Elon 11, Auburn 6
AUBURN, Ala. -- Pat Irvine and Justin Hilt each homered and drove in three runs as the Elon Phoenix baseball squad overcame the Auburn Tigers 11-6 from Plainsman Park on Saturday afternoon. The two teams have split the first two games of the series and are both 1-1 on the year.
Phoenix pitchers held the Tiger offense to just six hits on the day while Elon's hitters banged out 14 hits.
Auburn had built a 2-1 lead through the first five innings of play before Elon erupted for five sixth inning tallies to claim a 6-2 lead. With one out, Dallas Tarleton's single to left was followed up by a double down the right field line off the bat of Mike Melillo. After Hilt reached on a fielder's choice that erased Tarleton at the plate Neal Pritchard was plunked to load the bases. Cory Harrilchak singled home both Melillo and Hilt to put Elon up 3-2 and extend his streak of reaching base safely to 35 games. Irvine then delivered the big blow of the inning with a three-run bomb to left-center which gave the Phoenix a 6-2 lead.
Auburn got one back in the bottom of the frame when Trent Mummey hit the first of his two homers on the day to lead off the inning.
Elon put one more on the board in the top of the eighth as Melillo scored on a Tiger error.
In the bottom of the inning, Auburn scored twice without the benefit of a hit. Joseph Sanders, Mummey and Hunter Morris all drew walks to load the bases at the start of the half inning. Sanders came in on a Brian Fletcher sac fly before Kevin Patterson walked to reload the bases. A walk to Casey McElroy forced home Mummey with the second run, but Elon escaped further damage when Daniel Britt came on and got a pop up and fly out to end the inning.
In the ninth, Elon exploded for four more runs. The first came on a Tarleton sacrifice fly which plated Bennett Davis. With one out, Hilt drove the ball over the wall in left to add three more runs to the Phoenix total.
Mummey connected on his second homer of the day in the bottom of the ninth, a solo shot with two outs.
Ken Ferrer (1-0) earned the win in his first start of the season. Ferrer allowed three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of work. He also struck out five and walked just one. Britt picked up the save after giving up one run on one hit in 1.2 innings of action.
Bradley Hendrix (0-1) took the loss in relief. Hendrix was tagged for four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings. Auburn starter Jon Luke Jacobs struck out six in 3.1 innings.
Irvine finished the day 3-for-5 with a run and three RBI while Davis, Tarleton and Melillo all had two-hit outings for the Phoenix. Chase Austin went 1-for-4, extending his hitting streak to a career-best 17 games.
Mummey led the Auburn attack, going 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI.
The two teams will play the rubber match at 2 p.m. EST on Sunday afternoon.
College of Charleston 9, Miami (Ohio) 7
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - Mike Hentz (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Matt Mansilla (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) homered and Clay McCord (Atlanta, Ga.) added three hits and drove in three runs lifting the College of Charleston to a 9-7 victory over Miami (OH) in college baseball action before 579 at Patriots Point Stadium on Saturday.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 2-0 while the Redhawks fell to 0-2. The series finale is Sunday at noon.
The Cougars, who trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, sent 11 batters to the plate and parlayed five hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a stolen base into a 7-3 advantage.
McCord led off the fourth with an infield hit and scored on Joey Bergman's (Jacksonville, Fla.) double to left center. Bergman eventually scored on a wild pitch to cut the Redhawks' lead to 3-2.
After Joash Brodin (Olympia, Wash.) walked, Hentz homered to left for a 4-3 Charleston lead. Cole Rakar's (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) run-producing single and a two-run double down the left field line by McCord capped the inning.
Miami cut the margin to 7-5 in the top of the fifth inning on Jordan Petraitis' two-run double with two outs that scored Adam Eaton and Brad Gschwind.
Mansilla led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a towering homer to left that extended the Cougars' lead to 8-5. McCord added a two-out, RBI single to right in the inning that gave Charleston a 9-5 lead.
