SoCon Baseball Recaps for April 16, 2008
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 5, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 2
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 4, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Clay McCord had three hits and drove in two runs and Clay Caulfield pitched into the sixth inning lifting the College of Charleston to a 4-2 win over Charleston Southern in college baseball action at Buccaneer Field on Wednesday. The Cougars also downed the Bucs, 5-2, in the completion of their April 1 game that was suspended because of rain.
Charleston, which opens a three-game Southern Conference series with Elon at 6:00 on Friday at Patriots Point Stadium, improved to 25-12. The Bucs fell to 13-23.
Austin Morgan's two-run double in the fifth inning staked the Cougars to a 2-1 lead. McCord added a two-run single with two outs in the sixth that scored Mike Hentz and Stuart Haywood and stretched Charleston's advantage to 4-1.
Caulfield (4-2) earned the win allowing two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over the first 5 1/3 innings. Michael Kohn pitched a scoreless ninth with a strikeout for his first save. T.J. Green (0-2) suffered the loss in both games after surrendering three runs on five hits over 1 2/3 innings of relief in the nightcap. Green allowed three runs on three hits over four innings in the April 1st contest.
In the completion of the suspended game, Charleston's Jordan Tiegs scattered five hits and struck out 12 en route to the win.
Brandon Sizemore and Gabe Marchant collected two hits each and Hentz doubled and scored two runs. The Bucs got two hits each from Mark Perry and Tyler Thornburg.
Tiegs (1-0) surrendering two runs, one earned, over the first eight innings. Jesse Simpson worked the ninth for his sixth save of the season. Green was the starter and loser for Charleston Southern.
WOFFORD 10, PRESBYTERIAN 2
CLINTON, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team picked up a 10-2 victory over Presbyterian College on Wednesday afternoon at the PC Baseball Complex. Wofford took a 7-2 lead after the third inning and did not allow another run in the final six innings for the win.
Wofford is now 20-17 on the season and 4-8 in the Southern Conference, while Presbyterian is 10-24 overall. The Terriers were led by Sterling Dye who was 3-of-4 from the plate with four RBIs and a home run. Adam Kearney added two home runs along with four RBIs and Kyle Behrendt was 3-of-5 with an RBI.
The Terriers opened the game with a lead-off home run by Sterling Dye to left center. Presbyterian answered when Nate Horton grounded out to second which scored one run. In the second inning, Neil Robinette doubled and Ryan Toniolo walked. A single to right center by Sterling Dye scored both runners for a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Kyle Behrendt singled and Neil Robinette doubled. Adam Kearney brought both runners home with a shot over the left field fence. Singles by Mo Seay and Josh McKinney were followed by a single from Sterling Dye to score a run and give the Terriers a 7-1 lead.
Presbyterian scored one run on a double from Robert Anders to make it a 7-2 game after four innings. The Terriers added a run in the fifth on a solo home run by Adam Kearney, his second of the game.
For Wofford in the top of the sixth, Kyle Behrendt singled to score Sterling Dye for a 9-2 score. In the top of the ninth, the Terriers added another run Michael Gilmartin scored on a passed ball for the 10-2 final score.
Wofford starter Jordan Mickleberry went six innings with five hits, two runs and three strikeouts. Chip Hunt pitched two innings with three strikeouts and no hits, while Ben Austin pitched the final inning with a strikeout and no hits.
For Presbyterian, starter Zach Snipes went 3.0 innings with nine hits, seven runs allowed and five strikeouts. Micah Black threw 3.0 innings with two hits and two runs, while Jim Wagers went two innings with two hits, a run and four strikeouts. Mitchell Odom pitched the ninth inning with one strikeout and no hits.
Wofford and Presbyterian both left seven runners on base. Presbyterian had the games only two errors. Wofford had 13 hits in the game, the most since the April 6 game against The Citadel. Wofford pitcher Jordan Mickleberry is now 2-1 on the season. Wofford has reached the 20-win mark for the third straight season, and only the fourth time since joining the Southern Conference in 1998.
On Friday night at 7:00 pm, the Terriers will begin a three-game conference series at Furman in Greenville. The teams will also play on Saturday at 6:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.
GEORGIA TECH 14, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 8
STATESBORO, GA. ? Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) and David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) finished with three hits apiece but it was not enough to overcome two Georgia Tech grand slams as Georgia Southern dropped a 14-8 decision to the 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets Wednesday (April 16) at J.I. Clements Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets jumped on Michael Hester (Evans/Greenbrier) early using a one-out walk in the first then homer by Derek Dietrich to take a 2-0 lead.
Ty Wright (Montrose/West Laurens) reached on a fielder’s choice for the second out in the third inning. Porter lined a single off pitcher Deck McGuire then Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) drew his second walk of the game to load the bases. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) got ahead in the count but lined out to right field.
