The Citadel 5, Indiana State 4 (12 inn.)
Charleston, S.C. ? Sonny Meade hit a two-out double off the left field wall to score Nick Orvin from first as The Citadel clinched its first win of the season in dramatic fashion with a 5-4 victory in 12 innings. The Bulldog victory prevented a series sweep at the hands of Indiana State in front of 427 at Riley Park Sunday afternoon.
Meade was 2-for-6 in the game, scoring once with one RBI. Indiana State (3-1) struggled to contain the heart of the Bulldog line-up as The Citadel’s top four hitters went 10-for-23 in the game with four runs scored.
The Citadel (1-3) earned the win in the Bulldogs’ third consecutive extra-inning game as the Bulldogs celebrated their 400th game played in Riley Park. Through four games, The Citadel played 42 innings of baseball in three days to open the 2009 season, all against Indiana.
Freshman Zach Garrett (1-0) was credited the win in relief after striking out seven and not allowing a run in 6.0 innings pitched. Garrett only walked three and allowed two hits in his appearance as he shut down the Sycamore line-up. Garrett’s first inning of work resulted in striking out three Sycamore batters looking.
Scott Harlan (1-1), who earned a win Friday night, was credited with the loss after allowing the winning run to score off five hits in his 2.2 innings on the mound.
The Citadel took the early lead as Richard Jones and Chris McGuiness hit back-to-back RBI singles in the bottom of the first for the 2-0 lead. Indiana State rallied back in the next half inning as ISU’s Ben Ferrell drove in a run off an RBI single to right with bases loaded to score Bronco Lafrenze. Bulldog starting pitcher Matt Talley then walked Kyle Burnam on four straight pitches with bases loaded to send Ben Caple across the plate, tying the game at 2-2.
The Citadel regained the lead in the bottom of the second as Nick Orvin hit a two-out single through the left side. Orvin then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Lafrenze, allowing Bryan Altman to drive him in on Altman’s single to right field.
Up 3-2 in the bottom of the third, The Citadel added another run to their credit as Trey Thomas hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Chris McGuiness to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
Indiana State tied the game again in the top of the fifth as Ryan Strausborger led off the inning with a home run to left center. After Nick Ciolli ground out to second, Tally walked Brady Shoemaker and then struck Koby Kraemer out. Facing two outs, Lafrenze doubled down the left field line, scoring Shoemaker from first and tying the game.
College of Charleston 14, Miami (Ohio) 8
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Matt Mansilla (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) had three hits and drove in four to lead the College of Charleston to a 14-8 win over Miami (OH) in college baseball action on Sunday at Patriots Point Stadium before 417 fans.
With the win, the Cougars improve to 3-0 on the season and compete a weekend sweep of the Redhawks. Miami falls to 0-3 with the loss. Charleston returns to action on Tuesday at UNC Wilmington beginning at 4 p.m.
The Cougars jumped out to a 5-1 lead in through six innings, but saw the lead evaporate in the top half of the seventh after Miami posted a five run inning, which was highlighted by a Zak Hatfield three run home run.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Cougars quickly took the lead back at 7-6 after Brandon Sizemore (Jacksonville, Fla.) homered to left center knocking in Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla). The scoring continued after Mike Hentz (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Mansilla reached base, as Cole Rakar (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) homered to right field to make the score 10-6.
After Miami added a run at the top of the eighth, the Cougars added more insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning, as Joash Brodin (Olympia, Wash.) hit a grand slam home run that made the score 14-7. Miami added a single run in the top of the ninth to make the final 14-8.
For Charleston, Brodin, Hentz and Austin Morgan (Katy, Texas) each had two hits. On the mound, reliever Robert Jeroszko (Greenville, S.C., 1-0) earned the win, while Miami reliever Reece Asbury (0-1) picked up the loss.
Hatfield led the way for Miami going 3-5 with three RBI.
