Western Carolina 5, Charlotte 4
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Western Carolina used a sacrifice fly RBI by catcher Ollie Goulder in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the Charlotte 49ers, 5-4, at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium on Wednesday evening. The victory gave the Catamounts the series sweep over the Niners, as WCU improved to 12-5, while Charlotte fell to 8-5 on the year.
The 49ers jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the third, before WCU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. The Catamounts tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth before Charlotte used a three-run seventh inning to tie the contest. Goulder’s sac fly to left field allowed Dylan de Graaf to score the game-winning run.
Goulder hit 1-for-2 with a run scored, a RBI and was hit by a pitch. Freshman Tyler White smacked a two-run round-tripper to left field in the bottom of the third to help the Catamounts regain a 2-1 advantage. The home run was White’s third of the season and his second of the year against the 49ers.
de Graaf stole two bags from Charlotte en route to scoring his game-clinching run. The center fielder reached on base in the eighth after being plunked with a pitch.
Reliever Brandon Johnson (2-0) took home the win after tossing an inning and two-thirds, giving up just one hit with three strikeouts. Catamount pitchers combined for a team total of 13 strikeouts in the contest.
Right-hander Kyle Stewart started the game and tossed three complete innings giving up just one run on a hit with six strikeouts and two walks. Andrew Blackwell threw the next trifecta of innings, giving up a run on two hits and hurling three strikeouts. Andrew Chilcoat surrendered two runs on a hit in a third of an inning pitched before relieved by Johnson in the seventh.
Closer Daniel Ottone earned his seventh save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning.
Austin Schultz played a pivotal role for WCU by reaching on base in all four appearances at the plate. The junior walked three times, collected a hit and stole four bases. Tyler Kirkpatrick walked on two occasions and scored a run in the fifth inning.
Matt Johns tallied his fourth double of the year in the fifth to score Kirkpatrick and Schultz. Johns hit 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk.
The 49ers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Justin Roland scored from a groundout RBI. WCU answered with a two-run bomb by White in the bottom-half of the third. The Catamounts then added a two-run double by Johns in the fifth to extend their lead to 4-1.
Charlotte stormed back with a three-run seventh inning as a Niner scored on a passed ball. Justin Wilson doubled to left field, tying the game. de Graaf’s aggressive base-running skills in the eighth resulted in his eighth and ninth steals of the year for the Cats, en route to scoring the game-winning run.
Wilson led the 49ers with a 1-for-4 evening and two RBI. Right hander Chad Rothlin (0-1) took the loss for Charlotte, surrendering an earned run in an inning and a third.
Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference action on Friday at rival Appalachian State. First pitch of the contest is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. in Boone, N.C. Live radio coverage for this weekend’s series will be available online through the Catamount Sports Network at CatamountSports.com.
UNC Greensboro 4, Harvard 3
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Eric Brindle hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to score Lloyd Enzor from second and give UNC Greensboro a 4-3 win over Harvard on Wednesday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. It was the fourth walk-off hit for the Spartans this year.
Enzor hit a one-out double to the gap in right center to get the Spartans started in the bottom of the 10th inning. After Zach Leach was intentionally walked, the Spartans fouled out for the second out in the inning. Brindle then stepped up to the plate and took the first pitch he saw into right field. The Crimson right fielder made a good throw to the plate, but Enzor was able to dislodge the ball from the catcher’s mitt as he applied the tag and Enzor touched home to give UNCG the 4-3 victory.
Spartan reliever Greg Smith moved to 4-0 on the year after pitching the last four innings and allowing just three hits and walking none. Will Keuper picked up the hard luck loss for the Crimson (3-6) after giving up just three hits, two of them in the 10th inning, and one run in 4 2/3 innings of work.
Brindle led the Spartans (10-5) at the plate after going 4-5 with an RBI to raise his batting average to an even .300. Ray Quinones also had a home run and Ed Jayjack added a pair of hits for the Spartans.
Samuel Franklin and Tyler Albright each had a nice day for the Crimson as they both went 3-5 to account for six of Harvard’s seven hits on the evening.
The Spartans were able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the second inning to get on the board first. Leach led off the inning with an infield single before being moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Brindle and Taylor Schwarz then delivered back-to-back singles to score Leach and give UNCG a 1-0 advantage.
That lead didn’t last long though as Harvard immediately responded with three runs in the top half of the third. Dillon O’Neill led off with a walk and Franklin followed with a single up the middle. A walk to Jeff Reynolds loaded the bases and a walk to Marcus Way allowed O’Neill to walk home and tie the game at one. A groundout and fielder’s choice allowed Franklin and Reynolds to score later in the inning and put the Crimson ahead, 3-1.
