College of Charleston 3, No. 10 Coastal Carolina 0
CONWAY, S.C. - College of Charleston starting pitcher Nick Osterman (Lexington, Ky.) threw six and two thirds of scoreless baseball to lead the Cougars to a 3-0 win over No. 10 Coastal Carolina on Wednesday in front of 622 at Watson Stadium.
With the win, the Cougars improve to 14-3 overall on the year, snap a Coastal Carolina 14-game winning streak and shutout the Chanticleers for the first time since March 7, 2007. Charleston returns to action on Friday, March 20th when they travel to Samford for a 6 p.m. start. CCU falls to 17-2 with the loss.
Charleston struck first in the top of the first, as Ryan Daniels (Victoria, Tex.) laced an RBI single through the right side with one out that scored Clay McCord (Atlanta, Ga.), who led the game off with a walk.
The Cougars added their second run in the fifth after McCord led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third and scored on consecutive balk calls on CCU pitcher Matt Rein. Charleston added a third run in the sixth after Mike Hentz (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) led off the inning with a single, then scored from third on a wild pitch with two outs.
That was all the runs Charleston would need on the day, as Osterman and reliever Aaron Bouronich (Summerville, S.C.) shutdown the Chanticleer lineup all afternoon.
Osterman allowed just four hits and struck out a career-high eight to earn the win (1-0), while Bouronich went two and one thirds in relief to earn his first save of the year, after not allowing a hit and striking out one.
At the plate for Charleston, Hentz went 2-4 with a run scored, while Daniels also went 2-4 with an RBI.
For Coastal Carolina, starter Brad Goldberg suffered the loss (1-1).
Elon 5, North Carolina State 3
RALEIGH, N.C. ? Cory Harrilchak went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI while J.D. Reichenbach threw a career-best 6.1 innings to lead the Elon Phoenix to a 5-3 victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack from Doak Field on Wednesday night. With the win, Elon spilts the season series with the Wolfpack.
Elon (9-5) struck in its first at bat of the night, scoring once. Zeth Stone, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a Wolfpack throwing error to tally the game’s first run.
State (10-9) got that run back quickly in the bottom of the first. Dallas Poulk reached on an infield single and then raced around the bases on Drew Poulk’s double to the gap in left.
Justin Hilt’s triple to start the second turned in to Elon’s second run of the night when Ryan Adams lifted a sacrifice fly to left with one out.
Harrilchak sent a 2-2 pitch from Alex Sogard off the top of the wall and over for a three-run homer in the top of the fourth, his fourth home run of the season. Riding home on the shot were Pat Irvine and Adams who had both walked.
With one away and a runner on second in the bottom of the seventh, Chris Schaeffer drove a 1-2 pitch deep to left for his third home run of the year. The blast also pulled the Wolfpack within two at 5-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter John Gianis was plunked with one out before Schaeffer drew a walk with two away. Pinch-hitter Dusty Quattlebaum followed by tapping a ball back to Thomas Girdwood who threw him out at first for the final out of the game.
Reichenbach allowed three runs, two of which were earned, while improving to 2-0 on the year. He scattered four hits and struck out four. Girdwood picked up his fifth save of the season.
Zak Sinclair (1-1) took the loss for State after giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits in 2.0 innings.
Harrilchak finished a triple shy of the cycle, but extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games and has now reach safely in 47 consecutive contests. Six of Elon's nine starters had a hit on the night.
Schaeffer went 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI to pace State.
Elon returns to SoCon action by playing host to Furman beginning with a 7 p.m. game on Friday night from Latham Park.
UNC Greensboro 8, Lafayette 5
GREENSBORO, NC ? Junior Corey Overholtzer and sophomore Brent O’Berry combined to hit 4-8 at the plate with five RBI and two runs scored as the Spartans completed the midweek sweep over Lafayette, 8-5, on Wednesday night at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
UNCG (4-9) starter Warren Slack allowed four runs in five innings of work to move to 2-0 on the season and Blake Hassebrock allowed just two hits over the final four innings to pick up his first career save.
