Western Carolina 10, No. 4 Georgia Tech 9
Cullowhee, N.C. - Consecutive doubles by Ross Heffley and Brent Greer in the home half of the seventh inning capped a four-run rally that spanned two frames as Western Carolina upset fourth-ranked Georgia Tech, 10-9, Wednesday night in non-conference baseball action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Catamount closer Daniel Ottone struck out the final two batters of the Georgia Tech eighth and then worked through the heart of the Yellow Jacket order in the top of the ninth, allowing just one base runner before fanning Matt Skole with a runner at second base to end the game and earn his sixth save of the season. Ottone finished with an inning and two-thirds of work with three strikeouts, facing just one over the minimum.
WCU head coach Bobby Moranda, who spent six seasons as an assistant at Georgia Tech, earned his first-ever win over his former squad despite being ejected from the game in the top of the fourth inning. The Catamounts also claimed victory in the first-ever Cullowhee meeting in the 34-game series with GT.
The win was also the team's fourth against a nationally-ranked team this season, including two wins over No. 24 USC and downing No. 28 Georgia Southern.
Western Carolina's middle-inning rally began auspiciously enough in the sixth. Georgia Tech (27-9-1) erased a lead-off single by Heffley with a double-play along the middle infield to record the first two outs of the frame. However, still trailing by three, 9-6, Rembert Rollison spurred a string of four-consecutive singles that plated a pair of runs to pull WCU within a one, 9-8. Rollison, Matt Johns, Stephen Notaro and Mitchell Hatley all singled, with the latter two driving in the runs.
In the seventh, Nick Liles reached on a fielding error with one out before Heffley doubled to drive in Liles for the tying run. Liles had to slide around a tag at home to knot the game at nine apiece, with the throw to the plate allowing Heffley to scamper to third. The next batter, Greer, hammered the first pitch of his at bat down the right field line allowing Heffley to trot home with the go-ahead run, 10-9, and set up the finish.
Brandon Johnson (3-0) earned the win for WCU as the fourth pitcher utilized out of the bullpen. The Morehead City, N.C., native threw two innings of one-hit relief, working around a walk and a pair of hit batsmen with two strikeouts before giving way to Ottone.
Heffley, Greer and Hatley all posted three-hit nights as Western Carolina out-hit the Yellow Jackets, 16-to-14, including five multi-hit performances. Johns finished 2-for-5 with his third home run in the last four games and a team-best three RBI, with Rollison going 2-for-4, also with a sacrifice bunt in the game. Heffley also made what proved to be a crucial play in the field in the top of the sixth inning, throwing out a
runner at home plate that would have extended the lead to four. Thomas Nichols tried to score from second on a single by the catcher Cole Leonida, but Heffley delivered a strike to his catcher, Notaro, who applied the tag despite a heavy collision at the plate keeping the Jackets off the scoreboard and the deficit at just three, 9-6.
Georgia Tech took an early lead on the first of its three home runs on the night as Derek Dietrich launched a two-run homer off of Catamount starter Mike Tavernier for the early 2-0 lead. WCU answered two innings later, plating a pair to knot the game at two after two innings. Trevor Collias accounted for one of the runs driven in during the frame on a RBI single through the left side.
Western Carolina (23-16) plated four runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run home run from Johns, to take a 6-3 edge in the game. The three-run lead by the Catamounts marked the first time in 58-straight innings that the Yellow Jackets trailed at the end of an frame, dating back to the final game of the series against Virginia (April 12).
The advantage was short-lived, however, as Tech posted back-to-back three-run innings in the fourth and fifth including home runs by Leonida and Tony Plagman to lead, 9-6, through five innings, setting up WCU's rally.
Georgia Tech reliever Patrick Long (0-1) was saddled with the loss after working an inning and a third, allowing two runs on three hits, including the back-to-back doubles. Leonida led the Yellow Jackets offensively with three hits on a 3-for-4 night, while Jeff Rowland, Jeff Haniger and Chris House each tallied two hits in the loss.
Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference action this weekend as it begins a three-game set at Furman on Friday evening in Greenville, S.C. First pitch on Friday is set for 7:00 pm.
