SoCon Baseball Recaps for April 29, 2008
WESTERN CAROLINA 5, TENNESSEE 2
KNOXVILLE, TENN. - Senior Blake Murphy blasted his team-leading 15th home run of the season to stake Western Carolina to a three-run lead it would never relinquish as the Catamounts knocked off the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-2, Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The win snaps Western's three-game seasonal slide as well as its eight-game drought against the Volunteers. WCU (20-24) was also able to upend former head coach, Todd Raleigh, in the first meeting since he took over the Volunteer program after last season.
Junior Drew Saberhagen (4-6) scattered nine base hits while holding Tennessee to two runs - only one of which was earned - in six innings of work to pick up the win. The Calabasas, Calif., native worked around one walk with four strikeouts in his longest outing in his last three starts. His classmate, junior transfer Garrett Ozar, threw the final three innings of scoreless, one-hit relief to earn his first WCU save.
Sophomore Nick Liles only needed one at bat to extend his current hitting streak to 17-straight games. The Laurinburg, N.C., native singled up the middle to lead off the game as a part of Western's opening frame rally. Classmate Brent Greer drew a walk to put two aboard ahead of senior Barrett Shaft, who sacrificed the duo into scoring position. One batter later, Murphy belted one over the fence in left field for a three-run shot and a 3-0 lead.
Shaft finished 2-for-4 on the night with his eighth double of the season to move within one hit of tying the all-time school record. The Lilburn, Ga., native has 310 career base hits and continues to chase former Catamount great Chris Moore (1996-99) with 311 hits.
Tennessee (25-20) answered back in the home half of the second and fifth innings to trim the Catamounts early lead to one, 3-2. Third baseman Danny Lima put the Vols on the board with a two-out solo homer to left in the bottom of the second.
In the fifth, four-consecutive singles, with a pick-off by Murphy sandwiched in between, loaded the bases for UT. The Volunteers squeezed a run across on a failed pick-off attempt at first base to pull within a run. However, heady defensive plays by Liles and Murphy prevented a big inning. Liles fielded the loose ball following the misplay at first and gunned it home to Murphy at the plate. The Waynesville, N.C., native caught right fielder Josh Liles in a rundown, tagging him just before he could retreat to the bag at third. In the process, Murphy made a diving tag on his catching counterpart, Yan Gomes, who was trying to advance to third to end the inning.
WCU's one-run lead stood until the seventh when the Catamounts were able to produce two additional runs to provide the final tally. Freshman Ryan Mathews opened the frame with a double to left, advancing to third on a throwing error by Gomes two batters later. Greer lined an infield single off the third baseman's glove to put two aboard, with Murphy drawing the intentional walk to load the bases. Junior transfer J.C. Lyons, seeing his first action in a month after suffering a broken hand, walked to drive in the fourth run. A wild pitch allowed Greer to scamper home for the 5-2 lead.
In addition to Shaft, sophomore Reid Rollison posted a multiple-hit game with a pair of singles with a 2-for-4 outing while Dylan de Graaf legged out his third double of the season.
Tennessee starter Jeff Lockwood (2-2) suffered the defeat after allowing three earned runs in five innings of work, walking and striking out three. Four Vols posted two-hit games with Cody Brown tripling and Lima hitting a homer for the only two extra base hits among the 10 rapped out on the night.
Western Carolina returns to action on Wednesday as it hosts the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium with first pitch slated for 7:00 pm.
WOFFORD 5, NORTH CAROLINA A&T 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team defeated North Carolina A&T 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium. The Terriers were led by Jake Williams with three hits and Keith Munns with two RBIs.
Wofford is now 21-25 on the season and 4-14 in the Southern Conference, while North Carolina A&T is 21-26 on the season. Jordan Mickleberry went seven innings with five strikeouts for the win. Wofford had eight hits, while the Aggies had four. North Carolina A&T had all three errors in the game.
Through the first four innings, Wofford had one hit from Shane Kirkley and four men left on base while the Aggies had one hit by Jeremy Jones and three men stranded.
In the fifth, Alex Lee hit a single and advanced two bases on an error. Kyle Behrendt walked and a double to right field by Michael Gilmartin scored Lee for a 1-0 lead. For the Aggies in the bottom of the fifth, a walk and a single by James Howard gave them two on with two out, but a ground out ended the inning.
For Wofford in the top of the sixth, Jake Williams led off with a double and Keith Munns reached on an error. A walk by Neil Robinette loaded the bases. A single by Josh McKinney scored Williams, then a walk by Alex Lee scored Munns for a 3-0 lead with no out. With the bases loaded, Chris Eggers struck out three straight to end the Terriers’ half of the inning.
