SoCon Baseball Recaps for March 16, 2008
WESTERN CAROLINA 32, HARTFORD 3
WESTERN CAROLINA 5, HARTFORD 3
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina took the first two games of its non-conference baseball series with the Hartford Hawks Sunday afternoon in two different manners. The Catamounts pounded out a season-high 24 hits en route to a convincing 32-3 victory in game one before riding solid pitching in a 5-3 win in what turned out to be a pitcher's duel at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
The 32 runs scored by the Catamounts in game one are a school record, surpassing the previous mark of 29 tallied against Marshall back in 1992. The 29-run margin of victory was also a school record, eclipsing the old mark of 28 set in 1971 against Allen College. WCU belted eight home runs, including the first grand slam of the season off the bat of J.C. Lyons.
WCU trailed 3-1 after the first inning of play in game one, but erupted for 13 runs on 10 base hits, including four home runs, in the second inning to put the game out of reach early. Sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick blasted a three-run homer to open the barrage, with Lyons' grand slam followed by a second three-run shot by freshman Matt Johns and concluded with a two-run home run to right by senior Barrett Shaft.
The 13 runs plated in the decisive second inning of that same game tied a school benchmark for runs in a single-inning (VMI, 1991 and 1992).
The Catamounts would continue the onslaught in the third, pushing across four runs thanks to a sacrifice fly by senior Jason Haynes and a three RBI triple off the bat of Reid Rollison to lead 18-3 after three innings. Western added nine runs in the home half of the fourth and five in the bottom of the fifth to conclude the scoring.
Mike Tavernier picked up his third win of the season in game one, tossing five innings in his first start for the Catamounts. He scattered five base hits, allowing three earned runs with five strikeouts and a pair of walks in the win. Freshman Matt Benedict threw the final four innings of two-hit baseball, holding the Hawks scoreless while fanning four.
For Hartford, Weston Szymanski suffered the defeat after allowing eight runs, seven of which were earned, in just one inning of work. Hartford used a total of five pitchers in the opener, walking eight and also hitting nine WCU batters in the loss.
In game two, the Catamounts rallied from down 3-2 entering the home half of the sixth inning to surge ahead and hold on for the victory.
Western opened the scoring in the second game as senior Blake Murphy belted a two-out double to left center field in the bottom of the fourth. The next batter, sophomore Brent Greer, laced an RBI single up the middle to give the Catamounts the 1-0 lead.
However, Hartford answered with a two-spot of its own in the top of the fifth as left fielder Drew Sgro doubled to right and was scored two batters later on an RBI single to center by Roger Wilmot. Two singles later, with the latter coming off the bat of Adam Bowser, Wilmot trotted home to give the Hawks the lead, 2-1.
The advantage was short-lived, though, as sophomore Nick Liles singled up the middle to score Kirkpatrick from second to knot the game at two.
Trailing by one, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Brent Greer took a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field to tie the game at three. Then, with Mathews aboard, classmate Johns doubled down the left field line to push WCU ahead, 4-3. The Catamounts would add a run in the bottom of the seventh when Liles scampered home on a throwing error by the Hawks' pitcher on a failed pick-off to provide the final tally.
Junior Garrett Ozar collected his second win of the season in six innings of work. The Oak Park, Calif., native only allowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out six against two walks. Senior Tyler Sexton made his first relief appearance of the season, fanning a season-high six in three innings of one-hit action to secure his first save at WCU.
Hawk starter Chris Greiner was saddled with the loss after allowing four earned runs on 10 hits with five of Hartford's 10 strikeouts of Catamount hitters in the second game.
Offensively, Liles led the Catamounts on the day with a 7-for-10 showing, including a 4-for-6 outing in game one which included scoring five runs. The Laurinburg, N.C., native had a pair of doubles in the two wins. Mathews finished the day 5-of-10 with six runs scored and two home runs, while Kirkpatrick also blasted a pair of round-trippers on Sunday. Murphy was walked three times, including one intentional, and was hit by a pitch twice.
Western Carolina wraps up the rain-delayed, three-game series with Hartford on Monday evening at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. First pitch is slated for 5:00 pm.
THE CITADEL 5, ELON 4
ELON, N.C. -- After rain and lightning suspended play in the top of the ninth inning on Saturday afternoon, The Citadel Bulldogs held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth by the Elon Phoenix to pick up a 5-4 Southern Conference baseball victory from Latham Park. In the loss, Elon failed to score five runs for the first time this season. The Phoenix suffered just its second defeat of the season to move to 16-2 overall and 1-1 in SoCon play. The Citadel upped its mark to 11-5, 1-1.
