SoCon Baseball Recaps for March 26, 2008
FURMAN 4, SOUTH CAROLINA 2
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Bobby Hubbard’s two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted Furman to a 4-2 win over nationally 10th-ranked South Carolina in baseball action Tuesday evening in front of 4,589 fans at Sarge Frye Field.
Hubbard’s decisive two-run double to right field off Gamecock reliever Curtis Johnson and scored Marcus Rose and Joey Rodgers to cap a two-out bases empty rally for Furman (12-8), which claimed its fifth win over South Carolina (15-6) this decade. It also marked head coach Ron Smith’s 12th victory over a Top-20 ranked opponent since 2001.
Paladin reliever Nick Karow came on with two outs in the eighth and struck out USC’s Harley Lail with two runners on base and in the ninth pitched out of a bases loaded one-out jam by getting James Darnell on a line out to second base and Justin Smoak on a ground out to end the game. The save was the the third of the year for sophomore right-hander, who has allowed only one earned run in 15 innings of work this season.
Karow combined with winning pitcher Ian Parry (2-1) to turn in four innings of shutout relief and scatter six hits. The duo combined to strike out three and walk one. Parry tossed 2 2/3 innings after coming on to begin the sixth in place of starting pitcher Kevin Gaid, who was superb in his first collegiate start. Gaid, a sophomore right-hander who missed all of the 2007 season after undergoing an ulnar nerve transposition, allowed only two runs (one earned) on four hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked three.
The Paladins out-hit the Gamecocks 12-10 and were led at the plate by freshman designated hitter Reese Wade, who went 4-for-5 with an RBI to raise his season averge to .516. Matt Hemingway and Hubbard both went 2-for-4 for the Paladins, and freshman J.B. Jenkins, subbing for injured starting shortstop Connor Lind, collected his first collegiate hit with a single in the sixth.
Taking the loss was Gamecock reliever Craig Thomas (0-1).
The Paladins put runners on in every inning but the third and stranded a pair of runners in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh frames.
Hubbard’s big hit in the eighth came after Marcus Rose singled off Thomas with two outs. Thomas was then lifted, and Gamecock reliever Curtis Johnson promptly hit Joey Rodgers to bring Hubbard to the plate, and the Paladin senior stroked the two-run double to right field to put Furman ahead, 4-2.
South Carolina grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Reese Havens’ leadoff home run to center field in the bottom of the first inning.
The Gamecocks tallied again in the third, scoring an unearned run. With one out, Havens walked and came around to score after Paladin third baseman Bobby Hubbard’s throwing error on an infield single off the bat of James Darnell. With Darnell at third, Gaid intentionally walked Justin Smoak and got out of the inning with a groundout by Kyle Enders.
Furman tied the game with a pair of runs in the fourth, but the Paladins failed to capitalize on a chance for more. Campbell Lewis led off with a walk and Matt Hemingway delivered a single to right field. Jay Jackson followed with a sacrifice bunt that Gamecock third baseman James Darnell misplayed, allowing Lewis to score from second base. Reese Wade then stroked an RBI single into right field to plate Hemingway and give Furman runners at first and third with no outs. The Paladins, however, whiffed on the chance to grab the lead after Justin Holloway and J.B. Jenkins struck out, and Marcus Rose was retired on a fly ball to end the frame.
Furman returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game Southern Conference series against Elon in a 7:00 p.m. game at Furman Stadium.
APPALACHIAN STATE 10, HIGH POINT 3
BOONE, N.C. - Making his first-career start, Zach Quate (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) surrendered just one run in seven innings of work to lead Appalachian State University baseball to a 10-3 win over High Point on Tuesday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Quate, a junior who had notched 59-career appearances as a reliever prior to Tuesday's start, scattered six hits over the career-high seven innings. The right-hander gave up a leadoff single, but eliminated the runner on a double play and went on to retire 13-straight hitters while facing the minimum number of batters through 4.1 innings.
He ran into his only trouble in the seventh when High Point finally got on the scoreboard courtesy of an RBI single by designated hitter Tucker Stobbe. In all, Quate almost doubled the previous longest outings of his career (3.2 innings) and earned the win to move to 1-0 on the season.