Lafayette starter Ethan Perro went just 2 2/3 innings and allowed five runs for the Leopards (7-6) as he moved to 2-1 on the year.
The evening didn’t start off well for the Spartans as the Leopards pushed three across the plate in the top of the first to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. Rob Froio led off the game with a single and Jeff Butler reached on a throwing error to put runners on second and third. Daniel Beirce followed with a double to left field to make the score 2-0. After Beirce stole third, he scored on an Ian McCutcheon groundout.
UNCG was able to get one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning to narrow the Leopard lead to 3-1. Pedro Leon led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Perro on a pickoff attempt. Later in inning Ray Quinones delivered a single up the middle to score Leon from second.
The Spartans exploded for four runs in the second inning to take the lead for good. Ed Jayjack led off with a double and moved over to third on a Jacob Golliday single. Michael Wall was up next and loaded the bases after taking a walk. Alex Frederick hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Jayjack from third. Brent O’Berry followed with a single to left center to score Golliday and moved Wall to third. After O’Berry advanced to second on a wild pitch, Overholtzer came through with a two RBI single up the middle to give UNCG a 5-3 lead.
UNCG built upon that lead in the fourth after Leon scored on a Trevor Edwards fielder’s choice to make the score 6-3.
Lafayette got that run immediately back in the top of the fifth when Chris Luick hit a double before Froio knocked him in on a single to right field.
The Spartans extended their lead to 8-4 in the bottom half of the fifth. Wall led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Frederick. O’Berry followed with a double down the right field line to score Wall from second. Leon then singled through the left side to move O’Berry to third and would move to second on a stolen base. Overholtzer came up next and delivered his third RBI of the evening on a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Leopards would push one more across in the eighth on the only two hits they would get off of Hassebrock on the evening.
UNCG returns to action on Friday evening as the Spartan kick off a three-game series with Albany at 7 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Samford 11, Lipscomb 9
NASHVILLE, Tenn.?The Samford baseball team built a seven-run lead in the sixth inning and held on late for an 11-9 win at Lipscomb Wednesday night at Dugan Field.
Matthew Bennett went 3-for-6 to lead Samford at the plate. Wayne Miller, David Schulze and Austin Allison had two hits each for the Bulldogs. Kyle Putkonen pitched 5.0 innings, giving up just two earned runs on seven hits to earn the win. Kyle Nichols tossed the final inning to earn his third save of the season.
For Lipscomb at the plate, Justin Sanders was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Tyler Wilson, Tennyson Dodd, Allen Bolden and Antonio Butler had two hits each. Davey Hackett pitched 3.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits to take the loss.
Samford got on the scoreboard first with a run in the top of the first inning. Miller was hit by a pitch to lead the game off. Stephen Ballard then walked and Mason Meredeth singled to load the bases. Miller scored when Schulze grounded into a double play for a 1-0 Samford lead.
Lipscomb answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score at 1-1. M.L. Williams singled to lead the inning off. Williams moved to third base on a Samford error and then scored when Dodd singled up the middle to tie the score.
Samford regained the lead with a run in the top of the second inning. Trey Hayes walked to start the inning and later scored on a Lipscomb error to give Samford a 2-1 lead.
Lipscomb took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Wilson reached base on a single and later scored from third base on a passed ball. Sanders, who also reached base on a single, scored from third base when Branden Cadavid hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Bisons a 3-2 lead.
Samford plated two runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Hayes singled through the left side of the infield and later scored on a Lipscomb error to tie the score. Joe Durham scored from third base when Allison reached base on a bunt single to give Samford a one-run lead.
Samford added six runs in the top of the sixth inning to push its lead to 10-3. Schulze had a three-run double in the inning, and Ballard, Hayes and Allison each drove in a run in the inning for the Bulldogs.
Lipscomb came back with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Samford lead to 10-8. The majority of the damage in the inning was done when Sanders hit a three-run home run to center field.
