SoCon Baseball Recaps for May 10, 2008
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 21, WOFFORD 1
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 10, WOFFORD 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - College of Charleston pitchers limited Wofford to just one run and Michael Harrington became the school's all-time home run leader as the Cougars swept a Southern Conference baseball doubleheader from Wofford, 20-1 and 10-0, before 469 at Patriots Point Stadium on Saturday.
With the sweep, the Cougars improved to 34-17 overall and 16-8 in league play. The Terriers fell to 21-32 and 4-20. The Cougars play at Clemson on Tuesday at 7:15. Harrington's two homers give him 37 for his four-year career. Harrington hit four homers in Charleston's three-game series sweep.
In the opener, Harrington, Stuart Haywood and Matt Mansilla belted three-run homers and Jesse Simpson pitched seven strong innings.
Harrington's first homer of the day gave the Cougars a 4-0 third inning lead. Haywood lined a three-run shot to center, his fourth of the season, to give Charleston a 10-0 fourth inning advantage.
Mansilla hit a towering pinch-hit homer to left as part of Charleston's seven-run, sixth inning that stretched its lead to 20-0.
Simpson, who tossed 86 pitches, allowed only three hits with eight strikeouts. He walked none and improved to 7-2 on the season. Tom Dolinak (2-3) was the starter and loser.
In the nightcap, Harrington's SoCon-leading 23rd homer of the season was a three-run shot to right in the sixth inning that gave Charleston an 8-0 lead.
Charleston pitchers Austin Garrett, Nick Osterman and Michael Kohn combined on the seven-hit shutout.
Garrett (6-2) earned the win as he blanked the Terriers on just six hits over the first seven innings. Garrett walked two and struck out three. John Cornely (0-7) suffered the loss surrendering six runs, four earned, on eight hits over the first 5 1/3 innings.
Sterling Dye led the Terriers attack with two hits in four at bats.
For the day, Charleston's Joey Bergman had five hits and scored four times. Haywood and Rakar added four hits each for the Cougars, while Harrington drove in seven runs.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 20, UNC GREENSBORO 6
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 10, UNC GREENSBORO 9
STATESBORO, GA. ? Georgia Southern University exploded early in game one then held off a late UNC Greensboro rally in the nightcap to complete a series sweep, winning 20-6 and 10-9 at J.I. Clements Saturday (May 10). The Eagles improved to 31-20 overall and 15-9 in the Southern Conference.
With heavy rains in the forecast for Sunday, three of the SoCon series this weekend switched Saturday to a doubleheader ? including the Eagles. Prior to game one the Eagles honored the five departing seniors ? Burt Barto (Columbus/Columbus), Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin), Aaron Eubanks (Moultrie/Colquitt County), Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) and David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County).
Thanks to the sweep Georgia Southern has won 30 or more games in all nine years of head coach Rodney Hennon’s tenure.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in game one and never looked back. Ty Wright (Montrose/West Laurens) hit a leadoff single but was eventually picked off base. Two batters later Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) hit his second home run in as many games. His 19th homer of the year moved him back into a share of the team lead and gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
In the second, GS loaded the bases with no one out. Parker doubled, A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) singled and Richardson walked. Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) singled home one run then Corey Overholtzer’s throwing error allowed another run to come home. Greg Martin uncorked a wild pitch which allowed Richardson to score. Beckham’s groundout plated Pierce for a 5-0 lead.
Parker hit another leadoff double in the third. He advanced to third on Wirnsberger’s single then scored when Adam Deleo’s pickoff throw sailed into left field.
In the fourth Wright walked to start the frame then Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) dropped down a sacrifice bunt and reached on third baseman Ray Quinones’ error. Two batters later Parker nailed a line drive over the left field fence for a 9-0 lead.
Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange) cruised through the first four innings, retiring the first 11 batters he faced in order before giving up a two-out walk. Sean Snell broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out double in the fifth. Deleo broke up the shutout with a two-out RBI single.
Tim Carrier lined another two-out RBI hit, a single in the sixth. But Parker and the Eagles again responded in a grand way.
With the bases loaded and one out, Parker hit his first career grand slam. It was the senior’s fourth career 2-HR game, and the team’s fifth grand slam this year broke the Southern Conference single-season record.
Wirnsberger followed with a solo shot, regaining the team lead from Shehan. It was the seventh time this season he and Shehan went deep in the same game. In the seventh, Wirnsberger recorded his third grand slam of the season, and also his fourth career 2-HR game. His 21st home run of the season tied him for ninth place among the GS season ?Top 10’ leaders, the first time an Eagle made that list since 1996.
Wirnsberger’s grand slam marked the third time in GS history the Eagles hit two in a game. The last time that was accomplished was in 1989 against Carson-Newman.
In the eighth inning, walks to Kevin Bowles (Statesboro/Statesboro), Jake Ware (Statesboro/Statesboro) and Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) loaded the bases with no one out. One run scored on a double play then Jonathan King (Athens, TN/McMinn County) beat out an infield single to score the 20th run of the game.