The Citadel jumped on top with a three-run third inning against Phoenix starter Jesse Lewter. With one out, Sid Fallaw was hit by a pitch. Kyle Jordan's double allowed Fallaw to score the first run of the afternoon. Matt Simonelli followed with a RBI double, plating Jordan, and would later cross home on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the sixth, Elon scored two unearned runs to pull within 3-2. With two away, Bennett Davis lifted a fly ball to right that was misplayed by Sonny Meade and Davis ended up on second. Chase Austin followed with a double to plate Davis. A wild pitch advanced Austin to third before Neal Pritchard was hit with a 3-2 pitch. Pritchard got caught on a pick-off move and was able to remain in a run down long enough to allow Austin to score the second Phoenix run.
A Matt Arnold homer to lead off the seventh inning pushed the Bulldog advantage to 4-2 and The Citadel added another on a Bryan Altman sacrifice fly which drove home Meade in the eighth.
Elon looked like it would make some noise in both the seventh and eighth innings, only to have the threats snuffed out. In the seventh, Mike Melillo led off with a double. Pinch-runner Matt Hill was quickly picked off by new Bulldog hurler Raymond Copenhaver. A single was sandwiched between a ground out and fly out and the Phoenix could not do any damage.
Chris Dove and Donny Jobe started the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back singles before Matt Reifsnider got two fly outs and a strike out to keep Elon off the board.
In the bottom of the ninth the Phoenix got a rally started as Dallas Tarleton singled to center. After Ryan Adams walked, Cory Harrilchak flew out for out number one. Pat Irvine drove Tarleton home with a single through the right side of the infield before Dove's single loaded the bags. A Jobe single plated Adams and Elon looked like it would keep the bases loaded. However, Dove came too far around second and the Bulldogs threw behind him. As Dove tried to avoid being put out, Irvine raced for the plate. The throw home was in plenty of time and Irvine's leaping attempt to score was unsuccessful. As a result of the play, the Phoenix ended up with runners on second and third. Davis lifted a 2-2 pitch to left that was corralled by Chris Swauger for the final out of the game.
Lewter (1-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings of work. He did not walk a batter and fanned five.
Matt Crim (2-1) earned the victory by hurling 6.0 innings, giving up two unearned runs on seven hits. He also did not walk anyone while striking out five. Matt Reifsnider worked the final 2.0 innings, giving up two runs on six hits, to earn his third save of the season.
Four Elon players tallied two-hit games - Dove (2-for-5), Jobe (2-for-5, RBI), Austin (2-for-4, run, RBI) and Harrilchak (2-for-4).
Meade and Jordan each had three-hit games and scored one run. Arnold added a 2-for-4 outing to lead the Bulldogs.
ELON 8, THE CITADEL 7
ELON, N.C. -- A six-run sixth inning propelled the Elon Phoenix past the visiting Bulldogs of The Citadel and to an 8-7 Southern Conference baseball victory from Latham Park on Sunday afternoon. Before the rally, Elon had trailed 5-1. The Phoenix earned its 17th victory of the season to just two losses overall. In SoCon play, Elon is now 2-1. The Citadel dropped to 11-6, 1-2 on the year.
After winning Saturday's suspended game earlier in the day, The Citadel looked like it was going to pick up right where it had left off. In the second inning, the Bulldogs pushed across four runs. Matt Arnold got things going with a one-out single up the middle before racing to third on a Matt Reifsnider single. A ground out off the heal of Phoenix pitcher Jimmy Reyes saw Arnold score. Kyle Jordan earned the RBI on that play. Reifsnider would later score on a single off the bat of Matt Simonelli. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with walks to Chris Swauger and Sonny Meade before Elon's Chase Austin made a diving stop of a ball bound for rightfield. Reyes was slow covering first however, and Richard Jones reached on an infield single that plated both Simonelli and Swauger for a 4-0 edge.
The lead grew to 5-0 in the fourth when Jones singled home Swauger on a 2-0 pitch.
Elon got on the board in the bottom of the fourth thanks to Neal Pritchard's RBI single to center which drove home Ryan Adams from second.