Lipscomb closed to within one run with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Dodd singled to drive in Butler to make the score 10-9.
Samford plated one final run in the top of the ninth inning to make the final score 11-9. Miller reached base on a Lipscomb error and later scored on another error for the game’s final run.
With the win, Samford improves to 7-11, while Lipscomb drops to 8-10 with the loss.
Samford will return to action Friday evening when the Bulldogs open a three-game Southern Conference series with College of Charleston at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The game time for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. All three games can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.
Western Carolina 9, UNC Asheville 2
Cullowhee, N.C. - Sparked by a two-RBI double to right center by junior Stephen Notaro, Western Carolina broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the third inning, adding two more in the fourth en route to a 9-2 victory over mountain-rival, UNC Asheville, Wednesday night in nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Notaro finished with a game-high three hits in a 3-for-4 performance to headline four Catamounts with multiple hits. Sophomore Matt Johns and senior Mitchell Hatley - batting eight and nine in the order respectively - combined to go 4-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBI in the victory. Included in Johns' hit total was a solo home run to straight-away center in the fourth inning.
Hatley, who was playing at second for Nick Liles who was serving a one-game Southern Conference-mandated suspension following his Tuesday night ejection, finished 2-for-2 with a double and a sacrifice fly with two RBI. Junior Brent Greer recorded a 2-for-5 showing at the plate with a run scored.
Freshman hurler Kyle Stewart (2-0) scattered seven base hits through 5.2 innings, holding UNC Asheville to a pair of earned runs to secure his second career victory in as many starts. Classmate Tyler Brownlow struck out one in two-thirds of an inning pitched, with sophomore Brandon Johnson throwing two pitches in the sixth to induce a double-play ball to also record two-thirds of an inning.
Senior Bryan Corbett and junior Jason Sullivan finished off the win for WCU, each working one hitless, scoreless inning of relief.
In the home half of the third, Greer reached on a throwing error by the Bulldog third baseman to keep the inning alive ahead of senior J.C. Lyons, who singled just past the pitcher with runners ending up on the corners. The next batter, Notaro, then doubled to right center on the second pitch of the at bat to plate two runs and give Western the early, 2-0 lead.
An inning later, three-consecutive two-out extra base hits pushed two more runs across. Johns belted his second home run of the season just ahead of Hatley and freshman Lee Murray - who moved into the lead-off role on Wednesday - with the latter driving in the second run of the frame.
UNC Asheville (3-15) pulled to within two runs with one in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to close the game to 4-2. Both runs were put on base by way of the walk, with Reed Kreiser doubling in Danny Baatz in the fifth and catcher Johnny Eaker sharply singling up the middle off of Brownlow to score Mike Vaughn in the sixth.
Western answered with a manufactured run in the bottom of the sixth to push the advantage back to three, 5-2, before creating some distance with a three-spot in the home portion of the seventh, highlighted by a two-RBI single up the middle by Johns.
Reid Rollison capped scoring in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive senior Andy John in from third, 9-2.
Both teams struggled with runners aboard as UNCA left 11 and WCU stranded 10 in the game.
The Bulldogs used seven different pitchers by schedule with reliever Dan Weller suffering the loss after taking over in a scoreless affair in the second from starter Ryan Dull. Weller posted the longest outing for UNCA, working two innings while allowing two runs on two hits with a strikeout.
UNCA, which has combined for just 13 runs in its last six outings, had two players with multi-hit games with Cody Buch and Johnny Eaker both finishing 2-for-4. Buch and Kreiser each legged out doubles in the loss.
Western Carolina will remain at home to conclude its second five-game home stand with a three-game Southern Conference series against The Citadel. The Catamounts and Bulldogs will play at 6:00 pm both Friday and Saturday, with Sunday's finale slated for a 2:00 pm first pitch at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Wofford 20, North Carolina A&T 5
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Wofford College baseball team used 17 hits and a school-record 17 walks en route to a 20-5 win over North Carolina A&T on Wednesday night at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers used a five-run third inning and seven runs in the seventh to secure the victory.