The game one victory marked the fourth time this year GS scored 20 or more runs in a game during this record-breaking season.
Parker matched his career-high hit total going 4-for-4 with a personal-best seven RBI. His five runs scored also tied a program single-game record. He became the fourth Eagle this year to record 50 runs scored/50 RBI in a season.
Richardson finished with two hits, extending his hitting streak to a team season-high 16 games.
Wirnsberger finished with three hits, three runs and five RBI. The 1-3 batters in the lineup ? Wright, Porter and Shehan ? combined to score six runs.
During game one, the Eagles also broke two season records ? runs scored (518 in 1983) and total bases (1,137 in 1990).
Murray won his fifth straight decision, improving to 8-1 this year. He allowed two runs on just four hits in seven innings, matching his season-longest outing.
Martin (6-3) was charged for 13 runs ? 10 earned ? on 11 hits in 5.1 innings. He walked four and struck out one. Carrier finished with two hits and four RBI, including a 3-run homer in the eighth.
In game two, UNCG loaded the bases on Andy Moye (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) with one out in the opening frame. Carrier hit a grounder to Wirnsberger at third, who threw home in time for the force out. But during the next at-bat, Overholtzer lined a 2-run double to left for the early lead.
Snell lined a two-out, RBI single to make it 3-0. Parker got the run back in their half of the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
The Eagles plated four runs in the fifth inning. Wright lined a RBI single down the right field line then Porter followed with a RBI double. Shehan lined out to centerfield but was able to bring home a run. Parker hit a two-out RBI single to right, making it 5-3.
Another three runs in the sixth extended the lead. Richardson walked to start and eventually came around on Beckham’s single to right. Beckham scored when Porter beat out a double play ball and Carrier’s throw sailed past first base. Shehan added a RBI double.
UNCG loaded the bases in the seventh. Blake Nation (Brooks/Starr’s Mill) fielded a comebacker to the mound, but his throw home went wide allowing a run to score. The Spartans drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to 8-5, but Nation got a strikeout to end the threat.
Porter and Shehan hit back-to-back RBI singles in the eighth. The Spartans threatened in the ninth. Greg Feltes hit a leadoff home run. After a groundout, single and flyout, the Spartans recorded four straight base hits to make it a one-run game, and had runners at second and third before Porter caught Matt Gaski’s flyball down the right field line to end the game.
Parker and the rest of the senior class was the first group to play at the renovated J.I. Clements. They recorded at least 20 home wins each of their four years so it was fitting that Parker recorded a career-best day in the regular season home finale.
“Today was really big to get a sweep against a team of this caliber, and a team that is ahead of us in the standings. This sweep will give us a lot of confidence heading into next week,” said Parker. “It hasn’t sunk in yet (playing at home for the final time). I think it’s a fitting way for the team and us seniors to close out the regular season at home with a sweep.”
Wright, Porter and Shehan had two hits apiece. Shehan drove in three runs while Porter scored three times. Parker drove in two runs, giving him nine RBI on the day.
Richardson beat out an infield single to extend his hitting streak to a team season-high 17 games.
Moye (3-4) earned his first win since early March, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out seven, one shy of his personal-high. Despite giving up four runs in 2.2 innings, Nation worked the final 2.2 innings to earn his sixth save.
Three Spartans had two hits apiece. Wes McCall (1-6) allowed five runs on four hits in 4.1 innings.
APPALACHIAN STATE 14, FRURMAN 3
BOONE, N.C. - David Towarnicky (New Bern, N.C./New Bern) went 4-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Appalachian State University baseball's 17-hit attack in a 14-3 rout over Furman on Saturday evening at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. With the win, Appalachian (28-23, 12-11 SoCon) clinched its fifth-consecutive Southern Conference series victory.
Unlike Friday night's 5-0 barnburner, Saturday's contest was decided by the fourth inning. Furman (29-19, 15-8 SoCon) actually jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, but Towarnicky banged out an RBI double in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The score remained 3-1 until the fourth when the Mountaineers batted around and plated five runs to grab a 6-3 advantage. The Apps' first five batters reached base and Towarnicky and Jason Altenhof (Santa Fe, Fla./Santa Fe) each recorded two-run singles to highlight the five-run frame.
ASU put its first five hitters on base again in the fifth en route to a four-run inning that stretched the advantage to 10-3. Jason Wallace (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) provided the big hit in the stanza with a three-run triple and Towarnicky brought Wallace home with a single for his fourth RBI of the evening.
The Mountaineers continued to pour it on with another run in the sixth and three more in the seventh.
Not to be overshadowed by the offensive explosion, junior Josh Dowdy (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) turned in one of his most impressive outings of the season on the mound. The right-hander surrendered just two earned runs over six innings while striking out two and walking only one to move to 4-6 on the campaign.