Still trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Phoenix exploded for a six-run outburst, the most runs given up the The Citadel in an inning this year and the 16th time this season that Elon has scored at least four in a frame. Adams got it started with a double to left. With one out, Dallas Tarleton walked. Austin's single loaded the bases before the second out was recorded. It looked like Elon would leave the bases loaded for the second straight inning before Chris Dove laced a 2-1 pitch up the middle to drive homoe both Adams and Tarleton and pull the Phoenix within 5-3. Following a pitching change, Donny Jobe was hit by a pitch to load the bases back up for Bennett Davis. Davis lined a ball into the leftfield gap, plating both Austin and Dove to even the score at 5-5. Pat Irvine's double down the rightfield line capped the scoring, as both Jobe and Davis crossed the plate to give Elon its first lead of the game.
Dove's single in the seventh plated Austin who had reached on a bunt single to give Elon an 8-5 lead.
With one out in the eighth, Jordan hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left which pulled the Bulldogs within 8-6.
In the ninth, Elon turned the ball over to its freshman closer Thomas Girdwood. Meade led things off with a single before Jones doubled to left-center. An Elon error allowed Chris McGuiness to reach and Meade scored to make the score 8-7. Girdwood then got Bryan Altman to fly out to right and Arnold to ground into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play, the second of the day for Elon.
Daniel Britt (1-1) earned the win in relief of Reyes. Britt hurled 5.0 innings and surrendered two runs on five hits while striking out three. Reyes left after 2.1 innings with tightness in his shoulder. He allowed four runs on six hits. Girdwood picked up his fourth save of the year with his 1.0 inning performance.
Raymond Copenhaver (1-1) took the loss in relief of freshman Asher Wojciechowski. Copenhaver did not record an out, but was charged with two runs on two hits. Wojciechowki, who had allowed just two runs in 21.0 innings entering the game, was touched for five runs (four earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings. He walked four and fanned seven.
Dove finished the game 3-for-4 with a run and three-RBI to up his average to .423. Both Davis and Irvine had one hit and two RBI for the Phoenix. Austin went 2-for-4, scoring twice.
Both Simonelli and Jones went 3-for-5 with Simonelli scoring once and driving in one. Jones drove home three. Jordan was 1-for-4 with a run and two driven in for the Bulldogs.
Elon will visit East Carolina for a 6 p.m. start on Tuesday while The Citadel plays host to Charleston Southern at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
WOFFORD 18, YALE 3
YALE 5, WOFFORD 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team split a Sunday afternoon doubleheader with Yale at Russell C. King Field. Wofford won the first game 18-3 on the strength of five home runs, while the Bulldogs won 5-1 in the second game.
Wofford is now 13-4 on the season, while Yale is 4-9. In game one, the 18 runs were the most scored this season and the five home runs tied for the most this season. On the day, Kyle Behrendt was 3-of-5 with a home run. Michael Gilmartin was 4-of-6 with two home runs and Shane Kirkley was 2-of-4 with a home run.
In the first game, the Terriers got off to a strong start in the opening inning. Sterling Dye hit a single, which was followed by a home run deep to center field by Michael Gilmartin for a 2-0 lead. Mo Seay and Shane Kirkley were on base when Kyle Behrendt hit a single to score both runners. Josh McKinney added a single for two men on base when Emre Caglayan hit a ball over the centerfield fence for a 7-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning for the Bulldogs, Michael Gilmartin led off the bottom of the second with a solo shot that hit the top of the fence and went over for an 8-0 lead. With Shane Kirkley on base after being hit by a pitch, Kyle Behrendt hit a home run over the right field fence to give Wofford a 10-0 lead.
Yale scored two runs in the top of the third inning. P.J. Gorynski grounded out, but scored Andrew Kolmar from third. A ground-out by Ryan Lavarnway scored Gant Elmore to make it a 10-2 game. The Terriers answered with four runs in their half of the third. Emre Caglayan led off with a walk and scored on a single by Sterling Dye. Michael Gilmartin was hit by a pitch, giving Shane Kirkley two on base when he hit a homer to right center. Wofford ended the third inning with a 14-2 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Terriers tacked on three more runs. Shane Kirkley, Mo Seay and Keith Munns hit three-straight doubles, then a single by Kyle Behrendt made it a 17-2 game.
For the Bulldogs in the sixth, Trygg Latsson-Danforth drove in Ryan Lavarnway. Wofford added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Neil Robinette hit a double and was driven in by Michael McDonnell on a fielder’s choice for the 18-3 final. Tom Dolinak went 5 innings for Wofford with four strikeouts while Dawson Smith and Joe Haumacher both worked one inning.
In the second game of the day, Wofford took a lead in the first inning when Adam Kearney singled and drove in Shane Kirkley. The Bulldogs answered in the top of the second with a solo home run by Jake Doyle.