UNCG fought back in the bottom of the fifth though to knot the game at three after Chris Barker led off the inning with a triple off the top of the left field wall that fell back inside the park. He scored a batter later on a groundout to pull the Spartans within 3-2.
Quinones was up next for the Spartans and hit his second home run of the season over the left field wall to make it a 3-3 game.
Neither team was able to break the tie until the 10th inning when Brindle delivered his walk-off single.
The Spartans and Crimson will wrap up their midweek series on Thursday as the two teams meet at 6 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Appalachian State 8, Columbia 4
BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University baseball scored four runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth to down visiting Columbia, 8-4, on Wednesday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
With the victory, Appalachian (13-2) completed a two-game mid-week series sweep of Columbia (2-7) and extended the nation's longest home winning streak with its 18th-straight triumph at Smith Stadium.
It appeared like the nearly year-long home winning streak (ASU's last loss at Smith Stadium came on March 21 of last year) might be in jeopardy when Columbia led, 3-0, midway through the ballgame.
However, the Mountaineers erased the deficit with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by two-run singles from Wes Hobson (Winston-Salem, N.C./North Forsyth) and Jeremy Dowdy (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield).
Appalachian plated its other four runs in the very next inning to stretch the advantage to 8-3. Once again, it was Hobson that provided the big hit, this time blasting a two-run home run to right center field that capped ASU's scoring.
Columbia scored a single run in the seventh but wouldn't manage anything more, as ASU's Michael Brogan (Norfolk, Va./Maury), Taylor Miller (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) and Chris Patterson (Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland County) combined to limit the Lions to just one hit over the final 2.1 innings of the ballgame. In all, six Mountaineer relievers combined to not issue a walk while surrendering just two runs in 6.1 innings of work. Making his collegiate debut, freshman Ryne Frankoff (Apex, N.C./Apex) surrendered just one run in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen to earn the win.
Hobson paced the Mountaineers' 13-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-5 with four RBI, raising his batting average to a team-leading .414. He is only 13 hits shy of matching the ASU career record of 260, set just last year by Isaac Harrow.
Senior Jerod Faggart (Concord, N.C./Northwest Cabarrus) and freshmen Hector Crespo (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian), Ryan Stetson (Charlotte, N.C./Ardery Kell) and Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) added two hits apiece for the Apps.
Appalachian continues its six-game homestand and resumes Southern Conference play this weekend when it hosts a three-game series versus archrival Western Carolina (11-5, 0-3 SoCon). Game times are set for 3 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Smith Stadium.
College of Charleston 3, Jacksonville 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? Junior DH Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) doubled to left center to bring home sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to give College of Charleston a 3-2 win over Jacksonville Wednesday night at Patriots Point. CofC improves to 14-5 on the season, while Jacksonville falls to 10-7.
After a almost a three-hour rain delay, Jacksonville struck first with a single run in the fourth inning on a RBI bunt single to third by Jamaal Hawkins, scoring Glen Johnson from third. The Cougars knotted the score at 1-1 in the fifth on a RBI single by Kral that brought home junior RF Baker Knox (San Mateo, Fla./Daytona Beach CC).
Charleston avoided trouble in the sixth as senior RHP Tom Schiller (Rochester, N.Y./Monroe CC) came in with bases loaded and struck out Alex Swenson to end the threat. The Dolphins likewise escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh as Clay Kollenbaum retired junior 2B Jesse Mesa (Miramar, Fla./Central Florida JC) on strikes. The two teams traded single runs in the eighth inning as Alex Martinez singled home Dan Gulbransen, while junior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando) hit a sacrifice fly to right that plated senior 1B Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC).
Freshman starter Jake Zokan (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) tossed 5.2 innings, scattering six hits and allowing one run for the Cougars and junior Heath Hembree (Cowpens, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) pitched a perfect ninth with three strikeouts for the win. Kral finished 2-for-3 with two RBI in the victory.
Glenn Witkowski took the loss for the Dolphins, allowing the final run on two hits in one inning of relief. Hawkins and Martinez each had two hits for Jacksonville.
Charleston travels to face UNC Greensboro this weekend for three games of Southern Conference action. Friday’s game is set for 7:00 p.m.
No. 30 VMI 12, The Citadel 1
Charleston, S.C. - No. 30 VMI took the second of a two-game midweek set on a soggy Wednesday evening at Riley Park, 12-1, over The Citadel.