Appalachian's offense helped Quate out early by scoring single runs in the first, second and third stanzas to grab a 3-0 lead. David Towarnicky's (New Bern, N.C./New Bern) fourth home run in three games highlighted the early scoring barrage.
The Mountaineers were still clinging to a three-run lead at 4-1 when they exploded for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to stretch the advantage to 8-1. The teams exchanged two-run frames in the eighth to close out the scoring.
Towarnicky added an RBI single in the sixth and another base hit in the seventh to lead ASU with a 3-for- 3, two-RBI performance at the plate. Isaac Harrow (Hickory, N.C./Hickory) drove in three runs and Jason Rook (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford) had three hits, including a triple, to help pace the Apps' 14-hit attack.
Matt Gantner headlined High Point's offensive effort with a two-run double.
With the victory, Appalachian (12-11) snapped a season-long three-game losing streak. High Point (4-18) suffered its fifth-consecutive loss.
The Mountaineers close a season-long six-game homestand on Wednesday when they host North Carolina A&T at 3 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
UNC GREENSBORO 9, ALBANY 7
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? With UAlbany down by two, zero outs in the ninth, and the tying run holding the bat, UNCG’s Rob Gilliam fanned three straight to hold onto a 9-7 Monday night victory and give the UNC Greensboro baseball squad their eighth-straight win of the season.
With the win, Spartans move to 16-5 on the season with an undefeated 3-0 Southern Conference record and are currently in the No. 2 spot in the league. After dropping their 15th game of the season, the Great Danes fall to 4-15-1.
After being down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the third, the Spartans jumped out in front with a four-run rally which included back-to-back home runs by shortstop Matt Gaski and designated hitter Greg Feltes. UAlbany tallied one in the fifth and three in the sixth to make it a one-run game, but UNCG’s first baseman Ricky Orton hammered a fly ball over the right field fence to give UNCG the 8-6 advantage. A wild pitch in the bottom of inning eight upped UNCG’s lead to 9-6. The Great Danes chipped the lead down to two in the ninth after scoring a run off of a Spartan wild pitch and then left a runner in scoring position as the UNCG mound retired the final three batters and took the 9-7 victory.
UNCG’s first hit of the game came off of the bat of designated hitter Greg Feltes as he knocked out his seventh home run of the season. His solo over the left field wall put the Spartans on the board first with a 1-0 lead.
UAlbany snatched the lead away from the Spartans in the top of the second inning with a two-run shot over the left field fence from Jamie Liebowitz to score Ryan Gugel who was ahead of him.
Control of the game fell back in the hands of the Spartans in the home-half of the third as catcher Sean Snell lined a double just off the top of the glove of UAlbany’s third baseman. Snell’s line-drive hit down the leftfield line was enough to score both second baseman Tim Carrier and shortstop Matt Gaski and give UNCG the 3-2 lead.
After holding the Great Danes scoreless in the top of the fourth, UNCG tallied a four-run inning to extend their lead to 7-2. Left fielder Drew Gehringer got the scoring drive started with a double down the leftfield line to plate centerfielder Corey Overholtzer from first. The Spartans tacked on the final three with back-to-back, two out homeruns. Gaski slapped the first just to the right of the scoreboard to round Carrier from first. In the next at-bat, Feltes cranked his second solo home run of the game over the leftfield wall.
To top the fifth, UAlbany scored one off of a groundout double play to cut the UNCG lead down to four. They made it a one-run game in the following inning with a two RBI, right center double from Ryan Gugel and one run scored off of a wild pitch.
Holding a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of inning six, UNCG’s Orton sent a towering fly ball over the right field fence and parked it on Kenilworth Street. In the next inning, the Spartans tallied a single run off of a wild pitch to extend the lead to 9-6.
A UNCG wild pitch in the ninth cut the lead down by one. The Great Danes had a chance to knot the game with the tying run at the plate, but Rob Gilliam took the final three batters from the mound to tally the save and hold onto UNCG’s 9-7 win.
The UNCG pitching staff did a number on the UAlbany lineup. The first five innings were closed out with the Great Danes striking out swinging and the seven pitchers appearing for the Spartans struck out their opponents more times than they let them hit. In nine innings, they allowed 12 hits and struck out a season game high 18 batters.