The Redhawks added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings for the final margin.
For Charleston, Bergman and Rakar finished with two hits each.
Tom Schiller (1-0) (Rochester, N.Y.) picked up the win in relief allowing three runs on three hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five. Kevin Decker (Washington, Ind.) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first save. Chase Stewart (0-1) was the starter and loser for Miami allowing six runs over the first 3 1/3 innings.
The Redhawks got three hits and two RBI from Petraitis, and a two-run homer in the second inning by Zak Hatfield that gave Miami a 2-0 lead.
Western Carolina 4, Bowling Green 1
Cullowhee, N.C. - Using a three-run bottom of the first inning, Western Carolina went on to defeat the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday afternoon, 4-1, in game two of the 2009 season at Childress Field/ Hennon Stadium.
Junior Chris Masters (1-0) picked up his first win of the season allowing just two hits one earned run while striking out six through six solid innings of work. Bowling Green starter Matt Malewitz took the loss (0-1) only going three innings allowing four hits giving up three earned runs.
Western Carolina (2-0) came right out of the box early, when in the bottom of the first inning with two runners on and only one out senior J.C. Lyons roped a two-run triple to right center plating two Catamounts to give Western Carolina an early 2-0 lead. Junior third basemen Tyler Kirkpatrick followed with an RBI single to center to bring home Lyons to increase the Catamounts lead to 3-0.
Western Carolina added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth-inning to make the score 4-0 Catamounts through four innings of play.
Junior left-hander Chris Masters was cruising until the top of the fifth inning when with one out Falcons centerfielder T.J Blanton smashed a Home Run to left field to cut the Catamounts lead to 4-1.
Sophomore Matt Benedict and Junior Daniel Ottone came on in relief of Masters to throw three-inning of shutout relief to close the door on the Falcons.
Ottone worked a perfect ninth to earned his first save on the year with a ground ball and a pair of strikeouts to end the game.
True freshman Ross Heffley had his second straight multi-hit game going 2-for-3 in the victory. Third basemen Tyler Kirkpatrick now leads the team with four RBI's through two games.
The finale of the three-game series is set for 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. The Catamounts are scheduled to start senior right-hander Corey Martin. Admission is still free of charge.
Georgia Southern 7, Presbyterian 6
STATESBORO, Ga. - Pinch-runner Pat Smith (New Castle, DE/New Castle) scored the winning run off a throwing error as Georgia Southern rallied for a 7-6 win over Presbyterian, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles now have won the first two games of the three-game series, but needing to stage some ninth inning heroics to do so.
Down one run, A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bryant) led off the ninth hitting a grounder to third baseman Jared Combs, who booted the grounder allowing him to reach. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) chopped a 3-1 fastball, with a hit-and-run on, through the right side past Zac Rhinesmith who went to cover second on the play. That clutch hit put runners on the corners with no one out.
Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) hit a chopper up the middle that shortstop Andrew Williams could not field cleanly, and instead of a possible double play ball, had to throw onto first but it was not in time. That allowed Wirnsberger to tie the game. Smith came on to run for Benedict. Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but catcher Drew Wingo's throw down to third sailed past Combs into left field and allowed the winning run to score.
"We're the home team, we are never going to quit. It's huge when you have nine seniors going around the dugout keeping everyone fired up and keep the confidence going. You are never out with experienced guys like us," said Benedict. "(On the hit and run), It was a fastball and all I was trying to do was get it down on the ground and find a hole, preferably on the right side to get the runner to third. It helps the confidence level when you still make mistakes offensively and can still come away with the win. At the end of the season you don't want to look back and think about the missed opportunities."
The Eagles missed a golden opportunity in the eighth to take the lead. Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning. He advanced to third with no one out thanks to two wild pitches by Joe Hammond. With the infield drawn in Presbyterian was able to make plays on two grounders to keep Pierce at third. A comebacker to the mound temporarily got the Blue Hose out of the jam.