Furman 14, Ball State 7
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Brian Harrison went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs to power Furman past Ball State, 14-7, in baseball action Sunday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
Harrison, from Hilton Head, S.C., belted a two-home run in the third inning to put Furman ahead 3-0 and capped his day at the plate with an RBI triple in the seventh. The Paladin sophomore also registered a pair of singles and scored two runs in helping Furman (2-2) gain the series split with Ball State (2-2).
Furman starting pitcher J.P. Goldsberry (1-0) recorded his first victory since 2007 after working five innings, allowing five hits, two runs, both earned, and two walks. The senior right-hander struck out three.
In addition to Harrison's heavy lumber, Connor Lind went 3-for-4 and scored four runs, and Matt Hemingway and Reese Wade had two hits apiece for the Paladins, who totaled 14 hits in the contest.
Ian Nielsen paced Ball State, going 3-for-4 with a home run.
Harrison's two-run blast to left field in the third inning off Cardinals starter Kolbrin Vitek (0-1) and a two-out, two-run double by Campbell Lewis highlighted a four-run Paladin frame that staked Furman to a 5-0 lead.
After Ball State trimmed the lead to 5-2 in the fourth, Furman blew the game open with six runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 11-2. Three Paladin hits coupled with three wild pitches by Cardinal pitching and an error led to the big inning.
Furman stretched its lead to 14-2 with two runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh on Harrison's triple to right centerfield that scored Lind.
Ball State's Kory Benbow and Nielsen opened the eighth with back-to-back home runs en route to a five-run inning, but Paladin reliever Spencer Hale came on to limit the damage, and Furman closer Nick Karow worked a scoreless ninth.
Furman continues it 10-game season opening homestand on Tuesday when it entertains UNC-Asheville in a 5:00 p.m. game at Latham Stadium.
Samford 8, Kennesaw State 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.?The Samford baseball team plated five runs in the sixth inning to break open a close game on its way to an 8-2 win over Kennesaw State Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
With the win, Samford improves to 2-1 on the season. Kennesaw State drops to 1-2 after the opening weekend of the season.
Andrew Jones (1-0) pitched 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out a career-high eight batters to earn the win on the mound. Grant Sides pitched 1.2 innings in relief, allowing just one base runner. Kyle Nichols pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out a strong day for the Samford pitching staff.
“We were hoping to get five innings out of Andrew, so for him to give us six-plus was awesome,” Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. “I was excited for Grant too. Grant is a guy who made a lot of mechanical adjustments from his freshman to his sophomore year and for him to come in and strike out a pretty good hitter was huge.”
At the plate for Samford, Trey Hayes was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Wayne Miller went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while David Schulze was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Kennesaw State was led at the plate by Jon White, who drove in a run, going 1-for-2. Ric Bishop also had an RBI for the Owls.
KSU’s Wes Tignor pitched 1.1 innings in relief, giving up five runs on seven hits to take the loss on the mound for the Owls.
After Kennesaw State scored a run in the top of the first inning and Samford tied the score with a run in the bottom of the third, the Bulldogs took control of the game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bo Smith scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, coming home from third base on a wild pitch. Miller then singled to center field to drive in Stephen Ballard for a 3-1 Samford lead.
Michael Johnson then doubled down the left-field line to drive in Miller to make the score 4-1. Mason Meredeth tripled to right-center field to drive in Johnson for a four-run Samford lead. Meredeth then scored when Schulze singled to center field to make the score 6-1.
KSU came back with a run in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Samford lead to 6-2. Curtis Van Wyck led the inning off with a single and later scored when White reached base on a Samford error.
The Bulldogs put the final two runs on the scoreboard in the eighth inning. Hayes homered to left field with pinch-hitter Joe Durham on base to make the final score 8-2.
Samford will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 26, when the Bulldogs open play in the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament in Fort Myers, Fla. Samford will take on host Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday at 3 p.m. On Friday, the Bulldogs will take on South Florida at 11 a.m. Samford will meet Bethune-Cookman on Saturday at 7 p.m., and the Bulldogs will conclude the tournament with a game against Boston College on Sunday, Mar. 1, at 11 a.m.