The Spartans’ Warren Slack (1-1) earned his first win of the season. In his first collegiate start, freshman Matt Bjorkstrom threw a team and season high seven strikeouts. Rob Gilliam earned his second save of the season. Josh Willimott of UAlbany (2-1) took the loss.
The Spartans hit a season game-high four home runs. Greg Feltes sent two over the fence while Matt Gaski and Ricky Orton added one apiece. Feltes led the lineup going 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI, Gaski was 1-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, and Orton went 2-for-5 with one run, one RBI, and one double. UAlbany’s Gary Pitcheralle and Ralph Rizzo were both 2-for-4 at the plate.
UNCG and UAlbany return to UNCG Baseball Stadium tomorrow night for the second half of the two-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6pm.
WESTERN CAROLINA 12, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 11
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina rode a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth by senior Jason Haynes to sink the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, 12-11, Tuesday night in non-conference action at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts were able to work around a season-high seven errors to secure the win, its third-straight over ETSU.
Sophomore Dylan de Graaf nearly ended the game as the leadoff batter in the home half of the ninth as he drilled a shot to right center field that just stayed in the ballpark. The Cumming, Ga., native circled the bases with a stand-up triple as the tying run at third. Haynes then, on a 2-1 pitch, blasted his first home run of the season over the "Purple Monster" in left to propel WCU to the win, snapping its season-long, five-game losing skid.
Haynes finished 1-for-1 with a homer and was hit by a pitch after pinch hitting in the seventh inning. It was the third career round-tripper for the Fort Mill, S.C., native.
Sophomore reliever Chris Masters (1-2) earned his first win of the season as Western ran five different hurlers to the mound behind freshman Matt Benedict who was making his first career start. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native lasted three and a third for his second-longest career outing while allowing seven runs - only two of which were earned - and scattering six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Senior Tyler Sexton and freshman Brandon Johnson each tossed two innings in relief while combining to only allow two earned runs, with Johnson recording three K's. Junior Drew Saberhagen tossed one third of an inning, facing two batters and allowing one earned run on one hit. Masters went the final inning and a third of shutout relief allowing just one base hit with three strikeouts to break into the win column.
Trailing 4-0 after the top of the first inning, Western (7-14) answered back with three runs in the home half of the frame to trim the deficit back to one, 4-3. Sophomore Brent Greer singled and senior Blake Murphy drew his first of two walks ahead of junior transfer J.C. Lyons who hammered his seventh homer of the season over the fence in right centerfield to pull the Catamounts back within a run.
Down 9-4 entering the bottom of the seventh, Western exploded for six runs on five hits while capitalizing on two Buc errors to seize its first lead of the game. Lyons singled and was scored on his second triple of the year to center. With two aboard, pinch hitter Matt Johns came through with a two-RBI double and later scored on a throwing error by ETSU. Two additional runs would score for WCU on a double by Greer and a single by Murphy for a six-run frame and a 10-9 lead.
However, East Tennessee answered with a two-spot in the top of the eighth on a two-RBI double to reclaim the lead, 11-10, setting up Haynes' ninth inning fireworks.
Lyons led the Catamounts with a 3-for-5 showing on the evening including the three-run home run with three runs scored. Greer was the only other player for WCU to post a multiple-hit game with a 2-for-4 night, scoring twice. De Graaf finished 1-for-3 with the triple and drew a pair of walks in the win.
For East Tennessee State (5-15), which stranded 14 base runners in the loss, ace reliever Ben Andrews (1-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing the two earned runs on two hits with two strikeouts in an inning of work. Five Bucs posted multiple hit games including three with three hits apiece. Right fielder Troy Mendez and first baseman Paul Hoilman each finished 3-for-5 while shortstop Nick Belcher was 3-for-6, each tallying a double.
Western Carolina travels to the Asheville Tourist's McCormick Field on Wednesday to face the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in non-conference action. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
PRESBYTERIAN 8, WOFFORD 7
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 8-7 by Presbyterian College on Wednesday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Blue Hose scored two runs on a homer by Robert Anders in the eighth inning to break a 6-6 tie.
Wofford is now 15-8 on the season and 1-2 in the Southern Conference, while Presbyterian improves to 7-13 on the season. The Terriers were led Michael Gilmartin with two hits and two runs scored, while starter Jordan Mickleberry had six strikeouts. Wofford out-hit Presbyterian, 12-8.