With one down in the top of the ninth Dexter Bobo (Cumming/Darton College) went ahead 0-2 on Cory Lyda. He threw a curve ball that looked to be strike three but was called for a ball. On a full count Lyda lined a shot over the left field fence for a 6-5 lead.
Making his Eagle debut, Bobo (1-0) picked up the win in relief, officially charged for one run on three hits in two innings, striking out three.
Presbyterian (0-2) wasted no time striking first when Jesse Harmon, the starting pitcher Friday night, sent Andy Moye's (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) 1-1 pitch to the right field gap for a leadoff home run. Zac Rhinesmith singled, took second on a balk and third on a wild pitch. Lyda drew a walk to put runners on the corners.
Moye picked Lyda off first base then struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam. The Eagles quickly tied the game.
Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) lined a one-out double and took third when Wirnsberger reached on an error. Chris Powell uncorked a wild pitch and Porter beat the throw home.
The Blue Hose regained the lead in the third, plating four runs. Rhinesmith scored on a groundout, Combs hit a 2-run homer with two outs then back-to-back doubles plated another run for a 5-1 lead.
Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) lined a RBI single with two outs in the fifth then the Eagles tied it up in the sixth.
Randy Williams (Valdosta/Andrew College), making his first Georgia Southern start, doubled to start the frame. Two batters later he scored on Jake Ware's (Statesboro/Statesboro) single up the middle, and Ware took second on the throw home. That prompted a pitching change, bringing in Hammond.
Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) was hit on the first pitch. Two batters later Wirnsberger lined a 0-2 pitch down the left field line to tie the score.
Wirnsberger and Benedict finished with two hits apiece but the Eagles were out-hit 14-10 but the Blue Hose committed five errors in the game. Moye allowed five runs on six hits in 2.2 innings. Tony Chisman (Conyers/Salem) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief and Jake Brown (Forest Hill, MD/Pitt CC) also made his Eagle debut working a scoreless seventh inning.
Daniel Hill (0-1) was the hard-luck loser giving up the two unearned runs. Powell held the Eagles in check, leaving with a 5-2 lead but he was charged for four runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings.
Harmon finished with three hits and three other Blue Hose contributed two hits apiece.
Georgia Southern goes for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 22), first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Appalachian State 9, Jacksonville State 6
FOREST CITY, N.C. - Sophomore Jason Wallace went 4-for-4 and scored three runs to help lead Appalachian State University baseball to a 9-6 win over Jacksonville State on Saturday afternoon at McNair Field.
Senior Isaac Harrow added a 3-for-4 performance with two RBI and two runs scored and Appalachian pitchers Josh Dowdy and Nick Daniels combined to surrender only two earned runs in the winning effort.
Unlike in Friday night’s 4-3, 13-inning win, in which ASU didn’t record its first hit until the sixth inning, the Mountaineers jumped all over JSU starter Austin Lucas from the get-go on Saturday. The Apps scored three runs in the first, three more in the second and two in the third to jump out to a commanding 8-4 lead. Errors also played a big factor in the early scoring explosion, as Dowdy and Lucas were both saddled with a pair of unearned runs in the first three innings.
From there, both pitching staffs settled in and the score remained 8-4 until the eighth inning when the Gamecocks benefited from the Mountaineers’ third and fourth errors of the afternoon to score two more unearned runs and cut the ASU lead to 8-6.
Jax State returned the favor in the bottom of the frame, however, as Wallace scored from second on a throwing error by JSU shortstop Jake Sharrock to tack on a final run for insurance.
Wallace, Harrow and Wes Hobson all doubled in the Apps’ 13-hit effort.
Dowdy scattered five hits, allowed two earned runs and struck out three in six innings of work to earn the win. Daniels surrendered just one hit and no earned runs over the final three innings to earn his first-career save. Combined, the duo issued only one walk.