Tech put the first two runners of the fifth on board thanks to a single and catcher’s interference. After a flyball out advanced the runners, GS decided to intentionally walk Tony Plagman to set up a force play. Brad Feltes made them pay, hitting his third grand slam of the year for a 6-0 lead. The Eagles (18-17 overall) cut the deficit in half during their half of the frame.
Wright hit a leadoff double then scored two batters later on Shehan’s RBI single. Benedict dropped a single into shallow right field. Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) lined a shot up the middle but it went under the glove of Dietrich at shortstop allowing a run to score. Two batters later Richardson reached on an infield single to load the bases. On a 3-2 pitch to Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell), McGuire tried a pickoff move to second but was called for a balk, which allowed another run to score.
Tech (27-10) scored a run in the sixth and Murton hit a solo homer in the seventh. During the eighth, Tech put the first three runners on base and Murton hit a grand slam for a 12-3 lead.
The Eagles got those runs back in the eighth. Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock), making his first appearance in a month due to an injury, drew a leadoff walk. Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) hit a pinch-hit single then Wright walked to load the bases. Porter lined a 2-run single down the right field line then Shehan followed with a RBI single. Benedict advanced the runners then Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) hit a high chopper for an infield RBI single. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) lined a sacrifice fly to make it 12-8.
Dietrich added a 2-run double in the ninth for the final margin.
“We gave up 11 free bases tonight (7 walks and 4 hit batters) and you’re not going to put your team in a good position to win a game doing that,” said Eagles head coach Rodney Hennon. “We missed on some early opportunities, but I thought our guys played hard right to the end. We have to come out and try to put it all together starting Friday night (at Davidson).”
Hester (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on two hits in two innings. Burt Barto (Columbus/Columbus) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one single.
Porter drove in two runs and scored once. Shehan had two hits, two walks, two RBI and two runs scored. Wright had a pair of doubles and scored twice. Benedict had a hit, scored a run and threw out two runners trying to steal.
The Eagles stranded 12 runners in the game ? nine combined in the 3rd-6th innings.
McGuire (6-0) gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out two. Tech’s 1-4 hitters combined for 10 hits, 10 RBI and 12 runs scored.
Georgia Southern resumes Southern Conference play this weekend, a three-game series at Davidson starting Friday night (April 18). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
COASTAL CAROLINA 12, ELON 0
ELON, N.C. ? The Elon Phoenix tied a season-high by allowing 17 hits to the visiting Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, who entered the game ranked 19th in the nation, and suffered its second shutout of the season, falling by a 12-0 score in non-league baseball action on Wednesday from Latham Park. Elon, who has now dropped three consecutive games, sits at 28-11 on the year. Coastal, winners of six straight, improved to 30-7 for the campaign.
Coastal’s first hitter of the game, David Sappelt, blooped a single into center to start the game and moved to second on a sac bunt. After Adam Rice walked, Dock Doyle lined a single to left, scoring Sappelt with the game’s first run.
Tyler Bortnick blooped a double down the rightfield line to start the Coastal second. Dustin King’s attempt at a sacrifice pulled the first baseman off the bag and a hit batter loaded the bags for the Chants. Phoenix starter Cory Harrilchak then got three straight outs and kept Coastal off the board.
David Anderson helped his own cause as the Chanticleer pitcher homered to center with one out in the third. It was his fifth homer of the year.
Sappelt homered with two down in the fourth, his ninth of the year, to extend the Coastal edge to 3-0.
With two outs and runners on the corners, Scott Woodward bounced a single up the middle, scoring a run.
King delivered two in the seventh with a two-out double down the rightfield line which increased the Chanticleer lead to 6-0. Rico Noel followed with a double of his own, driving home King.
Coastal tacked on one more in the ninth to finish off its scoring.
Harrilchak went 2-for-2 to up his hitting streak to 10 games.
For Coastal, King and Noel both drove in two while Sappelt laced three hits in four at bats, scored twice and drove in one.
Harrilchak (3-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Anderson (5-1) earned the victory after throwing 6.0 shutout innings, giving up five hits and striking out three.
Elon gets back to SoCon action on Friday night with a 6 p.m. start at College of Charleston.
EAST CAROLINA 4, THE CITADEL 3 (10 innings)
GREENVILLE, N.C. ? A bases-loaded RBI single by East Carolina’s Dustin Harrington in the bottom of the 10th inning ended The Citadel’s bid at a second extra-inning upset victory as the Bulldogs fell at No. 24 East Carolina, 4-3, in front of 2,718 on Wednesday night.
The Citadel (22-15) scored three runs on 10 hits and committed three errors while the 23rd-ranked Pirates scored four runs on 10 hits and committed one error.
Matt Reifsnider (3-2) was credited with the loss ? the second of the season for the sophomore ? giving up the game-winning single to the Pirates with bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 10th.
Seth Simmons (2-0), who prevented the Bulldogs from scoring when The Citadel had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the 10th, was credited with his second win of the season.
Richard Jones recorded a season-high four hits as he went 4-for-5 on the night as the only Bulldog to record multiple hits in the game. Reifsnider went 1-for-5 from the plate but had two RBI off a two-run home run in the fifth.