College of Charleston 17, No. 19 Coastal Carolina 11
Conway, S.C. -- Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) homered and College of Charleston pitchers struck out 13 batters en route to a 17-11 win over 19th-ranked Coastal Carolina before 455 at Watson Stadium on Wednesday.
With the win the Cougars improved to 24-15. The Chanticleers fell to 30-11. The Cougars, who won earlier this season 3-0 at Coastal, have won the first two of three meetings this season between the two schools. The Cougars open a three-game non-conference series at UNC Asheville on Friday at 3 p.m.
Bergman hit a solo homer to left in the first that staked Charleston to a 1-0 lead. After David Anderson's three-run homer helped Coastal to a 4-1 lead after the first inning, Rakar belted a two-run homer to left center in the second that cut the margin to 4-3.
Bergman stroked an RBI double, Rakar and Joash Brodin (Olympia, Wash.) had sacrifce flies and Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I.) added a bases loaded walk in the third inning that gave Charelston a 7-5 lead.
After Adam Rice's two-run single in the bottom of the third tied the game at 7-7, Charleston scored three times in the fourth to take the lead for good. Brodin had an RBI single and Matt Mansilla (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) a two-run single to give Charleston a 10-7 lead.
Coastal's Jose Iglesias belted a two-run homer in the fourth that cut Charleston's lead to 10-9. The Cougars added four runs in the sixth inning. Brodin and Ryan Daniels (Victoria, Tex.) had bases loaded walks and Blake added a two-run single for a 14-9 Charleston advantage.
Brodin tripled in a run and Daniels added an RBI single in the seventh for a 16-9 Charleston lead. Rakar scored in the eighth on Clay McCord's (Atlanta, Ga.) RBI ground out to extend the Cougars' lead to 17-9.
Mansilla finished with four hits while Bergman and Daniels added three each as part of Charleston's 18-hit attack. Brodin drove in four runs, while Blake and Rakar had three RBI each.
Kevin Decker (Washington, Ind.) picked up the win and improved to 2-0. Decker worked the first 5 2/3 innings and struck out seven. Curtis Dowling (Columbia, S.C.) struck out three in 1 1/3 innings, Corey Ashner (Kansas City, Kan.) had a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning and Nick Osterman (Goose Creek, S.C.) added a punch out in the ninth.
Tommy Winegardner (0-2) suffered the loss surrendering six runs over two innings in relief.
Elon 8, Duke 7
ELON, N.C. -- The Elon Phoenix held off a ninth inning rally by the Duke Blue Devils to pick up an 8-7 non-league baseball victory from Latham Park on Wednesday night. In the victory, Elon belted three home runs to establish a new school record with 83 round-trippers on the season. The previous mark of 80 was set last year.
Jeremy Gould gave Duke (27-16) the lead when he led off the second inning with his sixth home run of the year. Will Piwnica-Worms followed with a walk, went to second on Tim Sherlock's sacrifice bunt and then stole third. Brian Litwin's ground out to third scored Piwnica-Worms with the second run of the game.
The Phoenix (25-13) quickly evened the score in the bottom of the second. After Pat Irvine drew a lead-off walk, Bennett Davis crushed his 10th homer of the year to even the score at two. The bomb to left was the 81st of the year for Elon, a new program record. Mike Melillo followed with a walk and headed to third on Justin Hilt's single. After Hilt swiped second Ryan Adams bounced out to second, but recorded an RBI as Melillo came in to put Elon on top 3-2. Harry Austin drove home Hilt with the fourth run of the inning with a triple to right-center.
In the third, Davis drew a two-out walk and went to third on a Melillo double down the right field line. Hilt followed with a walk to load the bases, but Jonathan Foreman came on to get a strikeout to end the threat.
Duke began the fourth with a walk to Nate Freeman and Jeremy Gould being hit by a pitch. Piwinica-Worms' put down a bunt single to load the bases. After Tim Sherlock struck out a ground ball to third erased Freeman, but an error on the attempted throw to first allowed Gould to score. On a double steal attempt, Elon caught Litwin heading to second, but the home plate umpire ruled that Piwnica-Worms scored before the out was recorded to tie the game.
The Phoenix went back on top in the fourth. Austin singled to right and stole second before Zeth Stone walked. Cory Harrilchak bounced a ball to second and Gabriel Saade tried to go to second, but threw the ball away to score Austin. After a wild pitch moved both Stone and Harrilchak into scoring position. Irvine drove home Stone with a sac fly to right to give Elon a 6-4 lead.
