Ryan Flaherty doubled down the right field line. However, Dylan de Graaf relayed to Jason Haynes, who gunned Feinberg out at the plate to end the inning and keep it as a single-run inning.
In the fourth, Western broke both the no-hitter and shutout bid all within three batters. Lyons belted a one-out double down the left field line before advancing to third on a passed ball. After Murphy drew his team-high 12th walk of the season, de Graaf grounded out to second to drive Lyons in for the Catamounts' first run, 3-1.
Western (4-8) again threatened in the sixth using two singles by sophomore Brent Greer and Murphy to put one on with just one away. However, a double-play along the middle infield thwarted the rally, keeping the Catamounts two runs back until Vanderbilt tacked on an additional run in the sixth on a two-out solo home run to again lead by three, 4-1.
In the top of the seventh, Mathews led off with a single to third base, with sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick drawing a walk to give the Catamounts two on with no outs, chasing reliever Steven Schwartz. Set-up man, Russell Brewer, tallied the first out of the frame on a strikeout before a double steal advanced Mathews and Kirkpatrick to third and second, respectively. With two outs, senior Barrett Shaft laced a two RBI single up the middle - nearly taking out Brewer in the process - to plate two runs and pull WCU within a run, 4-3.
Brewer recovered to record a strikeout to end the inning, then worked a perfect eighth before pitching around a lead-off double to center field by Mathews and an error in the ninth to record his first save of the season.
Commodore starter Caleb Cotham garnered his second win of the year, going four innings by design allowing just one earned run on one base hit while fanning four and walking two.
Giobbi finished 2-for-4 as the only Commodore to post multiple hits, while Dominic de la Osa and Shea Robin each homered in the victory for Vanderbilt.
CLEMSON 11, UNC GREENSBORO 10
CLEMSON, S.C. ? In their first meeting on the diamond, the UNC Greensboro baseball team fell just short of the 24th-ranked Clemson Tigers, 11-10 at the Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, SC. Trailing 11-0 heading into the seventh inning, the Spartans tabbed a six and a four-run rally to cut the Tiger victory down to one.
The Spartans (8-4) were held to just a single in the first inning before Clemson (8-4, 1-2 ACC) got off to an early lead with a three-run shot over the centerfield fence by Ben Paulsen.
After another scoreless top, UNCG freshman right-hander Warren Slack took the Tigers three-up, three-down from the mound. In the second inning of his first collegiate start, he caught his first batter looking, his sent his second to the dugout swinging, and fanned the third.
Clemson added single runs in the bottom of the third and the fourth, and two more to close out the fifth. A grand slam in the bottom of the sixth by Mike Freeman gave them an 11-0 lead.
UNCG marked up the board for the first time against Clemson in the top of the seventh. Catcher Adam Deleo was brought in from second off a right center single by second baseman Tim Carrier.
After walking shortstop Matt Gaski, the Tigers made their second hill change of the evening. In his first pitch of the game, Clemson’s Trent Rothin pegged designated hitter Greg Feltes to bring third baseman Ray Quinones home. UNCG was gifted another run with a bases loaded walk to first baseman Ricky Orton.
Right fielder Sean Snell slapped a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Gaski across the plate, a Rothlin wild pitch scored Feltes, and a left center double by third baseman Pedro Leon brought in Orton.
UNCG closed out the seventh inning with their sixth double play of the season and freshman right-hander Blake Hassebrock’s first collegiate strikeout.
With the score 11-6 heading into the ninth, the grey and navy faced off with former teammate Clinton McKinney on the mound. Feltes got things started with a single up the middle. Two wild pitches later, he was on third, and in scoring position for a single through the right side by Orton.
With bases loaded up once again, a ground out by pinch hitter Brent O'Berry cut the lead down to three. A sacrifice fly to left field by Deleo and a single up the middle by Quinones brought the game within on run. With a runner on first, the Spartans had a chance to tie or take the lead, but Clemson was able to hold off the batter and take the 11-10, game one victory.