The Citadel took the early lead in the first as Chris Swauger opened the game with a single to center. An East Carolina fielding error allowed Matt Arnold to reach base and Swauger to advance to third. Swauger then scored on a sacrifice fly by Sonny Meade to center.
East Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the second as Corey Kemp led off the inning with a double to right field. Following a pair of fly outs, Jamie Ray drove Kemp in with a single to center.
The Citadel took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning off the bat of Matt Reifsnider. With two outs, Richard Jones took first off a single to center. Reifsnider followed, sending a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for his second home run of the season and the third of his career.
ECU tied the game again in the bottom of the sixth as Stephen Batts led off the inning with a single, followed by taking second on a stolen base. Following a fielder’s choice by Kemp, Batts took third on a throwing error by Jones. Batts scored and Henderson took second on a failed pickoff attempt by Raymond Copenhaver.
Copenhaver then hit Stephen Henderson to put runners on first and second and walked Kyle Roller to load the bases. Following a strikeout by Ray, Dustin Harrington sent Kemp across the plate with a groundout to third base for the Pirates’ final run of the inning, tying the game at 3-3.
The Citadel had a chance to score in the top of the 10th, but with bases loaded and one out, Seth Simmons struck out Bryan Altman and forced Kyle Jordan to fly out to right field to get out of the jam.
Reifsnider, who entered the game to pitch in the ninth, gave up a leadoff single to Henderson followed by a double to Roller. After intentionally walking Ray, Reifsnider gave up a game-winning RBI single to left field off the bat of Harrington to end the game.
The Citadel returns home and to conference action when UNC Greensboro heads to Charleston for a three-game Southern Conference series. The Bulldogs and the Spartans are currently tied for second with the College of Charleston in the Southern Conference standings.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE 2. APPALACHIAN STATE 1
JOHNSON CITY, TENN. - Solo home runs in the first and second innings were all East Tennessee State managed against Appalachian State University pitching, but Appalachian could only muster a single run of its own and fell to its longtime rival, 2-1, on Wednesday evening at Cardinal Park.
Appalachian's pitching trio of Zach Quate (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield), Jason Rook (Greensboro,
N.C./Western Guilford) and Adam Mills (Asheboro, N.C./Southwest Randolph) combined to hold ETSU to just six hits, but the early homers from Troy Mendez and Bart Roark proved to be the difference.
ASU (18-20) put two runners on base with nobody out in both the sixth and eighth innings but came away with just one run on Rook's RBI single in the eighth. The Mountaineers went on to leave the bases loaded in the eighth and stranded seven runners on base in the ballgame.
Despite allowing just five hits and striking out six in six innings of work, Quate suffered the tough-luck loss to fall to 3-1 on the season. ETSU's Ty Sachet limited ASU to just five hits over seven innings of work to move to 2-5 on the campaign. Thanks to the stellar pitching, the affair took just two hours and seven minutes to complete.
Appalachian looks to build on last weekend's Southern Conference series victory at Georgia Southern when it hosts archrival Western Carolina this weekend at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. Game times are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
UNC ASHEVILLE 13, FURMAN 9
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Danny Baatz homered twice and drove in four runs to power UNC-Asheville to a 13-9 comeback win over Furman in baseball action Wednesday night at Furman Stadium.
After the Bulldogs fell behind 8-1 after two innings, Baatz sparked UNCA’s comeback with a two-run home run in the third inning and later tied the game at 8-8 with a two-run blast in a four-run sixth. UNC Asheville took an 11-8 lead an inning later, scoring three runs, highlighted by Justin Schumer’s two-run triple to center field, and extended its lead to 13-8 in the ninth on Elliott Arrington’s two-run clout to left center field.
Jay Jackson led off the Furman ninth with a solo home run, but after three walks loaded the bases and brought the potential tying run to the plate, Schumer moved from second base to the mound and retired the final two Paladin hitters to preserve the win and earn his seventh save of the season.
The victory went to Chris Brookey (3-0), who worked the longest of nine Bulldog pitchers, tossing three innings of shutout relief and striking out five.
Mason Smith (3-3) absorbed the loss for Furman after working 1 1/3 innings and yielding three unearned runs and a pair of hits. He walked one and fanned two.
UNC-Asheville pounded Furman pitchers for 18 hits, including four that left the park. Arrington and Schumer both went 4-for-6 at the plate and drove in three runs each. Reed Kreiser turned in a 3-for-5 performance that included a solo home run. He also scored three times and drove in a pair.
Ryan Lee’s second inning grand slam highlighted a six-run second inning and gave the Paladins an 8-1 lead, but from that point Furman’s offense sputtered as the Paladins were held scoreless and managed only six singles until Jackson’s solo home run to center field in the ninth.
Marcus Rose led Furman at the plate, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs. Matt Hemingway also had a pair of hits for the Paladins.
Furman returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game Southern Conference series against Wofford. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.