Making his final appearance at Smith Stadium, Adam Mills (Asheboro, N.C./Southwest Randolph) turned in 2.1 innings of hitless relief before leaving to a standing ovation in the ninth. Fellow senior Calvin Teague (Taylorsville, N.C./Alexander Central) recorded the final two outs to close out the Apps' eighth win in its last nine games.
Eight of the nine Apps in the starting lineup registered hits, led by Towarnicky and Altenhof, who
combined to go 7-for-9 with seven RBI and four runs scored. The only Mountaineer to not record a hit was catcher Adam Beasley (Hendersonville, N.C./West Henderson), who still scored two runs, including one after he was hit in the head with a pitch in the seventh inning.
For the second-straight evening, Appalachian beat a Furman pitcher that came into the evening with a sub-4.00 earned run average. Saturday's victim was Mason Smith, who gave up six runs in three-plus innings to suffer his first loss since April 16.
Combined with Western Carolina sweeping its weekend series from The Citadel, Appalachian has moved a game-and-a-half ahead of The Citadel (25-26, 12-15 SoCon) for sixth place in the SoCon standings. The battle for sixth place is a critical one, as the seventh- through 10th-place teams in the regular-season standings must participate in a single-elimination "play-in" game to earn a spot in the eight-team, double-elimination field for the 2008 Southern Conference Tournament, which begins on May 20 in Charleston, S.C. ASU actually stands a half-game behind WCU (26-24, 13-11 SoCon) in the standings, but holds the tiebreaker over its archrival with a game in tow.
WESTERN CAROLINA 5, THE CITADEL 2 (10 innings)
WESTERN CAROLINA 11, THE CITADEL 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Western Carolina took both games of Saturday's Southern Conference twin bill, rallying in the top of the 10th inning to upend The Citadel, 5-2, in game one, and then leading from start-to-finish to complete the regular season sweep of the Bulldogs with an 11-2 victory in game three.
Saturday's two wins stretch Western's current winning streak to a season-long eight games. It also pushed the Catamounts to 27-24 overall, 13-11 in conference play while The Citadel dropped to 25-26, 12-15 in the SoCon. WCU has taken the three-game season series in back-to-back years over the Bulldogs marking the first-time since 1986-87 that it has happened and only the third seasonal sweep since 1989.
After securing a two-run lead with solo runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, Western Carolina surrendered its 2-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one on back-to-back solo home runs, chasing Catamount starter Drew Saberhagen. The junior from Calabasas, Calif., ended up receiving a no-decision despite limiting the Bulldogs to four hits through 6.1 innings of work. However, junior reliever Garrett Ozar kept The Citadel scoreless in the 2.1 frames he pitched to help force extra innings.
With one out in the top of the 10th, sophomore Stephen Notaro blasted a solo homer over the fence in left field to give the Catamounts the go-ahead and game-winning run. In an interesting twist, Notaro's solo shot came just minutes after his brother, Michael Notaro, hit a solo home run for Oral Roberts in the fourth inning of ORU's game against Oakland University.
WCU plated two additional runs, capitalizing on a pair of singles and an intentional walk with two runs coming on a Bulldog throwing error to win, 5-2.
Senior Tyler Sexton (3-4) garnered his third victory of the season as the High Point, N.C., native worked the final 1.1 inning of one-hit relief facing the minimum number of hitters.
Notaro led WCU on the day with a .625 average (5-for-8) with a double, home run and two runs scored. Senior Blake Murphy finished 4-for-8 (.500) with two doubles and a homer, scoring three times. Sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick tallied three hits in game one finishing 3-for-4.
Senior Barrett Shaft moved into third place in SoCon history in career base hits. Western's all-time leader concluded the day with 327 base hits moving him past former Georgia Southern slugger, Scott Henley (326, 1998-01) on the all-time list. He continues to chase second place, Chris Campbell (355, 2004-07) from the College of Charleston and Philip Hartig (360, 1998-01) from The Citadel.
In game two of the double-header, Western Carolina plated five runs in the first two innings, tallying two-or-more runs in four of the nine frames en route to the 11-2 victory giving the Catamounts the series sweep.
Western had six players post multiple-hit games as Notaro and shortstop Mitchell Hatley both finished 2-for-3, with the latter posting a game-high three runs scored. Murphy finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, with classmate Shaft also driving in a pair with a 1-for-5 outing.
Reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week, WCU sophomore Chris Masters (7-4) who garnered the honor for a third time this season last week, picked up his seventh victory of the year after working five innings of scoreless, two-hit relief. The Marietta, Ga, native worked around three walks with five strikeouts in helping to shutdown the Bulldog offense. Starter Corey Martin worked 2.2 innings allowing four hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. Ozar again saw action out of WCU's bullpen, tossing the final 1.1 inning hitless and scoreless with one strikeout.
Western Carolina will step out of conference on Tuesday night as it visits former SoCon-foe, East Tennessee State in Johnson City at 7:00 pm. WCU edged ETSU, 12-11, back on March 25 as senior Jason Haynes blasted a two-run, walk-off home run to lift the Catamounts to the win.