Georgia Southern 4, Elon 0
ELON, N.C. - Eric Phillips went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead the Georgia Southern Eagles to a 4-0 victory in the rubber game of a three-game Southern Conference series with the Elon Phoenix on Sunday. Elon saw its record dip to 21-12 overall and 9-6 in league contests. GSU upped its mark to 17-15, 9-6.
The shutout marked the first time since Elon joined the SoCon for the 2004 season that the Phoenix failed to score a run in a league game.
Georgia Southern loaded the bases without a hit with one away in the first inning. Kevin Bowles and A.J. Wirnsberger were each hit by a pitch around a walk to Kyle Blackburn. The Eagles then scored the first run when Phillips lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center before Victor Roache fouled out to first to end the inning.
With Bowles on first with two outs in the top of the second, Wirnsberger laced a double to the gap in left-center, but Elon was able to keep the Eagles off the board in the frame as the relay from Niko Fraser to Neal Pritchard to Alex Swim nailed Bowles at the plate to end the at bat.
Arthur Owens reached first on an infield single and moved to second on an error on the play with one out in the top of the fifth. Owens headed to third on a Bowles single before scoring on Blackburn's sacrifice fly to right.
Phillips gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead when he began the sixth by lining his second homer of the year over the wall in left.
The Eagle advantage reached 4-0 in the eighth when Michael Burruss singled home Phillips from second base with one out.
Elon put its first real threat together in the bottom of the ninth when it loaded the bases with a single, walk and hit batter with one out. After Matt Hinson flew out to shallow center Scott Riddle lined out to right to end the game.
Andy Moye collected the victory, improving to 4-3 on the season. He allowed just three hits and two walks in his seven innings. He also struck out eight. Justin Hess, Colin Snow and Dexter Bobo finished off the game for the Eagles.
Jared Kernodle suffered his first loss of the year and is now 3-1. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits in six innings on the mound.
Justin Hilt, Mike Melillo, Ryan Adams and Fraser each had one of Elon's four hits. Adams' single extended his hitting streak to a season-long eight games. Riddle went 0-for-4 to have his career-best six-game hitting streak stopped.
Phillips collected three of Georgia Southern's 10 base hits. Bowles added two hits and scored once in the attack.
The Phoenix will take flight to Lynchburg, Va. for a 6 p.m. tilt against Liberty on Tuesday night.
Wofford 5, Western Carolina 2
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina matched Wofford's eight hits on Sunday afternoon but could never muster any sustained offense as the Catamounts dropped the series finale to the Terriers, 5-2. The loss for WCU, which won the best-of-three series two games to one, snaps a season-long tying string of five-straight wins, while also ending the Catamounts 23-game winning streak over Wofford that dated back to 2002.
Two Catamounts posted multiple-hit games as senior Tyler Kirkpatrick finished 2-for-4 with his eighth home run of the season, while freshman Tyler White also tallied two hits in four plate appearances. Junior Austin Schultz finished 1-for-4 with a double as WCU only collected two extra base hits in the losing effort.
The Terriers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning and built a five-run advantage in the visitor half of the seventh before the Catamounts scratched the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame. Kirkpatrick opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field with the second run coming home as Schultz touched the plate on an infield, RBI groundout by pinch hitter Russell Robertson.
WCU (21-9-1, 5-6-1 SoCon) had several opportunities to get rolling in the middle innings, but were unable to find the needed hit. In both the third and fourth innings, two singles put two aboard but were stranded. In the sixth, Matt Johns reached as a swinging third strike got away from the Terrier catcher and rolled to the backstop. However, a force play up the middle followed by a double-play ended that brewing threat.
Finally, in the eighth, WCU catcher Ollie Goulder singled to left and moved to second on a fielding error to give the Catamounts life. He progressed as far as third but was left there for the fifth stranded runner in the loss.
In addition, the Catamounts had three, 1-2-3 innings offensively.
Redshirt sophomore Vance Chavis suffered the loss for the Catamounts after allowing two earned runs on four hits in 4.2 innings of work in the start. The Laurinburg, N.C., native struck out a career-high seven batters against four walks. Freshman Mat Batts fanned three in an inning and a third, while Brandon Johnson tallied one strikeout in two and a third innings of scoreless, two-hit relief.
Wofford (10-21, 4-8 SoCon) capitalized on a lead-off walk in the fifth as Kyle Behrendt lifted a two-out single to left to score Matt Moore before crossing the plate on a double by Mac Doyle to left center for the 2-0 lead. In the seventh, a hit batsman and bunt infield single put two aboard with a balk moving runners to second and third with no outs. Behrendt then singled in the first of three runs in the frame, and Doyle rapping a second double of the game to plate the additional markers and a 5-0 lead through six and a half.
Behrendt finished 2-for-5 with two RBI while Doyle was 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs driven in for the Terriers.
Starter John Cornely (2-5) earned his second victory of the season after working six and a third innings, scattering seven hits and both of WCU's runs while striking out six. Relievers Cash Collins and Drew Sheridan combined to toss the final two and two thirds with the latter fanning three WCU hitters to capture his second save of the year.