Appalachian State 6, Jacksonville State 3
FOREST CITY, N.C. - Led by another stellar performance from its bullpen, Appalachian State University baseball completed a three-game weekend sweep of Jacksonville State with a 6-3 win on Sunday afternoon at blustery McNair Field. With the win, Appalachian moved to 3-0 for the first time since 1996.
ASU's bullpen combination of Chris Patterson, Taylor Miller and Zach Quate allowed only three hits over 4.2 scoreless innings to close out the ballgame.
The trio’s performance on Sunday mirrored the results that Appalachian’s relievers delivered all weekend. In 15.2 innings of work in the series, the ASU bullpen surrendered only one earned run ? including 15-consecutive innings without an earned run to close out the weekend ? while striking out 17 and holding the JSU hitters to a paltry .179 batting average. The relief corps recorded two of the three wins and two saves in the series sweep.
The Mountaineers scored all six of their runs on Sunday in the first four innings and never trailed en route to the win. First baseman David Towarnicky led the way, driving in the Apps’ first run with an RBI single up the middle in the first inning, scoring the second later in the stanza on an infield single by Rand Smith and knocking in the Black and Gold’s sixth and final run with an RBI double off the left field wall in the fourth. Towarnicky finished 2-for-4 to go along with the two RBI and run scored.
Smith was the only other Mountaineer with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and run. Leadoff hitter Wes Hobson reached base in three of his four plate appearances (a hit and two walks) and scored twice.
ASU starter Aubrey Edens struck out six in 4.1 innings of work but struggled with control, walking five before being lifted in favor of Patterson in the fifth. Patterson struck out four and allowed only one hit in 2.2 innings to earn the first win of his career. Miller worked a hitless eighth and Quate closed it out in the ninth for the save, despite taking a line drive off his left shin against the first batter he faced.
Blake Seguin, Jake Welch and Steven Leach had two hits apiece for Jacksonville State, which won the Ohio Valley Conference with a 23-4 record in league play a season ago.
Appalachian faces non-conference tilts at Wake Forest (Tuesday at 6 p.m.) and Gardner-Webb (Wednesday at 2 p.m.) this week before welcoming defending Southern Conference champion Elon to Boone next weekend to open league action.
Elon 9, Auburn 8
AUBURN, Ala. ? Bennett Davis homered and drove in four runs while Cory Harrilchak went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs scored and three RBI as the Elon Phoenix baseball team upended the Auburn Tigers 9-8 in the rubber match of a three-game non-conference set from Plainsman Park on Sunday afternoon. Elon improved to 2-1 on the year as Ryan Adams earned his first career victory while Auburn fell to 1-2 in 2009.
The Tigers broke open a scoreless tie with a four-run third inning. Trent Mummey got things started with a double down the right field line and came home with the game’s first run when Joseph Sanders singled to right-center. Hunter Morris followed with a two-run homer to right, which gave Auburn a 3-0 lead. With one out, an Elon error allowed Kevin Patterson to reach second. He then scored on Casey McElroy’s single through the right side of the infield.
Harry Austin drew a walk to lead off the Elon fifth before Harrilchak belted a two-run homer to right, cutting the Phoenix deficit in half. After Pat Irvine walked on four straight pitches Davis appeared to have knotted the game with a two-run home run of his own, this one to center. However, on the play, Davis passed Irvine who had headed back toward first. Davis was called out, but Irvine’s run counted leaving Elon down 4-3.
Justin Hilt led off the sixth inning with a single to left before stealing second. Hilt moved to third on a ground out before scoring on a Harrilchak single through the left side of the infield. Irvine then drew a walk and Davis was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Mike Lobacz. Lobacz worked a walk on a 3-1 count, forcing home Harrilchak with the go-ahead score.
With one away in the bottom of the seventh, Mummey reached on an infield single. Sanders reached on an Elon error which put runners on first and second for the Tigers. Morris’ single through the right side brought home Mummey with Auburn’s fifth run of the contest and put runners on the corners. Brian Fletcher’s infield single put the Tigers back on top as Sanders crossed the dish. Kevin Patterson’s single to left brought home Morris as the Tigers moved ahead 7-5. With runners on second and third, J.D. Reichenbach came on to get McElroy to ground out before Adams retired pinch-hitter Wes Gilmer on a fly ball to left.