The Bulldogs (11-5) who wore green hats, could not get any luck going their way as they were shutdown by VMI (16-1) starter Coby Cowgill who threw a complete game and improved to 3-0 on the season. The freshman from Norfolk, Va. allowed just one run, which was unearned, on four hits, with two walks and struck out nine. He lasted through a 26-minute rain delay in the top of the fourth inning.
The Citadel managed their only run of the game in the first inning when Nick Orvin (Moncks Corner, S.C.) reached and advanced to second base on an error by VMI third baseman Tanner Biagini. A sacrifice by William Ladd (Winnsboro, S.C.) moved Orvin to third, followed by an RBI sac flly by Bryan Altman (Summerville, S.C.) to bring in the run.
Freshman Austin Pritcher (Charleston, S.C.) made his first collegiate start and cruised through the first three innings before running into trouble in a steady rain in the fourth. He allowed five singles and two walks, coupled with an error in center field and was pulled as the rain delay began after allowing four runs, in 3.2 innings pitched.
A platoon of pitchers followed for the Bulldogs that included Chris Boyce (Simpsonville, S.C.), Nick Sprowls (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), Matt Reifsnider (Ormand Beach, Fla.), Jeffrey Spillane (Houston, Texas) and Jeremy Long (Clover, S.C.). Boyce allowed two runs, no earned runs in 1.1 innings, but an ineffective Sprowls lasted only 0.1 innings, allowing five runs on four hits as VMI would open up their lead.
Reifsnider was able to prevent further damage, going 0.2 innings with allowing a run. Spillane threw a career-high 2.0 innings of shutout relief while striking out two in the seventh and eighth. Long closed the game for the Bulldogs, allowing a solo homer, the only one of the series for VMI, to Graham Sullivan in the ninth.
The two through eight hitters in the Keydet lineup all had at least two hits, as Sullivan led the way, going 2-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBI. The Citadel was led by Justin Mackert (Cleveland, Ohio) who accounted for half of the Bulldog hits as he went 2-for-3 with a double.
The Citadel travels to Elon this weekend in their first conference road series of 2010. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Lathan Park on Friday.
No. 7 Clemson 22, Georgia Southern 6
STATESBORO, Ga. - A.J. Wirnsberger homered for the sixth time this season in the fourth inning and finished the game 2-for-5 as Georgia Southern fell 22-6 to No. 7 Clemson Wednesday (March 17) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Eric Phillips went 2-for-4 as five Eagles each added one hit.
Georgia Southern (9-9) worked through four Tiger pitchers and closed out the game with nine hits and no errors. Clemson (14-2) collected 21 hits, including six home runs, with Tiger starter Scott Firth picking up his first win of the season. Seven Eagle pitchers took the mound trying to counter the Tiger offense. Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) took the loss, falling to 0-3.
Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) opened the game with an infield single as Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) drew a walk putting two runners on in the first. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) then reached on a fielding error by shortstop Brad Miller to load the bases. Payne scored on a Steve Cochrane (Mooresville, N.C.) sacrifice fly to center, putting GS on top, 1-0.
But the Tigers quickly recovered from yielding a run in the first as GS fell behind in the bottom half of the frame. A two-run home run from Jeff Schaus was followed with a Kyle Parker solo home run to left field as Clemson took the lead, 3-0. After relinquishing two singles, Georgia Southern made its first call to the bullpen as Trent Franzago (Byron, Ga.) relieved Beck. But the Tigers struck again with another pair of home runs. John Nester launched a three-run homer followed by a solo trip for Addison Johnson as Clemson scored eight runs in the first inning.
Clemson scored one run in the second before GS put two runs on the board in the third. A Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) single through the left side plated two runs as both Cochrane and Blackburn scored, cutting the score to 9-3. But four Tiger doubles in the bottom half of the frame plated four runs for Clemson who took a 13-3 lead entering the fifth.
The Eagles tallied three runs in the fourth using an error by the first basemen that led to an unearned Payne run. Wirnsberger added to the offense with a two-run blast down the left field line. But those would be the last runs scored by GS as Clemson closed out the game scoring eight runs in the sixth inning, using a grand slam from Schaus, for the final score, 22-6.
Georgia Southern continues this five-game road trip returning to Southern Conference play at Wofford this weekend. The three-game series opens Friday night at 7 p.m.
Presbyterian 4, Wofford 2
Forest City, N.C. - The Wofford baseball team was defeated by Presbyterian College 4-2 on Wednesday evening. With the loss the Terriers drop to 5-7 while the Blue Hose improve to 5-10.