Aside from the rocky start for Lucas (2.2 IP, 9 H, 8 R), Jacksonville State’s pitching staff continued to impress, as it held the Mountaineers to an unearned run on four hits over the final 5.1 innings of the ballgame. However, the JSU managed only six hits with center fielder Daniel Adamson (2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI) the only Gamecock with multiple hits.
Off to its first 2-0 start in 13 years, Appalachian looks to move to 3-0 and finish off the series sweep when it squares off with JSU in Sunday’s 1 p.m. series finale at McNair Field.
Lafayette 10, Davidson 6
Davidson 11, Army 4
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- The Davidson Wildcats split a double-header Saturday afternoon, dropping the first game 10-6 to Lafayette before capturing an 11-4 victory over Army in the nightcap.
The Wildcats improve to 2-1 on the young season.
Chase Fitzpatrick went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to help the Wildcats to the win over Army, after batting 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs in the first game.
Davidson scored first, getting a run in the second, and never trailed against Army. The 'Cats scored three runs on three hits in the fourth and broke the game open with a seven-spot in the seventh inning.
Chris Kennedy picked up his first win of the season, giving up just two runs on three hits in five of innings of work. Mike Frongello earned the save after allowing just a pair of runs on three hits in four innings of relief.
For Army (1-1), Ben Koenigseld took the loss, despite allowing just four runs on six hits in six innings.
In the first game, Lafayette reached the scoreboard first with a run in first, but the 'Cats scored three runs bottom of the frame to reclaim the inning. The Leopards, though, added three runs in the top of the second and controlled play for the rest of the way, claiming the 10-6 win.
On the mound, Chris Lamb took the loss in his first collegiate appearance, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
For Lafayette (2-0), Ryan Hanna took the win, allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings.
The Wildcats will finish the four-game weekend with a 1 p.m. contest against the Leopards Sunday at Wilson Field.
Kennesaw State 12, Samford 5 (10 inn.)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.?The Kennesaw State baseball team plated seven runs in the top of the 10th inning on its way to a 12-5, 10-inning win over Samford Saturday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The KSU win evens the series, with the deciding game scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
“Kennesaw State is a good club,” Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. “We stood right there with them for nine innings, and just kind of let it get out of reach late. I thought we played okay, though we didn’t do quite as good a job offensively as we did last night, especially against their bullpen guys. Our kids competed well, we just fell apart late.”
Samford (1-1) was led at the plate by Marcus Rodriguez, going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Michael Johnson also drove in two runs in a 1-for-5 performance. Mason Meredeth and Brad Moss had two hits each for the Bulldogs.
Samford freshman pitcher Tyler Vanderheiden pitched 2.2 innings in relief, giving up six runs on six hits to take the loss in his first collegiate outing. David Knapp started the game on the mound for Samford and pitched a solid 5.0 innings, giving up two unearned runs on three hits.
Kennesaw State (1-1) was led by Martin Baker, going 4-for-6 with two RBI. Josh Whitaker was 3-for-5, while Jacob Robbins and Ric Bishop drove in three runs apiece for the Owls. Kenny Faulk pitched the final 3.1 hitless innings to earn the win for KSU on the mound.
After Kennesaw State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, Samford came back with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. After David Schulze walked and moved to third base on a single by Bo Smith, Trey Hayes drove Schulze in with a sacrifice fly to tie the score.
Rodriguez later singled to center field to drive in Smith and Meredeth for a 3-1 Samford lead. Later in the inning, Johnson singled up the middle to drive in Rodriguez and Moss to make the score 5-1.
KSU plated a run in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 5-2. The Owls added another run in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to tie the score and eventually force extra innings. In the eighth inning, Robbins doubled to right field to drive in pinch runner Clint Roques and Josh Whitaker, who had earlier singled to tie the score.
In the 10th inning, the Owls sent 11 batters to the plate in pulling away for the win. Baker and Jace Whitmer drove in two runs each, while Robbins, Bishop and Curtis Van Wyck had one RBI each in the inning.