Adams helped his cause by beginning the eighth inning with a double to left-center. He moved over to third on Harrilchak’s infield single. Irvine brought the Phoenix back within a run with a double down the right field line to score Adams. Davis came up big again with another bomb to center, this time all three runs counted and Elon went back on top by a 9-7 score.
Morris began the Auburn ninth with a home run to right as he turned around a 2-2 pitch off of Phoenix closer Thomas Girdwood. Fletcher then doubled to center before Patterson was hit by a pitch, putting the winning run on base. McElroy advanced both runners 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt, the first out of the inning. Girdwood fanned Gilmer for out number two, bringing up Friday’s hero Justin Hargett. Hargett was retired as Girdwood’s second strikeout victim to end the game.
Adams (1-0) was the winner after 1.1 shutout innings of work in relief. Harrilchak started the game and allowed five earned runs (seven total) on nine hits in 6.1 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out five Tiger hitters. Girdwood picked up his first save of the season after giving up one run on two hits in the ninth inning. The save was the 11th of his career, moving the sophomore into a tie for third on Elon's career saves chart.
Taylor Thompson (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Auburn after surrendering three runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of relief work. Starter Paul Burnside lasted 4.1 innings and was charged with three runs on six hits while walking four and striking out five.
Harrilchak has now reached base safely in 36 consecutive games while Chase Austin went 1-for-4 to run his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games. Irvine scored twice and drove in one for Elon. Hilt added a two-hit performance for the Phoenix.
The top of the Auburn order did most of the damage on Sunday as the one through four hitters combined to go 10-for-18 with seven runs scored and six RBI. Morris led the way, going 3-for-5 with with three runs scored and four driven in. Sanders was also 3-for-5 on the day.
The Phoenix will open its home season on Wednesday as North Carolina State visits Latham Park for a 4 p.m. start.
Georgia Southern 10, Presbyterian 8
STATESBORO, Ga. - Senior Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) and freshman Eric Phillips (Carrollton/Carrollton), the number eight and nine hitters for Georgia Southern, combined for six RBI leading the Eagles to a 10-8 win over Presbyterian on Sunday (Feb. 22) at J.I. Clements Stadium. With the win Georgia Southern completes the season-opening three-game sweep of the Blue Hose.
For the second straight game, Presbyterian's Jesse Harmon led off the game with a home run. The Eagles responded with four runs in their half of the second.
Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) singled to start then Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) doubled down the right field line. Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) lined a sacrifice fly and Miller would score on a balk by Andrew Foushee (0-1).
Jonathan King (Athens, TN/Young Harris) was hit by a pitch then Pierce homered down the right field line, the third career home run for the senior shortstop.
The Blue Hose plated five runs in the top of the fourth off starter Michael Hester (Evans/Greenbrier). Gabe Grammer lined a RBI single, Zac Rhinesmith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded then Cory Lyda followed with a 2-run single. Rhinesmith and Lyda worked a double-steal. Benedict caught Lyda in a rundown, but it was long enough to allow Rhinesmith to score, taking a 6-4 lead. But again the Eagles had an answer in their half.
Miller drew a leadoff walk. Southwell hit a foul ball to third base, Jared Combs had the ball but could not hold on and dropped it for an error. Southwell took advantage and lined a single to center. King reached on an infield bunt to load the bases. Pierce and Phillips, making his first collegiate appearance and start, each lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) walked then Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) and A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bryant) followed with a RBI single each to make it 8-6. Benedict lined a single to center and Porter tried scoring on the play but Lyda fired a strike home to end the frame.
Phillips came through again in the clutch during the fifth. With the bases loaded and one down, Phillips lined a 2-run single to left, extending the lead to 10-6.