The Bulldogs added two runs in the top of the third inning. Jake Doyle doubled to drive in Josh Cox and P.J. Gorynski added a single to score Doyle for a 3-1 lead. Both teams were held in check until the top of the sixth inning when Yale added two more runs for the 5-1 final.
For Wofford in game two, John Cornely went 5.2 innings with two strikeouts. Reid McElveen pitched one inning with a strikeout and Pete Noordsy got the final out on the day. For Yale, Brandon Josselyn threw a complete game with four strikeouts and only one walk.
The Terriers will host Rider on Tuesday and Wednesday for a two-game series at Russell C. King Field. Southern Conference play will begin on Friday, the first of a three-game series with Elon.
FURMAN 9, HIGH POINT 5
HIGH POINT 15, FURMAN 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman and High Point split a Sunday baseball doubleheader at Furman Stadium on Sunday with the Paladins claiming game one, 9-5, and the Panthers earning the victory in game two, 15-2.
Furman’s win in the opener gave the Paladins (10-5) the three-game series while High Point’s triumph in the night cap snapped a 12-game losing skid for the Pathers (4-13).
In Sunday’s first game Campbell Lewis’ two-run double in the seventh inning broke a 5-5 tie and lifted Furman to the 9-5 win. Lewis’ decisive hit to left center field off Panther reliever Jeremy Berg came with the bases loaded and plated Bobby Hubbard and Connor Lind. Reese Wade followed with an RBI single to score Ryan Lee, and Matt Hemingway closed out the four-run Paladin frame with a sacrifice fly to stretch the Paladin advantage to 9-5.
Jay Friedman (1-0), who worked a scoreless top of the seventh, was the beneficiary of Furman’s four-run outburst, earning his first collegiate victory.
Nick Karow closed out the game for the Paladins with two innings of no-hit relief.
Berg took the loss after yielding four runs on four hits and two walks in one inning of work.
Hemingway, whose two-run double in the sixth tied the game at 5-5, went 3-for-3 and drove in a game high four runs to lead Furman’s 15-hit attack. Wade fashioned a 3-for-4 peformance with an RBI, and Lind, Hubbard, and Jackson collected two hits each for Furman.
With the game tied 2-2 after three innings, High Point tallied tallied three runs in the fifth off Furman starting pitcher Mason Smith to take a 5-2 lead before Marcus Rose started the Paladin comeback with a leadoff home run in the fifth off Berg.
Robby Kuzdale led High Point, going 3-for-4 with a pair of steals.
Game two was all High Point as the Panthers pounded Paladin pitching for 20 hits en route to the 15-2 decision.
Jeff Cowan went 4-for-6 with a home run and three RBI, and Randy Schwartz fashioned a 4-for-5 performance and scored four runs. Kuzdale also went 3-for-4 and frove in four runs for the Panthers.
HPU starting pitcher Bubba O’Donnell (1-0) earned the victory after working seven strong innings and surrendering just two runs on seven hits and a pair of walks. He struck out seven.
With the game tied 1-1, High Point battered Paladin starting and losing pitcher Chris Newell for five runs on six hits in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead. Newell was also called for a balk and committed a throwing error in the frame.
The Panthers tacked on pair of runs in the third and blew the game open with a four-run fifth that included a solo home run by Chris Norwood.
Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Clemson to take on the Tigers in a 7:15 p.m. game.
UNC GREENSBORO 10, PRINCETON 5
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? On Sunday afternoon, the UNC Greensboro baseball team came away with a 10-5, game-two victory over the visiting Princeton Tigers.
With the UNCG victory, both teams moved to .500 on the season. The Spartans are now 10-5, while the Tigers drop to a 6-3 record overall.
Fundamental errors on Princeton’s part allowed the Spartans to tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning. In inning three, a balk by the Tigers’ David Hale moved the runners up and in position to score. A right side single brought them both in and gave the Spartans the 3-1 advantage. Both teams continued to put up runs in the remainder of the game, but UNCG never let go of the lead and came out with the eventual 10-5 victory.
The Tigers tallied their first run off of a single up the middle by Derek Beckman in the second inning, but that would be their only lead as the Spartans answered right back in the bottom half.
An error on the part of Princeton’s pitcher allowed centerfielder Corey Overholtzer to reach first and moved first baseman Ricky Orton, who had reach on a single, over to second. With a 0-0 count, leftfielder Drew Gehringer singled to leftfield to bring Orton in for the tying run.
