SoCon Baseball Recaps for March 15, 2008
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 26, COLUMBIA 8
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern University set a NCAA record for all Divisions hitting 14 home runs in a 26-8 win over Columbia Saturday afternoon (March 15) at J.I. Clements Stadium.
In all 12 different Eagles hit a home run. The 16 combined home runs between the two teams tie for second-most in NCAA Division I history according to the 2008 NCAA Record Book, while the five homers hit in the eighth inning (in six at-bats and all coming with two outs) tied for seventh-most for a single frame in Division I history.
The previous Division I record was 13 home runs on two different occasions (Alabama in 1999 and Cal State Northridge in 1996). The Division II record is 12 home runs while the Division III record is 13 homers.
Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) and Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) both recorded their second career 2-home run game. Benedict recorded his first multi-home run game against Boston College on February 24 while Shehan accomplished his four days ago against USC Upstate.
Roman Grimaldi (Duluth/Duluth), David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) and Chris Banker (Martinez/Lakeside) hit consecutive pinch-hit homers in the eighth, the first home run of the season for all three.
Earlier in the frame Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) and Jake Ware (Statesboro/Statesboro) went back-to-back as all five of those home runs came during a six at-bat stretch.
Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) and Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) went back-to-back in the second inning, two of the three solo homers hit that frame to give Georgia Southern the lead for good.
Ty Wright (Montrose/West Laurens) and Shehan hit consecutive blasts in the fifth. During the seventh, Shehan and A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) each hit a 2-run HR then Benedict added a solo shot later in the frame.
Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) celebrated his 21st birthday Saturday hitting a 3-run shot in the third, the second home run of his career, which extended the Eagles lead to 7-3 at the time. Georgia Southern scored in every inning save for a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
In last night’s 8-5 loss to Columbia, the Eagles did not manage a hit after the third inning. During Saturday’s win, they banged out 21 hits ? 15 more than the previous night.
“I think the biggest thing I am proud of is how we bounced back. I thought we took some good swings and certainly conditions with the wind were right for it today as well. I was pleased with how our guys off the bench performed. They came in ready to play and took good swings at the plate,” said head coach Rodney Hennon. “We tried to focus on preparing to play today, going out and playing as well as we can. We wanted to put last night’s game behind us. Our guys did a good job of doing exactly that.”
Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange) allowed five runs on 11 hits in six innings. The junior right-hander (1-0) walked one and struck out five. Burt Barto (Columbus/Columbus) pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Shehan finished with four hits, tied a career-high with four runs scored and drove in three. Wright had two hits and scored three runs. Wirnsberger also matched his career-high of three runs scored. Benedict tallied three hits, equaled a career-high three runs scored and drove in two. Pierce also had a 2-hit game to go with his two runs scored and three RBI.
Columbia registered a season-high 18 hits. Noah Cooper had four hits and Jason Banos had three, including a 2-run homer. Alex Ferrera hit a 2-run homer to start the third inning.
Joe Scarlata (0-3) was charged for 11 runs (10 earned) on 11 hits in 4.2 innings. Jason Gustavson allowed eight unearned runs on seven hits over the final 1.2 innings.
The series continues Sunday afternoon (March 16), first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
WOFFORD 4, YALE 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team defeated Yale 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The seven-inning game was shortened to six innings following heavy rain and lightning moving into the area.
Wofford improves 12-3 on the season, while Yale is 3-8. Pitcher Ben Austin went the complete game for the second time this season and also posted the second shutout of his career. The Terriers had nine hits, with two each by Michael Gilmartin, Adam Kearney and Jake Williams.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Terriers got things started with a double by Adam Kearney down the left field line. He advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on a single by Josh McKinney to give Wofford a 1-0 lead.
Yale left one runner on base in both the third and fourth innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Shane Kirkley led off with a walk, followed by a hit by Mo Seay with a throwing error to give Wofford runners on second and third. A single by Adam Kearney scored Kirkley. A sacrifice fly by Kyle Behrendt advanced the runners to second and third, then Josh McKinney was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Emre Caglayan struck out, but Jake Williams singled to score Mo Seay. A passed ball scored Adam Kearney to give the Terriers a 4-0 lead.
The Bulldogs went down in order in the fifth. Wofford left one on base in the bottom of the fifth. Yale went 1-2-3 in the sixth as well. In the bottom of the sixth, the Terriers had a runner on second and third with one out, but could not add to the 4-0 lead.
As the teams headed to the top of the seventh inning, the rain intensified and lightning was detected in the area. Due to continued lightning, the game was called and the second game of the scheduled doubleheader was cancelled for the day.
On Sunday, Wofford and Yale will begin a doubleheader at 1:00 pm to complete the series. The Terriers will host Rider on Tuesday and Wednesday for a two-game series at Russell C. King Field.
UNC GREENSBORO 7, PRINCETON 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? With all but one run scoring off of a home run, the UNC Greensboro baseball team took a 7-2, game one victory over Princeton on Saturday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium. The victory over the Tigers came just days after dropping two one-run road losses to #18 Clemson.
Trailing Princeton (6-2) by one run heading into the fifth inning, UNCG (9-5) knotted the game with a single into the centerfield gap by shortstop Matt Gaski. Before the inning came to a close, the Spartans took a 4-1 lead courtesy of a three-run homerun by designated hitter Greg Feltes. The Spartans hit two more home runs to put three more on the board and allowed the Tigers to score only one to take the 7-2 victory.