After the first two hitters of the fifth were retired, Saaded doubled off the wall in left before Jake Lemmerman hit his third homer of the year to tie the game again.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Irvine was given new life when Blue Devil third baseman Ryan McCurdy dropped a foul ball. Irvine made Duke pay by ripping his 14th homer of the year, this one a solo shot to right-center. Davis made it back-to-back jacks as he hit his second of the night to give Elon an 8-6 lead.
Pinch-hitter Eric Pfisterer led off the ninth with a single up the middle before Tom Luciano came on to pinch-run. Thomas Girdwood then fanned Matt Williams pinch-hitter Alex Hassan singled. The second out was recorded when Saade flew out to center. Lemmerman's single up the middle plated Luciano to pull the Blue Devils within a run at 8-7. Freiman's infield single loaded the bases before Gould worked a 3-2 count. On the pay-off pitch Gould watched a pitch at the knees for strike three.
Harrilchak (2-1) earned the victory after he allowed six runs (four earned) on just five hits in 7.0 innings. He tied his career-high with seven strike outs. After Daniel Britt threw a scoreless eighth with two K's, Girdwood came on to earn his 10th save of the season. The sophomore now has 20 saves for his career, just one shy of the program record of 21 held by Chris Maness (1995-98). On the night, Elon pitchers struck out 11 hitters and walked just three.
Ben Grisz (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in 2.1 innings of relief work. Starter David Putman lasted just 2.2 innings and was charged with four runs on four hits.
Davis' two-homer night led the way for Elon. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI. The senior now sits in a tie for fourth place in program history with 29 dingers. Irvine drove in two with his 1-for-3, two-run outing. Austin also had two hits on the night. Harrilchak kept his streak of reaching base safely alive with an eighth inning walk. That streak now sits at 71 games.
Duke's Limmerman had the team's only multi-hit night, going 2-for-5 with a run and three RBI.
League-leading Elon will take on SoCon newcomer Samford in a three-game set in Birmingham, Ala. this weekend. Game one is set for a 7 p.m. start on Friday night.
Furman 6, Charleston Southern 5
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- J.B. Jenkins homered and drove in a pair of runs to lift Furman to a 6-5 victory over Charleston Southern in baseball action Wednesday evening at Latham Stadium.
Jenkins, a sophomore making a rare start at third base, led off the second inning with a solo home run to left field and in the third delivered a sacrifice fly in a 2-2 game to give Furman the lead, which it never relinquished.
The win completed the two-game season sweep for Furman (18-20) over Charleston Southern (13-28).
The Buccaneers were paced by sophomore outfielder Tyler Thornburg, who belted three home runs to highlight a 4-for-4 performance that included four RBI and three runs scored. Thornburg’s final round tripper of the contest, a towerinng blast down the left field line off Paladin closer Nick Karow, came with two outs in the ninth inning, but Karow regrouped to retire Kory Morian on a ground out to end the game. The save was the second in four days for Karow and third of the season for the Paladin junior right-hander, who missed nearly six weeks of action due to a strained rotator cuff.
Starting pitcher J.P. Goldsberry (3-4) was credited with the win. After a shaky first inning that saw him yield the first of Thornburg’s three home runs, a two-run shot to left field, the senior right-hander settled down to throw shutout ball over the next three frames. In all he worked four innings, allowing five hits, two runs, and a walk while recording a career high six strikeouts.
The loss went to Brandon Roberts (1-2), who yielded seven hits and four runs over four innings. He walked three and fanned one.
Charleston Southern banged out 12 hits to Furman’s 10. Marcus Rose and Campbell Lewis both delievered a pair of doubles in the contest.
Leading 3-2 after three frames, the Paladins’ made it 4-2 in the fourth on Matt Hemginway’s two-out RBI single to right center field.
Both teams scratched for single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and Furman maintained its 6-4 advantage until Thornburg’s solo clout in the ninth.