Combs delivered a RBI single in the seventh making it a three-run game. In the eighth reliever Charles Matthews (Athens/Spartanburg Methodist) gave up a walk between a strikeout and flyout. Closer Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) came into the game but walked the first two batters he faced. A wild pitch brought home one run and put both tying runs in scoring position. Combs lined a shot at Pierce, who made an impressive back-handed stop and threw onto first to end the inning.
Kammpi gave up a two-out double in the ninth but recorded his first save of the year when Phillips caught pinch-hitter Dane Fehr's pop-up in shallow centerfield.
"Anytime you can sweep a series you have got to feel good. I am proud of our team, we had a lot of different guys step up throughout the weekend and do some good things," said head coach Rodney Hennon. "We made some mistakes in all areas and have some improvements to make but overall it was a good weekend."
Once again the Eagles took advantage of errors by Presbyterian, four in the game and 10 on the weekend by the Blue Hose, while playing errorless defense all weekend.
Pierce and Phillips combined for only two hits but the six RBI proved to be the difference. Miller had two hits and scored three runs. King also scored three times and Benedict added two hits.
Also making his collegiate debut, Colin Snow (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) came on in relief to earn the win. The freshman right-hander allowed one run on three hits in 2.2 innings, striking out one and not allowing a walk. Matthews was charged for one run on a hit in 1.1 innings. Kammpi gave up the one run on one hit while walking two, recording the final four outs.
"I thought Colin came in and gave us a lift and Charles did a nice job," said Hennon. "Kamppi wasn't as sharp as he has been but he battled through and found a way to win."
Foushee gave up seven runs (five earned) on five hits in three innings. Stewart Curry pitched 2.2 innings of hitless ball as Presbyterian actually kept the Eagles without a hit over the final 3.2 innings.
Lyda finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Harmon had two hits and three runs scored.
The Eagles continue their 12-game homestand to start the year, playing host to Georgia Tech in a two-game series. Tuesday night's (Feb. 24) game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
Wofford 13, UNC Asheville 4
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team defeated UNC Asheville 13-4 on a cold and blustery Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers jumped out to a 9-0 lead after three innings and added four runs in the eighth.
Wofford is now 2-2 on the season, while UNC Asheville is 0-4 overall. The Terriers were led by Alex Lee with two hits and four runs scored, while Kyle Behrendt had two hits and four RBIs. Starter Gus White had six strikeouts. The Bulldogs were led by Reed Kreiser with two hits and two RBIs.
The Terriers got off to a fast start in the bottom of the first inning with a single from Alex Lee and a walk to Michael Gilmartin. Kyle Behrendt then hit a double to score both runners. Jake William drove in Kyle Behrendt on a ground out. Konstantine Diamaduros reached on an error and scored on a single from Mac Doyle for a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Wofford added two more runs on a single from Kyle Behrendt that scored Josh McKinney and Alex Lee. After a three-up, three-down top of the third for the Bulldogs, Wofford opened their half of the inning with a solo homer to center field by Konstantine Diamaduros. It marked his first career home run. Alex Lee added a two-run home run down the left line that also scored James Foster for a 9-0 Terrier lead.
The Bulldogs responded in the top of the fifth inning. With two out, Justin Schumer singles, followed by a walk to Beau Zinman. A double to left center by Reed Kreiser scored two runs. Mike Vaughan added a double to score Kreiser and an error allowed Vaughan to score from second to make it a 9-4 game.
Neither team could get much going in the sixth or seventh innings as the sun went down and the wind picked up, dropping the temperature on the field.
In the bottom of the eighth, Josh McKinney singled to score James Foster. A single by Michael Gilmartin brought in Alex Lee. Mike McDonnell came in as the designated hitter and hit a single to drive in two runs for a 13-4 lead. Three ground outs in the top of the ninth for the Bulldogs ended the game.
For Wofford, Gus White (1-0) picked up the win in his first career start. He went five innings and had six strikeouts with six hits and four runs allowed. J.D. Osborne threw two innings and allowed only one hit. Drew Sheridan went the final two innings and did not allow a hit.
UNC Asheville starter Justin Schumer (0-1) went seven innings with nine strikeouts. Matt Dalby, David Ricker and Dillon Waters each threw a third of an inning in the eighth, with Waters recording one strikeout.