Coming off a stretch where 10 of the last 11 games were at home, WCU opens a stretch where eight of the next nine games will be contested on the road beginning Wednesday evening at nationally-ranked Clemson.
Wednesday's game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard online at www.CatamountSports.com. Air time is 6:15 pm, with the first pitch coming at 6:30 pm.
Appalachian State 7, Davidson 5
BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University baseball finished off its first Southern Conference series sweep of the season with a 7-5 victory over visiting Davidson on Sunday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
With the three-game sweep, Appalachian (22-7-1) evened its conference record at 7-7-1 and capped an 8-1 homestand. Davidson fell to 13-9 (4-13 SoCon) with its 12th-straight loss.
Freshmen Nathan Hyatt and Hector Crespo keyed the ASU victory. Making his first-career start on the mound, Hyatt didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning while Crespo collected three of the Mountaineers' eight hits in the triumph.
Having never worked more than 4.2 innings in his 10 collegiate appearances out of the bullpen, Hyatt (2-0) appeared to fatigue a bit in the fifth and sixth innings but still limited Davidson to three runs on only three hits while striking out nine to earn the win.
Hyatt benefitted from a Mountaineer offense that staked him to a 5-0 lead before he surrendered his first hit. The Apps scored once in the second, three times in the third and plated one more run in the fourth to grab the commanding 5-0 advantage. A two-run single by catcher Jeremy Dowdy in the third inning highlighted the early outburst.
The Wildcats chipped away with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-3 but Appalachian scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth to take an insurmountable 7-3 advantage. Crespo drove in one of the two runs with an RBI single to right center and Doug Jones scored the second when DC shortstop Michael Zeblo dropped the ball while attempting to tag Crespo, who was trying to stretch the run-scoring hit into a double.
Davidson made it interesting with two more runs in the eighth but ASU closer Chris Patterson slammed the door on the Wildcats with a perfect ninth. Patterson's 10th save of the season (just one shy of matching the single-season school record) capped a spectacular week for the senior right-hander. Patterson closed out each of Appalachian's last four games, going 1-0 with three saves and 13 strikeouts over 5.2 scoreless innings.
Crespo snapped out of an 0-for-9 slump with hits in each of his final three at-bats on Sunday, finishing the afternoon 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored to pace the Mountaineers offensively.
Davidson starter Thomas Middour (1-2) was roughed up for five runs (four earned) in three innings and suffered the loss. Sam Payne collected two of the Wildcats' seven hits.
Appalachian hits the road for the first time in over two weeks when it travels to High Point for a non-conference affair on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
#26 College of Charleston 19, Furman 5
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The 26th-ranked College of Charleston Cougars overcame an early 4-1 deficit by scoring 12 unanswered runs en route to a 19-5 win over Furman in Sunday's Southern Conference baseball series finale at Latham Stadium.
The win helped the College of Charleston (24-10, 9-6 SoCon) avoid a series sweep by Furman (11-21, 5-10 SoCon) and snap a six-game losing skid against the Paladins in Greenville.
Cole Rakar paced the Cougars' 15-hit attack with a 4-for-6 performance. The junior center fielder reached base seven times and scored twice while driving in a pair of runs.
Rob Kral went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI, and three runs scored, and Colby Epley had a pair of hits, including a three-run double in a five-run seventh. Dre Watts stepped in for Epley in the ninth and belted a pinch-hit three-run home run.
Furman pitchers hit seven Cougar batters and issued nine walks, and the Paladins committed five errors in the contest, which consumed three hours and 26 minutes of a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
The heavy run support helped College of Charleston starter David Paterson (4-2) record the win. He allowed four runs on eight hits, walked one, and struck out three over 6 2/3 innings.
The loss was charged to Daniel Stallsmith, who allowed seven runs, plunked four batters, and issued two walks over four innings.
Stallsmith surrendered a run in the first after working out of a bases loaded, no-out situation.
A Will Muzika RBI triple helped Furman take a 4-1 lead in the third, but from that point it was all College of Charleston.
CofC answered with a four runs in the fourth on the strength of a two-run double by Matt Leeds that gave the Cougars a 5-4 lead.
A Rakar RBI double keyed a two-run fifth, and Rob Kral's 10th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field in the sixth, made it 8-4.
The Cougars' onslaught continued with a five-run seventh that included Epley's two-out, three-run double to right field off Paladin reliever Matt Plate.
CofC finished off its big offensive afternoon by scoring six runs in the ninth on the strength of Watts' pinch-hit three-run blast to left center field off Furman's Mike Waller.
Furman will entertain Presbyterian on Wednesday in a 7:00 p.m. game at Latham Stadium.
Samford 8, UNC Greensboro 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford baseball team completed its three-game Southern Conference sweep of the UNC Greensboro Spartans with an 8-4 win Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
"This was a good job by our guys of finishing off the weekend," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "Today, it was mostly taking advantage of opportunities early. They helped us out some early and thankfully we were able to capitalize."
