UNC Greensboro 7, Western Carolina 3
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Despite out hitting UNC Greensboro, 11-to-10, the Catamounts were unable to find the timely knocks, stranding a dozen base runners in a 7-3 loss to the Spartans Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The three-game conference series stands tied at one, with the rubber match slated for 2:00 pm on Sunday afternoon.
The loss snapped Western’s three-game winning streak, while also ending the Catamounts’ run of consecutive games scoring in double-digits at six.
Sophomore Nick Liles led the Catamounts with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, all singles, but was active on the base paths with a game-high four stolen bases. He also drew a walk to reach four times on the afternoon. Classmate Dylan de Graaf finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, while senior Blake Murphy was 2-for-4 with a stolen base. He was later ejected in the bottom of the eighth and will miss Sunday’s finale, as per SoCon regulations.
Western (9-15, 1-4 SoCon) climbed on top first with a run in the home half of the third inning as senior Jason Haynes doubled to left center to open the frame. A failed pick-off attempt that sailed into center field allowed the Fort Mill, S.C., native to scamper to third, scoring two batters later on a sacrifice fly to center by sophomore Brent Greer.
The Spartans rallied, however, with a four spot in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on five base hits. Back-to-back singles by Sean Snell and Pedro Leon put two aboard, with a one-out ground out advancing the two to second and third, respectively. On an 0-1 pitch, third baseman Ray Quinones delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to put UNCG on top, 2-1. Two batters later, Tim Carrier belted a two-run homer run to left for the 4-1 edge.
UNCG (18-6, 4-1 SoCon) stretched its lead to five with a two-run homer Leon, his first of the year, in the top of the fifth.
Western Carolina plated a run in the bottom of the fifth as Liles singled up the middle and proceeded to swipe both second and third. Four batters ? and three walks ? later, Liles was driven in by senior Barrett Shaft on the third free pass of the frame. Yet, the Catamounts could only get the one run home, stranding the bases loaded.
In the home half of the eighth, WCU scratched the board again for a solo run as de Graaf singled and was moved to third two batters later by a fourth single by Liles. The next batter, Greer, tallied his only hit of the game on an RBI single to plate the run, but a groundout on a close play at first ended the inning and the threat.
UNCG tallied a single run in top of the ninth to provide the final tally, 7-3.
All told, Western stranded the bases loaded in the fifth, while also missing a golden opportunity in the bottom of the second inning with what could have been bases loaded, one out. However, two base running mistakes cost the Catamounts an opportunity to go ahead early.
Senior Tyler Sexton tossed four innings for WCU, suffering his fourth defeat of the season. He allowed five earned runs on eight base hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Junior Garrett Ozar threw 4.2 innings of one-hit, two run relief, pitching around three walks with six strikeouts.
UNC Greensboro was led by Leon with a 3-for-4 day with three RBI including a two-run homer with Carrier as the only other Spartan to post a multiple hit day going 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. Starting pitcher Matt Gibbs (3-0) went 4.2 innings to earn the win, scattering seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts while limiting the potent Catamounts to two earned runs.
Game three of the three-game set is set for 2:00 pm on Sunday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Davidson 6, Wofford 5
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- With the score knotted at five in the bottom of the ninth, center fielder Hugh Eden drove his second home run of the season, lifting the 'Cats to a 6-5 win over the Wofford Terriers in Southern Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The 'Cats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after getting a run in each of the first two frames, but fell behind 5-3 entering the bottom of the eighth. Left fielder Chase Fitzpatrick started the inning with a single to center field and designated Danny Weiss picked up a walk to give the Wildcats a pair of base runners. First baseman Jay Honeycutt's sac bunt was good to move both up a base, and catcher Tommy Piacenza delivered a triple into the gap in left field to plate both and tie the score at 5-all.
Mike Frongello (2-2) came out of the bullpen for the 'Cats and allowed just one hit in the top of the ninth to earn the win. Thomas Middour turned in another solid start for Davidson, holding the Terriers to just five runs on 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings, while the Wildcat defense rebounded with just one error on the day.
Eden's home run to lead off the ninth busted up the stalemate and gave the 'Cats their eighth win of the season. Davidson improves to 8-13 and 1-4 in the SoCon, while Wofford drops to 16-9 and 2-3 in league play.
Terrier reliever Chip Hunt was tagged with the loss, after allowing three runs on three hits in the final 1 1/3. Ben Austin allowed just three runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 effective innings in the start for the Terriers, but ran into trouble late in the game.
Third baseman Shane Kirkley led the attack at the plate for the Terriers, batting 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. For the 'Cats, four hitters had a pair of hits, as short stop Zach Kayne, Chase Fitzpatrick, Piancenza, and left fielder Brett Shore combined for eight of the 'Cats' 11 hits.
The two teams will meet in the rubber match of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Wilson Field.
College of Charleston 5, Georgia Southern 4
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Austin Garrett pitched into the seventh inning and Brandon Sizemore delivered a two-run double that lead the College of Charleston to a 5-4 win over Georiga Southern in Southern Conference baseball action before 439 at windy Patriots Point Stadium on Saturday.
With the win, Charleston improved to 17-9 overall and 4-1 in league play. Georgia Southern fell to 15-9 and 4-1. The rubber game is Sunday at 1:00.
Garrett (5-0), a left-hander, allowed only two runs on three hits over the first 6 2/3 innings. Garrett walked four and struck out seven. Jesse Simpson allowed two runs, none earned, on two hits over the final 2 1/3 innings for his third save of the season. Kyle Kamppi (2-2) was the starter and loser for the Eagles.