Furman remains at home heading into the weekend when it opens a three-game Southern Conference series against Western Carolina on Friday night. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
Appalachian State 6, High Point 4
HIGH POINT, N.C. ? In just the second start of his career, sophomore Taylor Miller allowed only one run in five innings of work to lead Appalachian State University baseball to a 6-4 victory over High Point on Wednesday evening at Williard Stadium.
The triumph was the 12th in 13 games and 17th in the last 20 for Appalachian (23-17). It came against a red-hot High Point club that claimed three wins over top-15 opponents (No. 5 North Carolina and two vs. No. 14 Coastal Carolina) in the past week.
Miller overcame a shaky first inning before settling in for the win. High Point (17-20) loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first on a hit batter, walk and single. Billy Alvino’s sacrifice fly to center field gave HPU an early 1-0 lead, but Miller recovered to strike out two of the inning’s final three batters and escaped with the frame with only a one-run deficit.
The right-handed sophomore went on to post zeros in each of the next four stanzas while the Mountaineer offense exploded for single runs in the second and third and three in the fourth to grab a 5-1 advantage. Wes Hobson capped the early outburst with a two-out, two-run single to left center field in the fourth.
That would be enough support for Miller and the ASU relief combo of Nick Daniels, Josh Dowdy, Chris Patterson and Zach Quate. Appalachian’s five hurlers limited the Panthers, which came into the evening averaging more than 10 runs per game over their last seven outings, to just four runs runs on 11 hits. Miller highlighted the effort by matching a career-high with six strikeouts in moving to 3-2 on the season.
HPU made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, but Quate stranded runners on second and third to end the eighth and ASU added an insurance run on Nick DeRose’s RBI infield single in the ninth to make it 6-4.
Quate went on to retired three of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth for his 10th save of the year. The right-handed senior moved into a tie for third nationally with his 10th save and lowered his ERA to a miniscule 0.59 in the process.
Freshman Ryan Arrowood led the Apps’ 13-hit effort with a career-best 3-for-45performance. Hobson and Rand Smith added two hits apiece. Smith, who had a school-record 27-game hitting streak snapped on Tuesday versus North Carolina A&T, has now hit safely in 38-of-40 ballgames this season.
Appalachian opens a six-game homestand this weekend with a three-game Southern Conference series versus Wofford. Game times are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 4:30 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at ASU’s Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium, where the Mountaineers have won nine in a row.
Davidson 7, North Carolina A&T 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Chase FitzPatrick went 3-for-3 and hit his 10th home run of the season to lift the Davidson Wildcats to a 7-0 victory over the N.C. A&T Aggies Wednesday night in midweek action at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats (14-21) snapped a six-game losing streak and recorded their first shutout since a 6-0 win over Georgia Southern March 31, 2006.
FitzPatrick recorded three of the Wildcats' 11 hits and drove in a game-high three runs. Drew Gadaire and James Cerbie also had multi-hit games for the 'Cats, while Pat Brady notched two RBIs.
Matt Sliwiak (3-0) earned the win for Davidson by surrendering just one hit in four shutout innings in his first start of the season and second career start. Chris Lamb, Thomas Middour, Mike Frongello and Ian Horkley combined with Sliwiak for the shutout, allowing six hits over the final five frames.
C.J. Beatty and Marquis Riley each had two hits for the Aggies (11-28). Nick Oelker (0-7) was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The 'Cats got on the board in the fourth on a solo home run to straight-away center field from Graham Chapman, who extended his current team-best seven-game hitting streak with his first home run of the year.
FitzPatrick's two-out, two-RBI home run in the fifth made it 3-0. Gadaire, who led off with a walk, also scored on the play.
The Wildcats sent eight batters to the plate in the seventh, using four hits to add four runs to the lead. Kayne started the offense by taking his third walk of the game and moved over to third as Gadaire doubled into right field. Brady's one-out double into the gap in right scored both and chased Oelker. FitzPatrick's third hit of the game plated Brady, and he scored as Cerbie tallied the 'Cats' final hit, a two-out double into left.
Davidson hosts UNC Greensboro (15-19, 4-12) in an important Southern Conference series this weekend. Game times are 7 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Citadel 16, Winthrop 11
ROCK HILL, S.C. ? Richard Jones and Chris McGuiness each hit two home runs Wednesday night as The Citadel defeated Winthrop, 16-11, in front of 666 at Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill.