The win was Samford's 10th-straight Southern Conference win. The Bulldogs improve to 20-11 overall and 11-1 in SoCon play. Samford is now in a tie for first place in the league with The Citadel. UNC Greensboro drops to 14-18 overall and 2-12 in SoCon play.
Samford was led at the plate by Stephen Ballard, going 2-for-4 and Trey Hayes, going 2-for-5. Bo Smith drove in two runs, going 1-for-1 at the plate. Gary Cramer also had two RBI, both coming on bases-loaded walks.
Josh Martin started the game on the mound for Samford, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up just one earned run on seven hits to earn the win and improve to 2-3 on the season. Andrew Jones tossed the final 2.1 innings for the Bulldogs.
For UNC Greensboro at the plate, Harry Slade went 3-for-5 with a double. Zach Leach went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Ed Jayjack drove in two runs in a 1-for-4 performance. Colby Hyatt started the game on the mound, pitching a third of an inning and giving up five runs on five hits to take the loss and drop to 3-3 on the season.
Samford sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the first inning to take an early 5-0 lead. David Schulze, Smith, Cramer, Michael Johnson and Brad Moss drove in a run each as Samford raced out to a five-run lead.
The score remained 5-0 until UNC Greensboro scored its first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Leach singled up the middle to drive in Ray Quinones to make the score 5-1.
Samford added two runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth to make the score 8-1. In the fourth inning, the first run was scored when Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Ballard. Cramer was later walked with the bases loaded to score Mason Meredeth. The run in the fifth was scored when Meredeth hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Ballard for a seven-run Samford lead.
UNC Greensboro scored two runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to make the final score 8-4. In the seventh inning Jayjack hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Chris Barker for the first run. Cody Walker walked with the bases loaded to score Drew Gehringer for the final run of the seventh inning. The run in the eighth inning scored when Jayjack singled to right field to drive in Barker.
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, April 13, when the Bulldogs play at Alabama. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start from Alabama's Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Indiana State 4, The Citadel 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Indiana State scored two runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 4-2 win to take the series over The Citadel on Sunday afternoon at Riley Park.
It is the first weekend series loss for the Bulldogs this season. The last time The Citadel lost a weekend series at home came in the first weekend of the 2009 season, also to Indiana State, when the Sycamores took three of four from the Bulldogs at Riley Park.
The Sycamores got on the board first in the third as Robby Ort led the inning off with a double off Citadel starter Michael Clevinger. An error by Bryan Altman (Summerville, S.C.) at second allowed Ort to score as Jake Hartley was tagged out trying to reach second on the miscue.
In the fifth, ISU would again capitalize on a Bulldog miscues as Grant Grgurich singled to start the inning. A sac bunt by Ben Ferrell, moved Grgurich to second, but was then tagged on a fielder's choice grounder to David Greene at third that put Ryan Strausborger on first. A throw over to first by Clevinger sailed passed Justin Mackert at first and allowed the speedy Strausborger to move to third. A wild pitch by Clevinger then allowed Strausborger to score, to make it 2-0.
The Citadel (23-11) would tie it up in the bottom of the seventh off Indiana State starter Jason Van Skike as Mackert and Greene both singled to get on base. A wild pitch by Mackert and a stolen base by Greene then moved both runners up to second and third as Grant Richards hit a sac fly to right field that plated Mackert. A double by William Ladd then scored Greene to tie the game and knock Van Skike from the game.
Van Skike went 6.2 innings, allowing eight hits, two runs, one walk and striking out three on 89 pitches. Clevinger had one of the best performances of his young career as he went 7.0 innings, allowing five hits, two runs, one earned run, three walks and three punch-outs on 102 pitches. Both starters received a no-decision.
Indiana State (20-9) would get two runs off Drew Mahaffey in the top of the ninth as catcher Jeremy Lucas started the inning off with a base hit and was sacrificed over to second. Mahaffey was able to record a pair of outs after the opening hit, but a single by Ben Ferrell would score Lucas. A Strausborger single, followed by a Kyle Burnan single then plated Farrell to make it 4-2 for Indiana State and chase Mahaffey from the game in favor of Raymond Copenhaver who came in to record the final out.
ISU closer Tyler Browning came in and set all three Bulldogs down in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his fifth save of the year and give the Sycamores the series win.
Greene went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. Simonelli went 2-for-4, while Richards and Ladd both tallied an RBI each for The CItadel. For the Sycamores, Strausborger went 3-for-5 with a run and a stolen base, while Fieser went 2-for-4 with a walk.
"Both starters pitched very well today," said Bulldogs Head Coach Fred Jordan. "They (Indiana State) just seem to get the big hits when they needed them the last two games, whereas our guys didn't always get the timely hit when we had runners on in the series. Hopefully that will come back around for us."
The Citadel returns to action on Tuesday as they travel to No. 13 Coastal Carolina at 6 p.m.