Wofford is 8-8 on the season and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. North Carolina A&T is 3-11 overall and have not begun MEAC play. The Terriers were led by Kyle Behrendt and Konstantine Diamaduros, each with four hits, while Diamaduros also had five RBIs. The Aggies were led by Xavier Macklin and Jaron Neal with two hits each.
The Terriers scored three runs on just one hit in the first inning and added a run in the second inning. In the third, Wofford added five runs, including two on a double by Alex Lee, to take a 9-0 lead.
Neither team scored in the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, the Aggies scored three runs on three hits. Wofford answered in the bottom of the fifth with two runs, including an RBI double from Jake Williams for an 11-3 lead.
Wofford added two runs in the sixth inning and broke things open with seven runs in the seventh. A home run by Konstantine Diamaduros scored two runs, while a single by James Foster also drove in two runs. The Terriers scored the seven runs on three hits and were helped by two errors in the inning.
After a scoreless eighth, the Aggies used a double down the left line by Xavier Macklin to score two runs for the 20-5 final score.
Terrier starter Cash Collins (1-1) threw 4.0 innings with one hit and four strikeouts. Bobby DeLuria threw for three innings with four hits, three runs and three strikeouts. Reid McElveen pitched the eighth and allowed one hit with two strikeouts. Mason Bradley threw the ninth with two hits, two runs and two strikeouts.
For North Carolina A&T, starter Ruben Torrellas (0-2) went just one inning with one hit, four runs, five walks and two strikeouts. Jonathan Smith threw 3.0 innings with eight hits, seven runs, five walks and two strikeouts. Chris Wastson threw two innings with six hits, six runs and three walks with two strikeouts. D.J. Dawson went two-thirds of an inning with one hit, three runs, four walks and one strikeout. Jared Via closed the game in the final 1.1 innings with one hit, no runs and one strikeout.
The 20 runs scored were the most since March 12, 2006 in a 25-15 win over Davidson. The 17 walks issued by the Aggies were the most ever by a Wofford opponent. The previous school record was 15 issued by Allen University in 1981 and Niagara in 2007. However Wofford also left 18 runners on base, including the bases loaded four times. This was also a school record, topping the 17 left on base on May 18, 2002 against Appalachian State.
Wofford will host Davidson for a three-game Southern Conference series beginning Friday night at 7:00 pm. The teams will also play Saturday at 3:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.
Winthrop 5, Georgia Southern 2
ROCK HILL, S.C. ? Winthrop broke open a pitchers dual hitting three home runs, handing Georgia Southern a 5-2 loss Wednesday night (March 18). The Eagles, winners of 10 of their last 11 heading in, dropped to 14-3 overall.
The home Eagles got to starter Jake Brown (Forest Hill, MD/Pitt CC) in the sixth. Eddie Rohan hit a leadoff home run, then after a single John Murrian launched a 2-run shot putting Winthrop ahead 4-1. Eddie Tisdale hit a solo shot with one down in the seventh for a four-run lead.
Ken Monteith held the Eagles to two hits through the first seven innings. In the eighth a pair of two-out singles, the last a RBI hit coming from Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius), made it 5-2. With two on and the tying run at the plate, closer Tyler Mizenko struck out Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) to end the scoring threat. He worked a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save.
Winthrop (12-6) got a RBI groundout in the first inning but the Eagles evened the score in the third. Eric Phillips (Carrollton/Carrollton) reached on an error. Kevin Bowles (Statesboro/Statesboro) executed a hit and run to put runners on the corners. Jonathan King (Athens, TN/Young Harris) walked to load the bases. Georgia Southern brought home a run on a ground ball double play.
Brown (1-2) gave up four runs on 10 hits in five innings, striking out one. The bullpen did not allow a walk and only one run in three innings.
Bowles and Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) had two hits apiece as Winthrop held a 14-5 edge in hits.