The weekend series was part of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic hosted by USC Upstate and Wofford. The All-Tournament team included Wofford second baseman Alex Lee and third baseman/DH Kyle Behrendt. Asheville was represented by second baseman Catlin Cater.
Wofford will return to the field on Wednesday at 4:00 pm to face Clemson at Kingsmore Stadium. The Terriers will be home on Thursday night for a 7:00 pm contest against USC Upstate.
Davidson 12, Lafayette 5
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Senior shortstop Matt Webb went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI, and classmate Chris Fitzpatrick's three-run home run lifted the Davidson Wildcat baseball team to a 12-5 win over the Lafayette Leopards Sunday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats (3-1) took three out of four games to open the 2009 season, while the Leopards drop to 2-1.
With the score tied at 5 and runners on second and third, Fitzpatrick's one-out home run put the 'Cats up, 8-5, and the Wildcat bullpen of Matt Sliwiak, Zach Kayne and Webb combined to allow just two hits over the final 4 1/3 scoreless frames.
Sliwiak (1-0) allowed a pair of runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn his first win of the season, while Kayne and Webb each retired three batters in a hitless inning of work.
For the Leopards, Joseph Verndon was tagged with the loss after surrendering a pair of runs on a pair of hits in an inning of relief for starter Jeremy Atkins.
Verndon gave up a double down the left field line to right fielder Chase Fitzpatrick, who stole third - one of the 'Cats' six stolen bases on the day, to start the sixth inning, and designated hitter James Cerbie drew a walk.
Tyler Chromey entered in relief of Verndon, and after getting first baseman Danny Weiss to pop up in foul territory, gave up the three-run home run to Chris Fitzpatrick that proved the difference.
The Wildcats added five runs on four hits in the eighth inning to secure the victory, and the bullpen proved its worth down the stretch.
Davidson will return to action on Tues., Feb. 24, as it host N.C. Central at Wilson Field at 4 p.m.
Western Carolina 14, Bowling Green 5
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Senior right-hander Corey Martin tied his career-high with eight strikeouts in six solid innings of work as Western Carolina completed the season-opening series sweep of Bowling Green, 14-5, Sunday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Western Carolina (3-0) pounded out a series-high 16 base hits with just three of which going for extra bases. However, the Catamounts hit two home runs with multiple RBI including a two-run blast to left by junior Brent Greer in the bottom of the first, and a pinch hit grand slam by Dylan de Graaf.
It is the first-time since the 2002 season that Western Carolina has opened the season with a three-game series sweep. The Catamounts hit .356 as a team over the three-game set, while WCU pitching limited BGSU to .182, allowing just 18 hits on the weekend.
Greer led six Catamounts with multiple hit games with a 2-for-3 showing with two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Sophomore Matt Johns led all hitters with a 3-for-5 showing with a walk at the dish with a pair of runs. Also posting multi-hit games were senior J.C. Lyons (2-for-4), junior Stephen Notaro (2-for-4), junior Nick Liles (2-for-6) and freshman Ross Heffley, who finished 2-for-4 on the day and 6-of-11 on the weekend with a team-leading .545 batting average.
Martin only surrendered four base hits and two runs ? one of which was earned ? in six innings in the starting role. Freshman Andrew Blackwell pitched two thirds of an inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced before being lifted for classmate Garrett Baker who allowed a two-run home run in his third of an inning pitched. Freshmen Tyler Brownlow and Kyle Stewart each pitched an inning apiece to close the game for WCU with Stewart fanning two and walking one.
Western took a lead it would never relinquish in the home half of the first as Greer belted a two-run shot over the left field fence with Johns aboard after a one-out walk. The Catamounts would stretch the advantage to four in the fourth on a two-RBI double to left by Liles, scoring both Andy John and Trevor Collias.
An inning later, the Catamounts pushed the lead to 7-0 with a three-spot in the home half of the fifth all coming with two outs. Heffley, who was later plated by Collias on a hit batsman, drove in Greer with an RBI single to right center. Notaro capped the scoring, scampering home on a wild pitch.