Jones and McGuiness both hit two home runs in the game, marking the first time this season multiple players have hit multiple home runs in a single game for the Bulldogs (23-16). With the win, The Citadel avenged an earlier loss to Winthrop (25-16) and the Bulldogs have won two straight games played at Winthrop Ballpark.
McGuiness went 3-for-5 in the game with three runs and three RBI while drawing his 50th walk this season, a mark that leads the nation. Jones finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored.
Matt Talley (5-1) was credited with the win in a pre-determined split staff start, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out four. TJ Clarkson pitched the next three innings, allowing only two runs on three hits.
Dane Yoder (1-1) was credited with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in 1.0 inning pitched. Yoder was one of nine Eagle pitchers to take the mound in the game.
The Citadel jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as Kyle Jordan hit a two-run double to right center field. In the top of the third, Matt Simonelli drew a bases loaded walk to score a run and Sid Fallaw was hit by a pitch, also with bases loaded, as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 4-0. A sacrifice fly by Sonny Meade added another run in the fourth.
In the top of the fifth, Jones hit his first home run of the game, a solo run shot to deep center field. Jones’ home run hit approximately 45 feet up Winthrop’s 80-foot batter’s eye wall in center field. McGuiness hit his first home run of the game in the sixth inning, a two-run shot with Sonny Meade on base after drawing a walk.
In the top of the seventh, The Citadel scored six runs on four hits as Jones hit his second home run of the game, a three-run home run to right field. McGuiness followed with a solo home run the opposite way, sending the ball over the left field fence. McGuiness hit home runs in consecutive at bats, the first Bulldog to achieve that feat since Zach Brown did so against Appalachian State on April 13, 2007.
A Brian Shubsda two-run double to right center field scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth as The Citadel extended its lead to 16-5.
Winthrop rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring six runs on three hits in the inning with Mahaffey walking two runs in after issuing his first walk since March 6, a streak that lasted over 20.0 innings.
The Citadel returns home for a Southern Conference series for the first time in three weeks as the Bulldogs host Georgia Southern in a three-game set starting Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. The final two games of the series on Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast on SportsRadio 1450AM in Charleston.
Presbyterian 7, Wofford 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 7-2 by Presbyterian College on Wednesday evening at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers allowed two runs each in the eighth and ninth innings for the Blue Hose to secure the win.
Wofford is 17-19 on the season and 8-10 in the Southern Conference. Presbyterian is 9-29 overall and 4-16 in the Big South. The Terriers were led by Josh McKinney who was three-for-three on the night with an RBI and Jake Williams with a home run. The Blue Hose were led by Tony Micklon with two hits and Jared Combs with three RBIs.
The Terriers got on the board first in the bottom of the second when Jake Williams tripled to right center. A single by Josh McKinney up the middle scored Williams for a 1-0 lead.
Presbyterian opened the top of the third with a double from Tony Micklon, followed by a walk and a single by Andrew Williams to load the bases with one out. Following a strikeout, Jared Combs hit a double down the left field line to score three runs and take a 3-1 lead.
Wofford left one runner on in the bottom of the fourth and Presbyterian left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Jake Williams led off for the Terriers with a solo home run to left field to make it a 3-2 game. Wofford then loaded the bases with nobody out, however a strikeout, fly out and ground out ended the inning without another run scored.
In the top of the eighth, Presbyterian scored two runs on two hits with two errors by the Terriers to take a 5-2 lead. After Wofford left one on base in the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Hose added two more runs in the top of the ninth as a single from Josh Micklon drove in base runners on second and third to make it a 7-2 game. Wofford left one runner on first in the bottom of the ninth.
Wofford starter Cash Collins (1-5) went four innings with six hits and three runs allowed with three strikeouts. The Terriers used five pitchers over the final five innings, with Bobby Streisel going the longest at 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.
For the Blue Hose, starter Mitchell Odom (3-0) went two innings with two hits and one run allowed. Five Blue Hose pitchers combined for the final seven innings, with Garrett Moore, Daniel Hill, Chris Powell and Gabe Grammer not allowing a hit. Jesse Harmon allowed two hits and one run, but led the team with three strikeouts.
Up next, the Terriers will travel to Boone for a three-game weekend series against Appalachian State beginning on Friday night.