Princeton got on the board first with a single to right field by Jack Murphy to score Matt Connor. The Tigers held onto their 1-0 lead through to the bottom of the fifth inning before UNCG pulled out in front with a four-run rally.
With runners on the corners, Gaski hit the gap behind second base to bring center fielder Corey Overholtzer in to tie the game at 1-1. The Spartans then took the lead as Feltes hammered his fifth home run of the season over the leftfield wall to bring in third baseman Ray Quinones and Gaski.
In the next few innings, Princeton remained silent at the plate, but UNCG continued to put up runs via home runs.
The Spartans upped their lead by two more in the bottom of the seventh when Gaski swung away for his first home run of the season. His shot to left field brought in Quinones who had led off the inning with a double down the third base line.
In the bottom of inning eight, left fielder Drew Gehringer crushed the ball over the leftfield fence for his third homerun of the season and put the Spartans up, 7-2
The Tigers’ one run in the ninth wasn’t enough as UNCG took game one, 7-2.
The Spartans were led by Matt Gaski who was 3-for-4 on the day with three RBI, two runs, a triple, and a homerun. Corey Overholtzer was 3-for-3 with one run and a triple. Princeton’s Matt Connor, Adrian Turnham, and Lucian Spencer were 2-for-4.
UNCG’s Greg Martin (1-0) recorded his first win of the season with three strikeouts and zero walks in 7.0 innings on the rubber. Dan Barnes (1-1) took the loss for the Tigers after striking out five and walking two.
The Spartans and the Tigers will meet again on Sunday for game two of the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1pm.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 9, INDIANA STATE 4
INDIANA STATE 26, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 20
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Stuart Haywood and Joash Brodin belted homers as the College of Charleston downed Indiana State, 9-4, in the opener of its college baseball doubleheader before 674 at Patriots Point Stadium on Saturday. The Sycamores outslugged the Cougars, 26-20, in the nightcap to earn the split.
Charleston is 13-5 on the season, while Indiana State's record is 3-10. The finale of the four-game series is Sunday at 12:00.
Haywood's homer was his second of the season and gave Charleston an 8-2 fifth inning lead. Brodin, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, hit a second inning two-run home run to center that extended Charleston's lead to 4-0. Haywood finished 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Gabe Marchant collected three hits, while Jeremie Tice added two hits and two runs scored.
Austin Garrett (3-0) picked up the win allowing four runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. Mike Lynn blanked the Sycamores over the final 3 2/3 innings with six strikeouts for his second save of the season. Micah Spencer (0-1) was the starter and loser for Indiana State.
In the nightcap, the Sycamores erased an early 2-0 deficit and pounded out 25 hits including four homers. The 26 runs scored by Indiana State was the most scored by a Charleston opponent in school history. South Carolina beat Charleston, 25-8, on Feb. 8, 1997.
Brady Shoemaker had four hits, including a homer, and drove in seven runs. Chris Schmidt had four hits and three runs batted in, while Brian Jett homered and drove in four runs. Zane Chavez and David Brumagin added homers for the Sycamores. Gabe Marchant hit two homers for Charleston. Jeremie Tice and Michael Harrington also hit home runs for Charleston.
Brendon Smith (1-1) picked up the win in relief for the Sycamores. Jake Goldberg (1-2) suffered the loss for Charleston.
APPALACHIAN STATE 15, JACKSONVILLE STATE 6
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, APPALACHIAN STATE 4
JACKSONVILLE, ALA. - Appalachian State University baseball split Saturday's doubleheader at Jacksonville State, banging out a season-high 21 hits to take the opener, 15-6, before dropping the final game of a stretch of eight contests in eight days, 5-4. With the split, Appalachian took the three-game weekend series at Jacksonville State, two games to one, and moved to 10-8 on the season.
Third baseman Isaac Harrow (Hickory, N.C./Hickory)led the offensive proficiency in game one with ASU's top hitting performance of the season, a 5-for-6, five-RBI effort.
The Mountaineers held a tenuous 8-6 lead heading into the final inning, but plated seven runs in the top of the ninth on the strength of two-run singles by David Towarnicky (New Bern, N.C./New Bern), Jason Rook (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford)and Harrow and an RBI base hit from Jason Altenhof (Santa Fe, Fla./Santa Fe). Altenhof finished 3-for-6 with two runs and Rand Smith (Bolivia, N.C./South Brunswick) added a 3-for-4, three-run effort that was highlighted by a three-run homer in the fourth.
Matt Andress (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) struck out a career-high nine over 5.2 innings to move to 3-1 on the season. ASU reliever Adam Mills (Asheboro, N.C./Southwest Randolph) upped his scoreless innings streak to 15 by closing out the victory with 2.1 stanzas of perfect relief. The right-handed senior, who has not surrendered a run all season, earned his first save of the campaign.
Perhaps feeling the effects of the grueling eight-day, three-city road trip in the nightcap, the Mountaineers managed just eight hits in the one-run loss. Trailing 4-2 in the seventh, the Apps rallied to tie the ballgame on RBI from Rook and Wes Hobson (Winston- Salem, N.C./North Forsyth), but Jacksonville State (7-10) answered with a run in the bottom of the stanza and held on for the win.
Despite allowing just five hits and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work, Rook was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season.
After opening the season with 18-straight games away from Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium, Appalachian makes its 2008 home debut on Tuesday afternoon when it entertains Wake Forest at 2:30 p.m.