SoCon Baseball Recaps for May 5, 2008
FURMAN 11, DAVIDSON 9
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman Paladins extended their school record Southern Conference winning streak to 13 games with an 11-9 victory over the Davidson Wildcats Sunday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
The triumph completed Furman’s series sweep of Davidson and marked the Paladins’ fourth consecutive series sweep in league play. A ninth place preseason pick by SoCon head coaches, Furman (29-15, 15-6 SoCon), which entered Sunday’s play in sole possession of first place, has won 17 of its last 21 games.
The loss was the seventh straight for Davidson (10-32, 2-19 SoCon), which is winless in 18 road games this year.
Furman’s 11-run effort was powered by an 18-hit attack that saw every starter collect at least one base knock. Campbell Lewis and Marcus Rose led the way with a pair of 3-for-5 performances. Connor Lind, Jay Jackson, Reese Wade, and Matt Hemingway, meanwhile, each had two hits and to RBI while Brian Harrison registered a pair of hits and drove in a run.
Wade’s 2-for-4 performance raised his team leading batting average to .464. The freshman designated hitter from Dallas, Texas, entered the week sporting the nation’s highest batting average.
Davidson was paced by Matt Webb, Danny Weiss, and Chris Fitzpatrick with three hits apiece.
Kevin Gaid (2-1) earned the win after working three designated innings before departing with a 6-1 lead. After skipping a start a week ago against Western Carolina due to a tender elbow, the sophomore right-hander allowed two hits and a run while notching three strikeouts.
Nick Karow earned his eighth save after coming on to get the final out in the eighth with two runners on base and later surviving a three-run ninth.
The loss went to Davidson starter Matt West (1-2), who surrendered four runs on five hits in an inning of work.
Furman provided Gaid with early support on the strength of a three-run first inning highlighted by a Marcus Rose solo home run to left field on the first pitch he faced.
After Davidson got on the board in the second to make it 3-1, the Paladins answered with a run in the bottom of the frame and two more in the third on an RBI double by Lewis and Hemingway sacrifice fly that scored Harrison to stretch Furman’s advantage to 6-1.
The Wildcats cut Furman’s lead to 6-3 with two runs in the fourth, but the Paladins opened up the contest with a four-run fifth that featured Jackson’s two-run single to right center field off Davidson reliever Matt Sliwiak.
Furman led 11-6 heading to the ninth before Webb’s solo home run to left center made it 11-7. A single by Weiss and RBI double by Sam Payne cut it to 11-8. Chris Fitzpatrick’s’ two-out double down the right field line scored Payne to make it 11-9, but Karow recovered by striking out Hugh Eden looking to end the game.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6, THE CITADEL 5
STATESBORO, GA. ? With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) hit a grounder down the third base line. Ty Wright’s (Montrose/West Laurens) slide home beat Matt Arnold’s throw as Georgia Southern pulled out a 6-5 Southern Conference win over The Citadel Sunday afternoon (May 4) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles (28-19 overall, 12-9 SoCon) took 2-of-3 from the Bulldogs over the weekend.
Wright was hit by a Matt Reifsnider (4-4) pitch to start the ninth. Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) sacrificed Wright to second then Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) was intentionally walked. Matt Crim, the Friday night starter, walked Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) to load the bases. Parker hit a soft grounder down the third base line. Wright broke for home and on the slide was called safe by home plate umpire Ed Haggray.
Down 5-2 in the ninth, The Citadel used an error and single to bring Richard Jones to the plate. He took a Blake Nation (Brooks/Starr’s Mill) pitch over the centerfield fence to tie the game. With runners at the corners and two outs, Nation got Kyle Jordan on a lineout to end the frame and set up the thrilling finish.
GS struck first, the first time in the series doing so. A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) reached on a fielder’s choice in the second. David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) hammered a 2-1 pitch off the batters eye in centerfield. His second home run of the series and ninth overall made it 2-0. For the second straight game Richardson extended his hitting streak on a home run, now at 13 games.