The Terriers were able to take the lead in the second inning when a single from Josh McKinney scored Keith Munns from third base. A single by Emre Caglayan drove in Kyle Behrendt from third for a 2-0 lead.
Presbyterian got one run back with a solo home run by William Bolchoz in the third. Kyle Craven reached on a Wofford error, which allowed two runs to score and the Blue Hose had a 3-2 lead. Wofford responded in the bottom of the third when Kyle Behrendt hit a triple to right center, which scored two runs for a 4-3 advantage.
In the top of the fifth inning, Kyle Craven hit a sacrifice fly to score a run. A double by Steven Henry drove in two runs gave Presbyterian a 6-4 lead. Wofford was able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jake Williams as able to score on an error. Mo Seay hit a double, which allowed Michael Gilmartin to cross the plate and tie the game at 6-6.
After a scoreless seventh inning, Presbyterian took the lead when Robert Anders hit a two-run homer over the left center wall to take an 8-6 lead. In the Wofford half of the eighth, a double by Keith Munns scored Neil Robinette from first base for an 8-7 score.
The Blue Hose got one hit in the ninth and left one on base. The first two Wofford batters in the ninth struck out. Jake Williams hit a single and stole second, but a fly ball ended the game.
Wofford left twelve runners on base, while Presbyterian stranded eight runners. The three errors by the Terriers tied for the most committed this season. Wofford was held without a home run for the ninth time this season.
The game was the first between Wofford and Presbyterian since 1995, the Terriers final year as an NCAA Division II member. Wofford leads the series 59-40. The two teams will meet again in Clinton on April 16.
Wofford will head to Davidson for a three-game series beginning on Friday evening. After a two-game series at top-ranked Arizona State on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Terriers return home on April 4 for a three-game series against The Citadel.
COASTAL CAROLINA 5, THE CITADEL 1
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Chris Swauger recorded three of The Citadel’s four hits and finished the day tied for eighth in Southern Conference history for career doubles but the Bulldogs allowed three runs late in the game as No. 18 Coastal Carolina sealed the 5-1 victory in front of 873 on a chilly night at Riley Park.
The Citadel (14-8) scored their lone run of the game in the first inning and recorded only four hits while committing three errors. Coastal Carolina (19-4) scored five runs on seven hits and committed one error.
Cody Wheeler (2-0) received the win for the Chanticleers after pitching 5.1 innings and giving up only one run on four hits. Wheeler struck out three Bulldogs in the game. Joey Huag was credited with the save after pitching for 3.2 innings and not allowing a run or a hit. Huag struck out three while walking three, including a walk to Conrad Kellahan in the seventh inning that ended Huag’s streak of retiring 20 consecutive batters.
Matt Talley (0-2) was credited with the loss after pitching 7.0 innings and allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two. Raymond Copenhaver pitched one inning in relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit and committing two errors in the game. Matt Reifsnider pitched the ninth inning for The Citadel, allowing one run on two hits and fanning one.
The Citadel’s lone run came in the bottom of the first when Sonny Meade hit a sacrifice fly to right field to send home Swauger.
The Chanticleers had previously taken the 1-0 lead when Dock Doyle hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score David Sabbelt, who reached on a game-opening double to left field.
Coastal Carolina added a run in the fourth when David Anderson hit an RBI single up the middle to score Doyle.
In the eighth inning, Copenhaver hit Tyler Bortnick to lead off the inning. Derek Martin then reached base on a Copenhaver error, allowing Bortnick to take second. Bortnick then advanced to third and Martin went to second as a Copenhaver pickoff move went awry for the sophomore pitcher’s second error of the game.
After Copenhaver forced Sappelt to ground out to the mound, Adam Rice hit a single into shallow center field which allowed Bortnick and Martin to both score. Coastal Carolina tacked on one more run in the ninth to seal the 5-1 win.
The Citadel returns to action on Wednesday, March 25 when the Bulldogs host another Big South conference team in the Winthrop Eagles. First pitch between the two Palmetto State rivals is slated for 6 p.m.