Bowling Green scratched the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, capitalizing on a lead-off single by Ryan Shay and a three-base Catamount error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Dennis Vaughn, who later scored on a ground out by pinch hitter, Clay Duncan. The two-run frame closed the gap to five, 7-2.
In the home half of the sixth, Western again flexed its offensive muscle, erupting for six runs on five base hits to push the game back out of reach. Two singles by Johns and Lyons sandwiched around a ground out put two aboard ahead of junior Tyler Kirkpatrick who drew a one-out walk. With the bases loaded, Heffley drew a free pass to score Johns, with Notaro driving in Lyons with a single to right. Dylan de Graaf then pinch hit for Collias, blasting his first career grand slam over the fence in left to cap the inning.
Vaughn homered to right in the top of the seventh off Catamount relief pitching and the Falcons would add one run on a WCU error in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final tally. Shay led Bowling Green with a 1-for-3, two walk showing at the plate as he and Vaughn each scored two runs apiece.
Falcons’ starting pitcher Brennan Smith suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Relievers Marty Baird and Kyle Atkinson were roughed up for three and four earned runs, respectively, with Phil Hettlinger and Tyler Basilone allowing the final three runs combined.
Western Carolina hits the road for its first-ever California swing beginning next Friday, Feb. 27 as the Catamounts visit perennial college baseball powerhouse, USC, for a three-game weekend set. The Trojans are a 12-time NCAA National Champion.
WCU will wrap-up the four-game trip with single game at preseason No. 11 San Diego next Tuesday, March 3.
No. 18 Kent State 19, UNC Greensboro 6
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Kent State hit four home runs en route to a 19-6 victory over UNC Greensboro on Sunday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Michael Wall paced the Spartans (0-3) at the plate as the sophomore went 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
The Golden Flashes (3-0) were led by first baseman Greg Rohan who hit two home runs on the afternoon, including a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning.
Kent State hit two singles, a triple and took advantage of a UNCG error to jump out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Spartans would fight back in the bottom half of the inning after Pedro Leon led off with a double down the left field line. After Leon advanced to third on a ground out to second, Ray Quinones singled to right field to push Leon across the plate and pull the Spartans within 3-1.
UNCG would make it 3-2 in the bottom half of the second inning. Wall and Raymond Frias hit back-to-back singles to start off the inning and freshman Trevor Edwards hit a sacrifice fly to score Wall from third, but that was as close as the Spartans would get on the afternoon.
The Golden Flashes plated two more runs in the top of the third inning after RBI singles by Jared Humphreys and Jared Bartholomew to make the score 5-3 in favor of the visitors.
Kent State would make the score 8-3 in the fourth inning after back-to-back home runs from Rohan and Jason Patton. After Anthony Gallas walked, Rohan stepped to the plate and hit his first home run of the afternoon over the left field wall before Patton hit one out to right field.
The Spartans scored again in the bottom of the fourth after Michael Wall led off the inning with a double to left center. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Wall scored on a Frias ground out to the second baseman.
In the seventh inning with the Golden Flashes holding an 11-3 advantage, Kent State scored four more runs on the grand slam by Rohan. Corey Hindel led off the inning with a walk and Brad Winter followed that up with a single. A walk to Ben Klafczynski loaded the bases before Rohan hit a towering shot over the center field wall.
Kent State scored four runs again in the eighth inning after Bartholomew led off the inning with a double and scored on a Tyler Martin home run. The Golden Flashes would go on to string together three singles and a walk to plate two more runs in the inning to build a 19-3 lead.
The Spartans would start the bottom of the eighth with two walks and two hit by pitches to score another run and have the bases loaded.
Wall singled to left field to score one more run before Joey Frabasile hit a sacrifice fly to fight field to score the Spartans' third run of the inning and make the final score 19-6.
UNCG returns to the diamond on Wednesday afternoon as they travel to Campbell for a 4 p.m. contest at Taylor Field.