Sunday’s series finale, scheduled for 1 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field, can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Fans can also view the game on SoCon TV at www.soconsports.com.
Ball State 9, Furman 7 (11 inn.)
Ball State 14, Furman 4 (7 inn.)
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ball State swept a doubleheader from Furman on Saturday at Latham Baseball Stadium with a 9-7, 11-inning win in game one and 14-4, seven-inning triumph in game two.
The victories improved Ball State to 2-1 on the season while Furman falls to 1-2. The two teams play the series finale Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
In Saturday’s first game Kolbrin Vitek’s RBI single in the top of the 11th inning off Paladin reliever Bobby Lyne (0-1) scored Nate Fields from second base to break a 7-7 tie, and Ian Nielsen’s two-out, RBI double to right field plated Vitek for complete the two-run Cardinal frame.
Ball State’s Morgan Coombs (1-0), who pitched shutout ball over the final 4 1/3 innings, capped a strong relief performance by retiring Furman in order to earn the victory.
The Cardinals’ 11-inning rally was made possible by strong late inning defense. In the ninth inning Vitek speared a Matt Hemingway line drive to lead off the inning and later, after the Paladins loaded the bases with two outs, turned his back to home plate and sprinted into short left field where he made a diving, over-the-shoulder catch on a flare off the bat of Paladin pinch-hitter Andrew Cadger to end the inning.
Will Owens led off the Paladin 10th with a infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice. With two outs Furman’s Matt Hemingway stroked a solid single through the right side, but Owens was thrown out at the plate by Cardinal right-fielder Cody Elliott to end the inning.
Ball State rallied from a 7-2 deficit with a five-run seventh that included an Aaron Etchison solo home run, a Nielsen two-run single, and Benbow two-run double to even the score.
Furman had earlier broken a 2-2 deadlock with four runs in the third on four hits and a BSU error.
Nielsen paced Ball State’s 15-hit attack by going 4-for-6 with three RBI. Fields went 3-for-6 and scored a pair of runs, and Etchison homered twice in six at bats, driving in three.
Reese Wade led Furman, going 3-for-5 and Will Owens, Connor Lind, and Matt Hemingway had two hits apiece. Hemingway cracked the Paladins’ first home run of the year when he led off the second with a blast to left field.
In game two Ball State broke open a 1-1 game with an eight-run sixth en route to the 14-4 win and sweep.
Furman starting pitcher Jay Friedman (0-1), who allowed only one run on three hits over the first five innings, ran into trouble in the sixth, surrendering six runs on five hits, including a two-run home run by Vitek.
Later in the inning Paladin reliever Kevin Gottlieb yielded a two-run single to Jeremy Hazelbaker that helped blow open the contest.
Hazelbaker and Fields led BSU’s 14-hit onslaught with three-hit performances.
Making his first collegiate start, Paladin right-fielder Aaron Thompkins went 3-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs.
Ball State starter Brad Piatt (1-0) was the beneficiary of the eight-run Cardinal sixth. He worked five innings, allowing only four hits and a run while recording a pair of strikeouts.
Virginia Tech 14, Wofford 10
Virginia Tech 10, Wofford 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader to Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Hokies won the first game 14-10 after the game was tied at ten after seven innings. In the second game, Virginia Tech won 10-2.
Wofford is now 1-2 on the season, while Virginia Tech is 3-0 overall. The Terriers had three hits by Jake Williams and four RBIs from Mac Doyle in the first game. In the second game, Neil Robinette had two hits and an RBI to lead the team. Virginia Tech was led by Anthony Sosnoskie with four hits, including three home runs, and five RBIs on the day.
In the first game, the Terriers loaded the bases in the first inning and a single by Jake Williams scored Alex Lee. A single from Kyle Behrendt scored Josh McKinney for a 2-0 lead after one. The Hokies answered with three runs in the second, including an RBI double from Sean Ryan.