Shehan singled up the middle with one down in the third. Benedict reached on a throwing error by second baseman Conrad Kellahan, which moved Shehan to third. Parker singled home Shehan then Wirnsberger brought home Benedict on a single to centerfield.
Jones put the Bulldogs on the board, hitting a one-out solo home run in the fourth. The Eagles got that run back in their half of the fifth thanks to two-out hitting. Parker doubled down the left field line with two outs then Wirnsberger singled to left. Brian Shubsda’s throw was high, allowing Parker to slide under catcher Sid Fallaw to make it 5-1.
The Citadel threatened in the seventh. After Andy Moye (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) retired the first two batters, consecutive singles put the first two batters of the lineup on board. Head coach Rodney Hennon brought in Tony Chisman (Conyers/Salem). Sonny Meade hit a RBI single then a hit batter loaded the bases. Nation needed just one pitch to get Chris McGuiness on a grounder to Parker at first base and end the threat.
In the eighth Citadel got back-to-back singles to start. Nation recovered by striking out the side swinging.
Parker, who recorded his first career walk-off hit, finished 3-for-3 with two RBI. Wirnsberger added two hits and two RBI. Richardson also drove in two runs.
Moye turned in a season-best performance, striking out a season-high eight batters in 6.2 innings, his longest outing of the year. He allowed two runs on seven hits receiving a no-decision. Moye is still looking for his first victory since March 2nd (at home vs. Towson). Nation (3-3) gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits in 2.1 innings.
Meade finished with three hits for The Citadel (24-23, 12-12). Jones had the four RBI and two home runs. Asher Wojciechowski gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits in seven innings.
UNC GREENSBORO 18, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 17
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? UNC Greensboro’s Southern Conference sweep over the College of Charleston came down to the final inning as the teams headed into the ninth tied at 17-17. With two away, senior Adam Deleo punched a single into right field to bring around senior second baseman Tim Carrier for the 18-17 game-winner and give UNCG their first ever three-game sweep over the Cougars.
In just over four hours on the diamond, the Spartans broke three and tied two season records and tied one career single-game record. The blue and gold set a new season standard with 21 hits, 17 RBI, and 35 total bases, while tying their high 18 runs and six doubles. Individually, seniors Tim Carrier and Greg Feltes are now tied with Dominic Pattie (1997), Joey DeAngelis (1994), Chris Healy (1993), and fellow senior Matt Gaski for UNCG’s single-game record five runs scored.
After narrowly escaping the Cougars, the Spartans improve to an overall 28-19 and now sit with a conference record of 14-7. Charleston falls to 30-17 overall with a league mark of 13-8.
Sophomore closer Rob Gilliam (3-3) earned his third win of the season after coming in late in the eighth inning. Freshman reliever Warren Slack (0-2) led both sides with five strikeouts. Charleston’s Michael Kohn (0-1) took the loss after moving from the designated hitter position to pitcher in the eighth. The run given up in the ninth was his first ever run surrendered.
Several players led at the plate for the Spartans. Corey Overholtzer went 3-for-6 with five RBI, two double, a triple and a run scored, Greg Feltes hit 4-for-5 with five run, an RBI, and a home run, Pedro Leon was 3-for-6 with a pair of runs and an RBI, Tim Carrier went 3-for-5 with five runs, two RBI and a double, and Sean Snell was 2-for-3 with four RBI, a pair of doubles, and a run. Despite being credited with the loss, Kohn led the Cougars at the plate going 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and a home run.
UNCG scored four runs in the first off of a pair of doubles and a six-run rally in the second ? aided by a lead off home run by junior Pedro Leon and a two-run triple by sophomore Corey Overholtzer ? helped UNCG to an early 10-1 lead. UNCG made it 12-1 after two came in off of a centerfield single by senior right fielder Sean Snell. The Cougars lone run came off of a left field solo by Michael Kohn in the top of the second.