Monteith (2-0) allowed two runs on four hits in 7.2 innings. The 2-5 hitters combined for nine hits, five runs scored and five RBI.
The Eagles continue Southern Conference play this weekend, traveling to Appalachian State for a weekend series. Friday’s (March 20) first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
East Tennessee State 5, Appalachian State 3
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. ? Appalachian State University baseball stranded 13 base runners, including 11 in the final four innings, in a 5-3 loss to East Tennessee State on Wednesday evening at Cardinal Park.
Eleven Mountaineers reached base in the final four innings of the ballgame but Appalachian (6-12) could only push two across the plate, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth and seventh, stranding runners on second and third in the eighth and ending the game with a runner on first and the tying run at bat in the ninth.
ETSU (7-6) did the lion’s share of its damage in the fifth when, helped by two Mountaineer errors, it scored three runs to snap a 1-1 tie and take a 4-1 lead.
The teams traded runs in the sixth and the Mountaineers scored again in the seventh to cut the deficit to two. However, they left their final six runners of the game on base and fell for the seventh-straight time.
The dearth of scoring overshadowed another fine mid-week performance by the ASU pitching staff. Six hurlers combined to scatter nine hits and strike out 13.
Designated hitter Jerod Faggart (Concord, N.C./Northwest Cabarrus) went 2-for-4 and second baseman Wes Hobson (Winston-Salem, N.C./North Forsyth) hit a mammoth home run to right field to lead the Mountaineers offensively. Despite the fact that eight of the nine players in Wednesday’s starting lineup recorded hits, the Apps’ scored less than four runs for the fourth game in a row.
Paul Hoilman and Ben Allen had two hits apiece for the Bucs.
Appalachian looks to snap its four-game slide and get back in the Southern Conference race when it hosts first-place Georgia Southern for a three-game series this weekend. Game times are set for 3 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at ASU’s Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
South Carolina 15, Furman 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- DeAngelo Mack went went 3-for-5 and drove in four runs and South Carolina pounded out 22 hits to club Furman, 15-0, in baseball action Wednesday evening in front of 5,665 fans at Fluor Field Wednesday evening.
Mack keyed a four-run second inning with a two-run single and added an RBI single in the fourth and run scoring double in the sixth to propel the Gamecocks (12-4) to the easy victory over the Paladins (8-8).
South Carolina starting and winning pitcher Blake Cooper (2-2) dominated over six innings of work, surrendering only two hits while striking out seven. The junior right-hander pitched no-hit ball until the fifth when Matt Hemingway led off with double down the left field line. Gamecock relievers Jay Brown, Will Casey, Brandon Miller, and Jordan Costner followed to complete the shutout.
Offensively the Gamecocks pounded Paladin pitching from start to finish, scoring in every inning except the third, eighth, and ninth when reserves took over. In all eight of USC’s nine starters collected hits, and
South Carolina had eight doubles.
Nick Ebert went 3-for-3 with two RBI, and Whit Merrifield had three hits in four at bats and scored three runs. Scott Wingo also registered three hits in six plate appearances.
Jackie Bradley belted the game’s only home run, a solo blast in the fourth while going 2-for-6.
As it turned out South Carolina scored all it would need in the first inning when Ebert’s sharp one-out single through the left side off Paladin starter and losing pitcher J.P.Goldsberry (1-2) scored Merrifield from second to give USC a 1-0 lead.
In the second the Gamecocks took advantage of a one-out Furman error to eventually plate four unearned runs against Paladin reliever Barry Benton. A two-run single by Merrifield made it 3-1, and Mack’s solid single to center field drove in two more to extend USC’s lead to 5-1.
After a scoreless third, USC blew the game open with four runs in the fourth highlighted by Andrew Crisp’s bullet single that caromed off Paladin second baseman Marcus Rose and into center field, driving home Mack and Ebert.
South Carolina added two more in the fifth on RBI doubles by Bradley and Ebert that streched the advantage to 11-0.
Furman returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game Southern Conference series at Elon beginning at 6:00 p.m.