The Terriers got one run back in the third as a fielder’s choice from Mac Doyle scored Michael Gilmartin to tie the game. Virginia Tech had a two-run homer by Steve Bumbry and an RBI from Buddy Sosnoskie in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead. Wofford responded again in the bottom of the fourth. Josh McKinney scored James Foster on a sacrifice fly, then Mac Doyle hit his first career home run to score three as the Terriers took a 7-6 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Anthony Sosnoskie led off with a home run and they added a run on an RBI single from Steve Bumbry to take an 8-7 lead. The Terriers tied it again in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run by Mike McDonnell.
After a scoreless sixth, Virginia Tech added two runs in the top of the seventh. Once again, the Terriers answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh as Josh McKinney reached first on an error that scored Neil Robinette and Mike McDonnell. In the top of the eighth, the Hokies scored twice on a homer from Anthony Sosnoskie. Virginia Tech added two more runs in the top of the ninth for the 14-10 final score.
Wofford starter John Cornely went 5.0 innings with one strikeout and eight runs allowed. Bobby DeLuria threw 1.1 innings with a strikeout, while J.D. Osbourne threw a third of an inning with one hit. Drew Sheridan also went a third of an inning with one hit. Bobby Streisel (0-1) went the final two innings and had two strikeouts but allowed four runs to get the loss.
For the Hokies, starter Justin Wright went four innings with four strikeouts and ten hits allowed. Josh Wymer went two innings with five strikeouts. Dave Zappacosta threw 0.2 innings with one strikeout and two runs allowed. Ben Rowan (1-0) went 1.1 innings and had four strikeouts. Jesse Hahn closed the game with one inning and one strikeout.
To open game two, the Hokies scored in the first inning on an RBI single from Steve Domecus. In the top of the third, Virginia Tech added two runs on a homer from Anthony Sosnoskie. Wofford had two hits in the third, but left two runners on base.
In the fourth, the Hokies scored a run on a sacrifice fly by Sean Ryan for a 4-0 lead. In the top of the fifth, Virginia Tech added four runs, including a three-run double by Tony Balisteri with two outs.
The Terriers got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Josh McKinney singled and was brought home when Bo Brandt reached first on an error. After a scoreless seventh, Wofford added a run in the bottom of the eighth as a double from Neil Robinette scored Konstantine Diamaduros, who reached base on a double as well.
The Hokies added two runs in the top of the ninth on a double by Sean Ryan with two outs for the 10-2 final score.
For Wofford, Cash Collins (0-1) went 4.2 innings in his first career start and had three strikeouts with eight hits and eight runs. Bobby DeLuria threw 3.1 innings with three strikeouts and no runs allowed on two hits. Mason Bradley allowed two runs in the ninth inning.
Virginia Tech starter Sean McDermott (1-0) threw 6.0 innings with six strikeouts and one run on six hits. Clark Labitan went an inning with one strikeout. Kyle Cichy threw an inning with three strikeouts and one run on two hits. Ronnie Shaban closed the game with two strikeouts in one inning.
The weekend series that is part of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic concludes for Wofford with a home game against UNC Asheville on Sunday at 3:00 pm. UNC Asheville lost two games to George Mason on Saturday in the Tournament.
Indiana State 9, The Citadel 6 (10 inn.)
Indiana State 8, The Citadel 7 (11 inn.)
Charleston, S.C. ? Bryan Altman went 3-for-6 with three RBI but Indiana State scored three unanswered runs in the top of the 10th as The Citadel dropped the first game of a doubleheader at Riley Park Saturday, 9-6.
The Bulldogs (0-2) left 13 runners on base and did not score after the sixth inning. Senior Sonny Meade (0-1), who saw his first mound appearance since his freshman year, took the loss ? the first of his collegiate career. Meade was one of seven Bulldog pitchers in the three hour and 39-minute game.
Indiana State (2-0) was led by Brady Shoemaker’s 4-for-5 performance with three RBI and a run scored. Matt Shelton (1-0) was credited with the win after allowing no runs and only one hit while striking out two in 2.0 innings on the mound.