The Aggies got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. C.J. Beatty lead off with a walk and a double by Joe McIntyre drove in the run, but McIntyre was out trying to reach third on the play. The inning ended with a 3-1 lead for the Terriers.
Wofford opened the seventh with a single from Shane Kirkley, followed by a single from Jake Williams. Keith Munns reached on a fielder’s choice to score Kirkley. Josh McKinney also reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. However a double-play ended the inning with a 4-1 Terrier lead.
In the eighth, the Terriers went down in order in the top of the inning. The Aggies had two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth, but left both stranded. Wofford led off the ninth with a walk by Shane Kirkley. A single by Jake Williams and an error advanced the runners to second and third. Keith Munns hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Kirkley for the 5-1 final score.
Wofford starter Jordan Mickleberry (3-2) went a season-high seven innings and allowed just three hits and one run with five strikeouts. At one point in the game, he retired nine straight batters. Chip Hunt threw the eighth inning and allowed one hit with a strikeout. Michael Gilmartin closed the game with three straight outs in the ninth.
For North Carolina A&T, starter Donald Howerton (2-4) threw 4.2 innings with three hits, one run and two strikeouts. Chris Eggers went 2.1 innings with four hits and three runs with four strikeouts. Tim Johnson threw the eighth with no hits and two strikeouts. John Primus pitched the ninth with one hit, one run and one strikeout.
Freshman Josh McKinney was the designated hitter for the first game this season. The Terriers were without seven players due to class schedules. The win ended the Terriers’ eight game losing streak. Wofford has won three non-conference road games this season.
Wofford will play a three-game conference series at Western Carolina beginning Friday, May 2 in Cullowhee. The Terriers return home on May 7 to host South Carolina at 7:00 pm.
WAKE FOREST 11, UNC GREENSBORO 6
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Allan Dykstra sent a grand slam over the right field wall to give Wake Forest a 6-1 lead over UNCG on Tuesday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium. After holding the Spartans to just five more through to the ninth, the Demon Deacons came away with the 11-6 victory.
Twice the Spartans (26-18, 11-7 SoCon) led off an inning with a solo home run. Sophomore Corey Overholtzer sent one out to right field and freshman Ed Jackjack slapped homer to the same side in the fourth. Jayjack’s solo shot was not only his second hit of the season, but his second home run as well.
Moving into the fifth inning UNCG was down by just two, but with Wake (18-27, 8-15 ACC) continuing to put up runs the Spartans were unable to match the second inning six-run rally.
Brandon Johnson (1-2) nabbed the win for Wake Forest after coming in for relief in the fifth inning. Against his 10 batters faced, he walked one and allowed just one hit. Freshman starter Warren Slack (0-2) took the loss after giving up six runs in the second. Freshman Matt Bjorkstrom and junior Kory Judd led both sides with three strikeouts a piece.
At the plate UNCG was led by Overholtzer who was just a double short of a cycle. On the evening he was 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI, a triple, and a home run. Dykstra led the Demon Deacons after going 2-for-4 with four RBI, a pair of walks, and a home run. His home run was the only extra base hit given up by the Spartans.
Dual doubles in the opening inning gave UNCG the one-run lead over Wake Forest. Junior Pedro Leon led off with a two-bagger to the left center gap. Two bats later, Ricky Orton drove a high, fly ball over the centerfielder’s head to bring in Leon. The hit was Orton’s 18th double of the season.
In the top of the second, the Demon Deacons tied the game with consecutive singles and after another pair of singles and a wild pitch, they took a 2-1 lead over UNCG. Three bats later, Wake’s Allan Dykstra stepped up and pounded a two out, first pitch grand slam off of the scoreboard in right field to push the Deacons into a 6-1 lead.
A lead off home run by sophomore Corey Overholtzer in the third cut the deficit down by one; the roundtrip was his fourth of the season. In the next at-bat for the Spartans, senior Tim Carrier dropped a two out single behind second base to bring senior Sean Snell in from third and make it a 6-3 ballgame.
Wake scratched another run on the board in the fourth before the Spartans came back with two of their own. Redshirt sophomore Ed Jayjack led off with a home run over the right field wall. Consecutive singles by seniors Matt Gaski, Snell, and Ricky Orton brought in another run to set the game at 7-5 in favor of the Demon Deacons heading into the fifth inning.
A pair of runs in the fifth and another scored in the seventh extended Wake Forest’s lead to 10-5. A left center single in the eighth by junior Pedro Leon drove in freshman Drew Gehringer. After holding UNCG silent in the ninth, Wake Forest came away with the 11-6 victory.
On Friday, the Spartans begin a three game series with the Cougars from the College of Charleston. Game times are slated for 7pm on Friday, 2pm on Saturday, and 1pm on Sunday.