The Terriers were led by Kyle Behrendt with a hit and two RBI’s Presbyterian was led by Aaron Preston with two hits and two RBI’s
After two scoreless innings Presbyterian got on the board first scoring three runs on three hits. Gabe Grammer started things off by reaching base on a single and scored on an Aaron Preston double two batters later. Matt Hill reached base on a single and scored on a balk from Wofford starter Pete Noordsy. Preston scored on a Mack Hite single.
The Terriers got on the board in the top of the fifth scoring two runs on two hits and an error. James Foster reached base on a single and scored two batters later on a Kyle Behrendt RBI single. Alex Lee reached base on a single and scored on an error by the Presbyterian catcher. To cut the Blue Hose lead to 3-2.
Presbyterian added a run in the bottom of the eighth when Aaron Preston led off with a triple and scored two batters later on a RBI double by Tony Micklon. The Terriers got a leadoff walk to start the ninth but were unable to mount a comeback.
Wofford starter Pete Noordsy pitched three innings giving up three runs and striking out three. Brandon Yarusi pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Anthony Rowland got the first two outs of the fifth inning striking out one. Cash Collins pitched one scoreless inning of relief. Alex Wilson pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief striking out two. Bobby Streisel finished the game giving up one run.
Presbyterian starter Joe Hammond pitched two innings striking out two. Tim Corbin pitched .2 scoreless innings of relief. Chris Powell pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief striking out two. Drew Wingo pitched 0.2 innings giving up two runs and striking out one.
Andrew Foushee pitched 1.1 innings striking out three. Jordan Pace pitched .2 inning of scoreless relief, Rodney Scruggs pitched 1.1 innings of relief striking out one. Jessie Harmon got the save for Presbyterian pitching a scoreless ninth inning and striking out one.
The Terriers will return to action on Friday evening when they will start a three game series with Southern Conference foe Georgia Southern.
No. 16 South Carolina 8, Davidson 3
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The South Carolina Gamecocks scored a pair of runs in the first two innings en route to the 8-3 win over the Davidson Wildcats Wednesday night in midweek baseball action at Carolina Stadium.
Playing just their fourth road game of the season, Davidson drops to 11-6, while South Carolina moves to 13-4.
Junior right fielder Sam Payne hit his team-best fourth home run for his team-high 22nd RBI of the season, one of the Wildcats' five hits, but it came in the seventh with Davidson trailing 7-2. Sophomore left fielder Jake Berman also had a hit and drove in a game-high two runs, and sophomore center fielder Drew Gadaire, junior first baseman Danny Weiss and senior catcher Tommy Piacenza each had a hit.
Third baseman Whit Merrifield (3-for-4, RBI) and short stop Scott Wingo (3-for-4) led South Carolina at the plate, while second baseman Adrian Morales and designated hitter Nick Ebert each drove in a pair of runs.
Sophomore Chris Lamb (1-3) was tagged with the loss, after allowing four runs on five hits in two innings.
South Carolina's Jose Mata (2-0) earned the win, working 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.
South Carolina scored a pair of runs in the first two innings to take an early 4-0 lead. The Gamecocks first two runs came on back-to-back one-out RBI-singles from catcher Kyle Enders and Ebert in the first inning. Wingo kept South Carolina going with a one-out triple in the second, and Merrifield doubled him in in the next at-bat. Merrifield took third on a balk and, as first baseman Christian Walker struck out, scored on a wild pitch.
The Wildcats got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, posting a pair of runs on two hits and an error to cut South Carolina's lead to 4-2. Gadaire reached on a throwing error by Walker at first to start the inning and took third as Weiss followed with a single. Piacenza extended the inning with a two-out walk, for Berman, who drove in a pair on a single to right field.
South Carolina got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, as center fielder Evan Marzilli was hit by a pitch to start the inning, took second on a one-out double by Merrifield and scored on an infield groundout by Morales. The Gamecocks added two more unearned runs in the sxith on a pair of hits and an error to take a 7-2 lead. Junior Mike Frongello got a groudout and a strike out after Morales reached on an error by Weiss to start the inning, and Ebert plated him with a two-out base hit into center field. Left fielder Robert Beary's RBI-single to the gap in left center field scored Ebert for the Gamecocks' seventh run.
Payne's fourth home run of the season made it 8-2 in the seventh, and South Carolina added a final run in the bottom of the inning as Wingo doubled and scored on consecutive sacrifice bunts from Merrifield and Morales.
Davidson will return to Southern Conference play, traveling to Furman this weekend. The Wildcats and Paladins will kick the series off Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. game Saturday. The teams will play the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Note: Payne extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a 1-for-4 performance.