In the fourth, Charleston assembled seven off of seven hits to chop at the lead and make it a four-run game. In their next at-bat, the Cougars took a one-run lead over the Spartans after scoring five with just two runs scored off of a CofC hit.
The Cougar lead lasted just five pitches as Feltes blasted a solo home run out of the right side to tie the game at 13-13. With his 10th homer of the season, he put UNCG just eight away from the season record 61 set in 2000.
The teams remained scoreless through one and a half until the Spartans came out with their second four-run inning of the afternoon. A Cougar error brought in one before Snell let loose his second dual RBI double of the day. He was then plated by another double from Overholtzer.
Now trailing by four, CofC posted a pair of runs in the eighth and the ninth to tie the game at 17-17. Three of the four runs were scored off of home runs as Brandon Sizemore hit a solo out to centerfield in the eighth and Matt Leeds hit a pinch hit two RBI out of right center in the ninth.
With one away and runners on first and second, senior Adam Deleo, who had come in to catch in the seventh inning, dropped a 1-0 count in front of the CofC right fielder allowing Carrier to sprint in from second and give the Spartans the 18-17 victory over the visiting Cougars.
The Spartans will play the final two games of their 12-game homestand this week as they face High Point University on Tuesday at 1pm and North Carolina A&T at 6pm on Wednesday. This will be the second time UNCG has faced both teams this season.
WESTERN CAROLINA 9, WOFFORD 4
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Wofford College baseball team lost 9-4 to Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon at Ronnie Childress Field at Hennon Stadium. The Terriers had nine hits, including two home runs. The Catamounts swept the conference series.
Wofford is now 21-28 on the season and 4-17 in the Southern Conference, while Western Carolina is 24-24 overall and 10-11 in the conference. The Terriers were led by Keith Munns, Shane Kirkley and Mo Seay, all with three hits. Mo Seay had two RBIs.
The Terriers opened the game with a double from Sterling Dye. A ground out by Michael Gilmartin scored Dye for a 1-0 lead. The Catamounts had two hits in their half of the inning, but did not score as Barrett Shaft was thrown out at the plate for the third out.
In the bottom of the second, the Catamounts tied the game with a solo home run by Ryan Mathews over the right field fence. Western Carolina added two runs with a single up the middle by Barrett Shaft in the bottom of the third for a 3-1 advantage.
The Catamounts added a run on a single by Dylan de Graaf in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Liles added an RBI single for a 5-1 lead after four complete innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Western Carolina drove in two more runs on a fielder's choice by Reid Rollison and a double by Ryan Mathews to go up 7-1.
Wofford led off the top of the seventh with a home run by Shane Kirkley over the right center fence. Keith Munns singled and was brought home by a shot over the left center fence by Mo Seay to make it a 7-4 game. Josh McKinney added a double to left field and a walk to Alex Lee gave Wofford two on with one out, but the Terriers could not cut further into the lead.
Western Carolina added a solo home run from Dylan de Graaf in the bottom of the seventh to and Barrett Shaft hit a solo homer to deep center field in the bottom of the eighth to go up 9-4.
For the Terriers in the top of the ninth, Keith Munns was hit by a pitch and Mo Seay singled for two runners with one out. However two groundouts ended the game with a 9-4 win for Western Carolina.
Wofford starter Tom Dolinak (2-2) went 3.1 innings with seven hits, five runs allowed and one strikeout. John Cornely threw two innings with two hits and two runs. Chip Hunt entered the game in the sixth inning and went with 2.2 innings with two hits and two runs allowed.
For Western Carolina, starter Corey Martin (2-1) threw 6.1 innings with eight hits and four runs and one strikeout. Tyler Sexton went 2.2 for the save with one hit and one strikeout.
Shane Kirkley played in his 209th career game, setting a new school record which was previously held by Strat Stavrou with 208 career games. Kirkley hit his 13th home run of the season, giving him 48 in his career, third on the all-time list. Mo Seay hit his 11th home run of the season. Wofford has lost 19 straight games to the Catamounts, dating back to the 2002 season.