NORTH CAROLINA 12, DAVIDSON 6
CARY, N.C. ? Right fielder Chase Fitzpatrick recorded a pair of hits and drove in a run against the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels in a losing effort, as Davidson fell 12-6 Tuesday night at Cary’s USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Davidson drops to 7-13 overall, while North Carolina improves to 19-4.
For North Carolina, Chad Flack (3-for-4 with two doubles) and Garrett Gore (3-for-5 with a home run) each collected three hits and drove in three RBI.
Tar Heel starter Patrick Johnson allowed three runs on five hits in just 4 1/3 innings and did not qualify for the win. Reliever Rob Wooten (1-0) earned the win for North Carolina, after working out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning with a pair of punch-outs.
For the ?Cats, Matt Sliwiak (2-1) went two innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits and a walk.
The Tar Heels jumped out to an early lead, as Flack sent in a pair of runs with his first double of the day. North Carolina added five runs in the second inning and a pair in the third to take a commanding 9-0 lead.
The Wildcats put up a three-spot in the fifth to chase Johnson and make a game of it. Catcher Tommy Piacenza and third baseman Chris Fitzpatrick drew back-to-back walks, and designated hitter Pat Brady and center fielder Hugh Eden slapped RBI-singles to plate them. With the bases loaded, shortstop Zach Kayne drew the third walk of the inning for another run, but Wooten came out of the bullpen to end the threat with back-to-back strikeouts.
UNC added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to up its lead to 11-3.
Davidson scored twice in the eighth on a two-run single by Piacenza, but Carolina added three runs over the final four frames to seal the win. The Wildcats added a sixth run in the ninth on an RBI-single by Chase FitzPatrick.
The Wildcats will return to action this weekend, hosting SoCon foe Wofford in a three-game series at Wilson Field.
CLEMSON 5, ELON 4
CLEMSON, S.C. -- Two unearned runs allowed by the Elon Phoenix loomed large as the 19th-ranked Clemson Tigers pulled out a 5-4 non-conference baseball victory on Tuesday night from Doug Kingsmore Stadium. In the loss, Elon (19-5) failed to score five or more runs for just the third time all season and also lost back-to-back contests for just the first time this year. Clemson upped its mark to 15-7.
The Phoenix struck first when Donny Jobe singled home Harry Austin from second in the third inning.
Clemson answered right back in the bottom half. Mike Freeman led off with a single. With Freeman on second and Alex Lee on first, Stan Widmann singled past a diving Neal Pritchard at short to plate Freeman with the tying run.
Ben Paulson started the Tiger fourth with a double down the rightfield line. Kyle Parker followed with a walk before Jeff Schaus put down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Freeman put down a perfectly placed suicide squeeze to score Paulson with the go-ahead run. The perfect bunt also allowed Freeman to reach and gave the Tigers runners on the corners. A routine fly ball to left with two outs was dropped by Pat Irvine and allowed both Parker and Schaus to score, putting Clemson on top 4-1.
Dallas Tarleton led off the Phoenix fifth with an infield single, stole second and scored the second Elon run on Harry Austin's first career triple. Austin would then cross the plate to pull the Phoenix within 4-3 on a Chris Dove sacrifice fly to center.
With two away in the bottom of the fifth, Paulson launched his seventh homer of the season over the wall in right, pushing the Tiger edge to 5-3.
Ryan Adams belted his third home run of the year to right to start the sixth and get the Phoenix back within one run.
After Schaus led off the eighth with a single, pinch-runner D.J. Mitchell stole second. A two-out walk to Lee brought Widmann to the plate. Widmann grounded out to second to end the inning, keeping the Phoenix within one heading into the ninth inning.
Pritchard did his job to start the ninth, drawing a five-pitch walk. Chase Austin put down a sacrifice bunt to advance pinch-runner Matt Hill to second. A fly ball to center allowed Hill to tag and move to third, putting the tying run just 90 feet away for Harry Austin. The game ended when Austin grounded out to short.
Jobe was Elon's only player to tally a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with one RBI. Harry Austin finished 1-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
Clemson's attack was paced by the 3-for-4, two-run, one-RBI night from Freeman. Paulson scored twice and drove in one while going 2-for-4.
The Phoenix and Tigers will tussle again on Wednesday evening at 7:15 p.m. from Doug Kingsmore Stadium.