Georgia Southern's Ty Wright led off the game with a homer to left, his fifth of the season, to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Sizemore's double to left center scored Jeremie Tice and Michael Harrington to give Charleston a 4-1 first inning lead. Tice and Harrington had run-producing hits in the inning.
Charleston stretched its lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the second on Joey Bergman's RBI single to right center. GSU cut the margin to 5-2 in the third on Phillip Porter's RBI grounder that scored Jeremy Beckham. The Eagles produced a pair of unearned runs in the ninth for the final margin.
Sizemore and Tice finished with two hits each to pace the Cougars. Wright had two of Georiga Southern's five hits on the day.
Appalachian State 14, The Citadel 6
Charleston, S.C. ? Brad Felder went 3-for-4 and a home run an Chris McGuiness went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a home run but The Citadel was unable to stop Appalachian State’s offense in a 14-6 loss Saturday afternoon at Riley Park.
The Citadel (15-10, 4-4 Southern) struggled offensively as only Felder and McGuiness had a multiple-hit performance Saturday. Appalachian State (14-12, 1-4 SoCon) scored 14 runs on 17 hits in the game as all nine Mountaineers in the line-up scored in ASU’s first conference victory of the season.
Wes Wrenn (2-3) took the loss for The Citadel after pitching 4.1 innings and giving up eight runs on 10 hits, walking four and striking out four. Wrenn’s four walks tied a career-high and ended 29.2 consecutive innings pitched where he did not issue a walk.
Matt Andress (4-1) was credited with the win after pitching for 6.1 innings and allowing six runs on seven hits and striking out six. Adam Mills (2), who entered with Appalachian holding a 9-6 lead in the seventh, was credited with the save.
Down 3-1, The Citadel scored two runs in the second inning to tie the game and had the opportunity to take the lead, but the Mountaineers recorded two outs on plays at the plate to prevent any more runs from scoring.
Felder hit a home run out to right in the fourth inning after Appalachian had scored three more runs in the top of the inning to reclaim the lead. ASU added two more in the fifth, giving them the 8-4 advantage.
McGuiness hit a two-run shot over the wall in center field in the seventh to pull The Citadel within three at a 9-6 Mountaineer lead, but Nick Terry and Mills were brought in and closed out the side for ASU.
Appalachian scored again in the seventh, eighth and ninth to secure the 14-6 victory and to force the rubber game on Sunday.
First pitch in the third game of the series is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 30. Asher Wojciechowski (3-0, 1.87 ERA) is projected to start for The Citadel while Appalachian State had not named a starter as of Saturday night.
Elon 8, Furman 7
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Donny Jobe’s two-out eighth inning steal of home plate proved to be the difference as Elon held off another ninth inning Furman rally to take an 8-7 win in Southern Conference baseball action Saturday evening at Furman Stadium.
With the Phoenix holding an 7-4 lead, Jobe tripled to lead off the Phoenix ninth. After two strikeouts Jobe sprinted for home plate on Paladin reliever Nick Karow delivered the pitch to Elon’s Chase Austin. Furman catcher Matt Hemingway, however, dropped the ball as he attempted to apply the tag to the sliding Jobe.
Jobe’s steal, which gave Elon an 8-4 lead, proved decisive as Furman rallied for three runs in the bottom of the frame before a stroke of bad luck involving an umpire helped derailed the comeback bid.
Phoenix reliever Kenneth Ferrer opened the bottom of the ninth by issuing back-to-back walks to Furman’s Reese Wade and Joey Rodgers. Connor Lind then singled to right field to load the bases. At that point Thomas Girdwood came on in relief of Ferrer and uncorked a pair of wild pitches that allowed Wade and Rodgers to score to make it an 8-6 game. Marcus Rose followed with the inning’s third walk to put runners at first and third. After Bobby Hubbard popped out to short left field, Campbell Lewis got Lind home on a groundout to pull Furman within a run at 8-7. With Rose, the potential tying run at second base, pinch-hitter Justin Holloway laced a line drive up the middle that struck second base umpire Perry Ramicone, creating a dead ball situation and forcing Rose to return to second base as Holloway was awarded first. Hemingway was then retired on a groundout to end the game.
The victory improved Elon to 21-6 on the season and 6-2 in league play.
Furman drops to 12-10 overall and 1-4 in conference action.
Earning the win for Elon was Jesse Lewter (3-1), who pitched seven innings and allowed eight hits, four runs and a walk while striking out five.
Girdwood picked up his sixth save of the season.
Mason Smith (2-2) absorded the loss for Furman after working just 3 1/3 innings and giving up eight hits, six runs, and three walks.
Chris Dove had three hits and stole three bases to lead Elon, which saw Jobe go 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Mike Melilo and Neal Pritchard also collected a pair of hits for the Phoenix.
Bobby Hubbard went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI to lead Furman, and Connor Lind also had three hits, including a triple, and scored three runs for the Paladins.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Furman watched Elon tally four times in the third, twice in the fourth, and once in the fifth to make it 7-1.
The big damage came in the Elon third on Jobe’s two run single that got the Phoenix on the board, and with Chase Austin’s two-out, two-run single that finished off the four-run frame.
Furman clawed back with Hubbard’s two-run fifth inning double, and the Paladins made it 7-4 on Marcus Rose’s RBI grounder in the seventh.
The Paladins and Phoenix wrap up the three game series Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. game.