The UNCG sticks were led by Ricky Orton and Greg Feltes. Orton was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Feltes went 2-for-4 with two runs and 1 RBI. Going 1-for-4 on the evening, Adam Deleo extended his hit streak to 10 games. Clemson’s Mike Freeman was 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs.
Tiger starting pitcher Graham Stoneburner (2-0) earned the game win after a three-inning shutout. Matt Vaughn earned his fifth save of the season. Starting pitcher Warren Slack (0-1) took the loss for UNCG. In his two innings on the hill he tallied four strikeouts ? three in one inning.
The Spartans and the Tigers will meet tomorrow night for another 4pm game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Once returning to Greensboro, UNCG will host Princeton for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 1pm on Saturday, 1pm Sunday, and 6pm Monday.
CHARLOTTE 11, FURMAN 2
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joe Yemal hurled six strong innings to lead the Charlotte 49ers to an 11-2 win over visiting Furman in baseball action Tuesday night at Hayes Stadium.
Yemal (1-0), a freshman right-hander, earned the victory after surrendering two runs on only three hits and a walk while striking out four before exiting with a 9-2 lead.
The victory improves Charlotte to 10-1 on the season while Furman falls to 7-4.
The Paladins’ lineup took on a radically different look for the contest as head coach Ron Smith started five freshmen in the field, including four who made their collegiate starting debuts ahead of a jammed schedule that features six games this week. The Paladins entertain UNC-Asheville on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. before opening a four-game home weekend series with High Point on Friday.
Aaron Bray paced Charlotte’s 13-hit attack with a 3-for-5 performance. He also drove in two runs and scored twice. Alan Parks doubled, tripled and drove in three runs in going 2-for-3 in the contest, and Brad McElroy went 2-for-3 and scored three runs for the 49ers.
Furman managed only four hits.
Freshman deisgnated hitter Reese Wade drove in both Paladin runs with a two-out single in the fourth inning that cut Charlotte’s lead to 3-2.
The 49ers took advantage of a Furman error in the fifth inning to plate three runs and take a 6-2 advantage. With runners at first and second with one out, Parks struck out but the 49ers executed a double steal to put runners at second and third. Cory Tilton then reached on a error by Paladin first baseman Jay Jackson, which allowed two runs to score. Tilton, who took second on the error, stole third and came home on a balk by Paladin starter Justin Holloway.
Charlotte tacked on three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to finish off its onslaught.
Holloway (1-1) took the loss after yielding nine runs, though only four were earned, on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He walked six and struck out three.
AUBURN 17, APPALACHIAN STATE 0
AUBURN, ALA. --- Auburn banged out 16 hits and took advantage of eight walks to blank Appalachian State University baseball, 17-0, on Tuesday evening at Plainsman Park.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Auburn (11-4) blew the contest open with seven runs in the bottom of the second. The Tigers went on to add another single run in the sixth, six in the seventh and two in the eighth to hand Appalachian (7-7) its worst non-conference loss since it dropped a 17-0 decision at Florida State in 2003.
The Mountaineers had opportunities to cut into the deficit early, as they put five runners in scoring position over the first five innings. However, the Apps went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the evening.
Making his first start in the Black and Gold due to ASU playing three games in two days over the past weekend, junior Cameron Ohl (Winston-Salem, N.C./North Forsyth) didn't make it out of the second inning against the potent Tiger lineup. The southpaw was charged with seven runs on five hits and issued three walks in just 1.1 innings of work to fall to 0-1 on the season.
Meanwhile, Auburn starter Luke Greinke scattered six hits and struck out seven over six innings to move to 2-1 on the campaign.
Shortstop Jason Altenhof (Santa Fe, Fla./Santa Fe) was the only Mountaineer with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Catcher Jerod Faggart (Concord, N.C./Northwest Cabarrus) recorded the Apps' only extra-base hit on a second-inning double.
Right fielder Mike Bianucci led Auburn's offensive onslaught with a 2-for-4, five-RBI effort, which included a two-run double and three-run home run.
Appalachian will look to snap an eight-game losing streak at the hands of Southeastern Conference competition and earn its first win in six all-time matchups versus Auburn when the teams conclude their two-game series on Wednesday at 7 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. CDT) at Plainsman Park.