Bryan Altman slammed a one-out single through the left side in the bottom of the second to give The Citadel the 2-0 lead before Indiana State’s five-run fourth inning put the Sycamores on top. Nick Orvin scored off of a Meade ground out in the bottom of the fourth to add another run for the Bulldogs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Orvin laced a one-out double down the left field line before Altman drove him in with a single up the middle. The Citadel then loaded the bases after Meade reached on an ISU error and Richard Jones singled to center field. Chris McGuiness then drove in Altman and Meade on a two-run single up the middle to give The Citadel the 6-5 lead.
Indiana State would then force extra innings after Shoemaker drove in the tying run on a single to right field. The Sycamores would tack on three runs in the top of the 10th as ISU faced three Bulldog pitchers in the inning.
No. 18 Kent State 9, UNC Greensboro 6 (11 inn.)
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Despite jumping out to an early lead, UNC Greensboro fell to No. 18 Kent State, 9-6, in an 11 inning contest on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Anthony Gallas' two-run home run in the top of the eighth tied the game at 6 for the Golden Flashes (2-0) and Ben Klafczynski hit a three-run homer in the top of the 11th to seal the win for the visitors.
Sophomore Drew Gehringer led the way for the Spartans (0-2) on the afternoon after hitting 2-5 with two RBI, including a solo home run in the third inning.
Andrew Chafin (1-0) took the win after pitching two innings of relief, while Greg Smith (0-1) took the loss for the Spartans.
The Spartans put last night's game behind them early after pushing three runs across the plate in the first to take the early lead. Pedro Leon led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a stolen base to open the game. Ray Quinones singled to left field to knock in the first run of the afternoon. Quinones would advance to second on a balk before Drew Gehringer knocked him in with a double to left field.
Gehringer scored the third run of the inning after Joey Frabasile's fly ball to left field was muffed.
Kent State got on the board for the first time in the third inning after Chris Tremblay hit a leadoff double down the left field line. Jimmy Rider was up next for the Golden Flashes and was able to hit a single down the right field to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Spartans.
UNCG answered in the bottom of the third with a run of its own after Gehringer's hit a solo blast over the left center wall to give the Spartans a 4-1 advantage.
The Golden Flashes were able to knot the game at 4 after a few well-timed hits. Travis Shaw began the rally with a single to left field and scored on a double by Klafczynski. Klafczynski advanced to third after David Lyon struck out, but advanced to first on a wild pitch. After a balk was called on Blake Hassebrock, Klafczynski scored to make it 4-3. The Golden Flashes were able to tie the score at 4 after Tremblay singled to center field to knock in Lyon.
The Spartans wouldn't go down without a fight as they retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two out two-run single by pinch hitter Trevor Edwards. Kent State pitcher Robert Sabo walked Ed Jayjack, Brent O'Berry and Raymond Frias to load the bases with two outs in the inning. Edwards came in to pinch hit for Alex Frederick and hit a bloop single down the left field line to put UNCG back ahead, 6-4.
Kent State rallied once again to tie the game at 6 in the top of the eighth. Tremblay led off the inning with a single to right field before Greg Smith came in to relieve Matt Parish and get the next two batters to strike out. With two outs in the eighth inning, Gallas stepped to the plate for the Golden Flashes and lifted a ball over the left field wall to tie the game.
The Spartans were able to threaten in the bottom of the ninth after loading the bases with just one out in the inning. O'Berry led off with a single to center field before Raymond Frias and Kris Richards walked to load the bases. Kent State pitcher Justin Gill got Leon to strike out and Corey Overholtzer to ground out to the third baseman to end the threat.
After a scoreless tenth inning, Gallas singled to lead off the eleventh inning. A Jason Patton single pushed Gallas over to third with two outs in the inning. Klafczynski then came up and hit a three run home run to left center field that just barely cleared the fence.
The Spartans return to the field on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the series with the Golden Flashes. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.