In the third, UNCG upped their lead by two more, again with the help of the Tiger mound. With runners on first and second, a balk by Hale moved them each up one spot and in position to round their way home as Orton singled to right field and gave the Spartans the 3-1 lead.
A series of singles in the fourth gave the Tigers one more run, but a triple by third baseman Ray Quinones and a sacrifice fly by second baseman Tim Carrier tallied two more runs for UNCG.
The Tigers were able to chip away at the Spartan lead with a two-run homer by Adrian Turnham to top the fifth, but once again UNCG followed up with a lead extension.
In the bottom of the sixth, Carrier singled up the middle to bring in both Overholtzer and right fielder Pedro Leon. The third run of the game also came off of a single as designated hitter Greg Feltes hit to centerfield and plated Gehringer. Catcher Sean Snell tacked on an RBI after being pegged by Brad Gemberling and gave the Spartans the 9-4 lead.
A right center single by Princeton’s Matt Conner and a sacrifice fly by Quinones gave each team a run in the seventh. With the Tigers unable to muster a run in the final two innings, UNCG took game two, 10-5
At the plate, UNCG was led by Drew Gehringer who was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with one run and one RBI. Tim Carrier and Corey Overholter were both 2-for-4. Carrier added three RBI and two runs; Overholtzer tallied three runs and two stolen bases.
Freshman right-hander James White (3-0) tallied his third victory for the Spartans. Starter Matt Gibbs (2-0) struck out four in his 4.2 innings on the mound. David Hale (1-1) took the loss for the Tigers.
The Spartans and the Tigers will meet again on Monday for the final game of the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1pm. On Wednesday, the Spartans will head over to High Point for a 7pm midweek game.
COLUMBIA 11, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 3
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern got two hits apiece from the 2-4 batters in the line-up, but dropped an 11-3 decision to Columbia Sunday afternoon (March 16) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles fell to 9-8 overall.
Columbia (2-9) plated two runs in the first inning thanks to four singles in the first five at-bats. Andy Moye (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) got a flyout and groundout to end the threat.
Georgia Southern threatened in its half of the first. Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) singled and Ty Wright (Montrose/West Laurens) was hit by a pitch. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) lined a RBI double into the left field gap. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) walked to load the bases. But Lions pitcher Geoff Whitaker worked out of the jam getting two flyballs and a groundout.
The Lions scored three more runs on five hits during the second inning. Wright threw out a runner at the plate trying to score for the first out of the inning. Columbia had four straight hits but the Eagles turned a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play to stop the damage.
Benedict cut into the Lions’ lead when he hit his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot in the third inning to make it 5-2.
Columbia got a two-out RBI single in the sixth and seventh inning, extending the lead to 7-2. With a runner at second and two outs, Wright made a catch while slamming into the fence down the left field line to end the inning.
Shehan scored on a RBI groundout by A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) during the Eagles’ half of the seventh. However, the Lions scored twice in the eighth and ninth inning for the final margin.
Wright, Shehan and Benedict had two hits apiece for the Eagles. Porter’s first inning single extended his hitting streak to a team season-high 11 games.
Moye (2-2) allowed six runs on 12 hits in 5.1 innings. Charlie Strohecker (Alpharetta/Milton) gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits in 2.2 innings. Ryan Steidl (Randolph, N.J./Morris Knolls) allowed two runs in an inning but struck out two.
Whitaker (1-2) allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings. Clay Bartlett pitched the final three innings to earn his first save. Jason Banos had four hits, three RBI and two runs scored.
The four-game series concludes Monday afternoon (March 17), first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
INDIANA STATE 6, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 3
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. -- Brian Jett collected three hits and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning leading Indiana State to a 6-3 win over College of Charleston in college baseball action before 471 at Patriots Point Stadium on Sunday.
Charleston, which stands at 13-6, plays host to nationally ranked South Carolina at 7:00 on Tuesday. The Sycamores, who earned a split of the four-game series with Charleston, improved to 4-10.
Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Charleston got an RBI triple from Gabe Marchant that scored Mike Hentz to cut the Sycamores' lead to 3-2. Marchant eventually scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3-all.
Jett led off the eighth with a single to right and eventually scored on a Charleston error for a 4-3 Indiana State advantage. Gary King's RBI single in the eighth and Jett's RBI single in the ninth with two outs accounted for the final margin.
Clay Kovac (1-1) was the winner in relief for ISU allowing two runs on two hits over three innings. Chad Dawson pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Jesse Simpson (2-2) suffered the loss in relief for the Cougars.
Marchant and Brandon Sizemore led Charleston with two hits each.