College of Charleston 17, Wofford 6
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? Senior 2B Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) belted a grand slam and sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) added two more home runs, increasing his season total to 16, as College of Charleston jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and added another six runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 17-6 victory over Wofford Saturday evening at Patriots Point. The Cougars improved to 26-11 overall and 11-6 in the Southern Conference, while Wofford falls to 11-23, 4-10 in league play.
Charleston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning on a two-run home run by Leeds. After junior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando) lined a double into left and advanced to third on a fly out, Leeds deposited a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left for his 15th round-tripper of the season.
The Cougars added four more runs in the second frame, highlighted by the grand slam by Bergman. With one out, junior DH Kolby Epley (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush) doubled down the left-field line and advanced to third on a single up the middle by senior 1B Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC). After junior SS Jamie Holler (Rock Hill, S.C./USC Sumter JC) was hit by a pitch, Bergman stepped in a crushed a 2-0 pitch to straightaway center for a 6-0 Charleston lead.
Wofford picked up single runs in the third and fourth innings as Matt Moore led off the third with a solo home run and picked up his second RBI of the game with a RBI single through the left side the following inning.
CofC responded with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 12-2 lead. Bergman was hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Wofford catcher. Rakar walked and stole second as well, as did junior C Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) to load the bases for Leeds. A wild pitch by Wofford starter J.D. Osborne plated Bergman and Leeds grounded out to short, scoring Rakar. Sophomore LF Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) lined a RBI double down the right-field line to bring Kral home and a few batters later, Blake plated two more runs on a RBI double down the left-field line.
The Terriers would show some life in the fifth as Mac Doyle hit his 14th home run of the season, a three-run shot to left, which closed the Cougars lead to 12-5. However, a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning extended the Charleston cushion to eight runs until a solo home run by Landon Bennett in the seventh frame, made the score 13-6.
Charleston put the game out of reach with four runs in the eighth inning for the final 17-6 advantage. Junior Jesse Mesa (Miramar, Fla./Central Florida JC) led off the inning with a pinch-hit solo home run off Wofford reliever Brandon Yarusi. Bergman singled to left and Rakar walked, setting up a RBI double to left by Kral. Leeds followed up with his second home run of the game, a two-run blast to right center that closed the scorebook for the evening.
Leeds led the Cougars with three hits and five RBI on the evening, including his first multi-home run game of the season. Four Cougars had two hits apiece and Bergman added a season-high four RBI. Senior RHP Kevin Decker (Washington, Ind./Seminole CC) improved to 4-0 with the win, scattering eight hits and allowing five runs in five innings with three strikeouts. Osborne took the loss for the Terriers, tagged for 12 runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings.
The final game of the SoCon series is set for Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern 14, Samford 9
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Samford pulled out with a 4-0 lead, but Georgia Southern scored 11 unanswered and posted three security runs in the eighth to edge Samford, 14-9, Saturday evening (April 17) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Bulldogs dropped their first series of the 2010 campaign with the loss and fell to 21-13 overall and 11-3 in Southern Conference play, while the Eagles improved to 20-15, 11-6.
Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) picked up the win in front of 2,221 fans, moving to 2-3 on the year. Beck entered in the fourth and threw 3.1 innings, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned). Dexter Bobo (Cumming, Ga.) recorded his fifth save of the season and second consecutive, closing out the last two innings, surrendering only two hits.
Samford starter Kyle Putkonen drew the loss, working 3.2 innings, allowing six hits and six runs to cross home plate. Like GS, Samford worked through four pitchers on the evening as the teams combined for 23 runs, 30 hits and two errors.
A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Randy J. Williams (Valdosta, Ga.) each went 3-for-5. Wirnsberger finished the game with one run scored and two RBI, while Williams scored twice and drove in a career-high four RBI, including a three-run shot in the fourth that handed the Eagles their first lead of the contest.
Eagle starter Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) gave up two hits within the first two innings, but faced the minimum number of batters as each were caught stealing by Eagle catcher Williams.
The Eagles threatened first when Wirnsberger tripled to right center roping a 0-1 pitch to the right field wall in the bottom of the second. But Putkonen got out of the jam with a close double-play groundout.
Michael Johnson deposited a two-run home run in the third to right center that plated Gary Cramer who reached on a single up the middle as the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead to start.
The Eagles put a runner on third in the bottom half of the inning, but could not put together a run stranding Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) on third base. Payne reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and then stole second base for his 15th steal of the season.
Samford’s second home run of the ballgame, a two-run shot from David Schulze in the fourth, quickly pushed the Bulldogs’ lead out to 4-0.
It only took one trip through the batting order for the Eagles to key in on Bulldog starter Putkonen as they exploded in the fourth, sending 11 batters to the plate, scoring six runs on five hits. Eric Phillips (Carollton, Ga.) put the first runs on the board with his fifth home run of the season, and third in four games, to cut the score in half, 4-2. Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) drew a walk to lead off the inning before Phillips drilled the first pitch over left field wall. Wirnsberger followed singling through the left side and scored on a Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) double down the left field line. Roache roped his first pitch just to the right of third base into the left field corner scoring Wirnsberger and the Eagles suddenly trailed by one run, 4-3.
In the next at-bat, Williams turned a hit-and-run into a three-run blast to left field as Georgia Southern took a two-run lead, 6-4.
Samford put two runners on in the fifth with two outs using a single and walk, but Beck, who entered in the fourth, worked his way out of the jam, stranding two base runners forcing a lineout to Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) to end the inning.
With one out in the fifth, Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) reached on a fielder’s choice before Payne lifted a 2-1 pitch over the first baseman’s head for a double that plated Burruss. Payne stole third and scored on Williams’ double to left center as the Eagles took an 8-4 lead and drove Samford’s second pitcher out of the ballgame.
Bowles opened the sixth with a stand-up double down the left field line and Blackburn followed with a single to right center, advancing to second on the throw. Phillips walked to load the bases with no one out as Wirnsberger walked to the plate. A wild pitch on ball one moved each base runner up and Wirnsberger hit a soft fly over the left fielder’s head plating both runs for an 11-4 cushion.
Samford poised a threat in the seventh putting a runner on third on a walk and single. A wild pitch from Beck scored Samford’s first run since the fourth inning before Schulze singled to right field and moved to third on a fielding error. Schulze scored on a Bo Smith single to centerfield as Samford cut the score to 11-7.
An Owens triple to open the seventh was unproductive as Dayne Cutrell forced two pop-ups and a fly out to end the inning unscathed.
After two scoreless innings from Samford, the Bulldogs’ offense continued to produce as Samford added another two runs in the eighth. A Gary Cramer single and Davis Harrison walk put runners on second and third after a wild pitch from reliever Bobo. Brad Moss followed with a double to center field plating Cramer before a groundout from Ballard pushed the score to 11-9 when it scored pinch runner Davis Harrison from third.
Burruss gave the Eagles two security runs, and took the runs back that were awarded in the top of the frame, with his first collegiate home run to right field. Roache stood on first after a single to right when the redshirt-freshman roped a 1-2 pitch to right field. Williams lined a double to the center field wall following and scored on an Owens single to left field as Georgia Southern took the final score of 14-9.
For Samford, Johnson went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Cramer, Smith, Schulze and Trey Hayes all posted a multi-hit ballgame.
The three-game series concludes on Sunday as Georgia Southern will look for the conference sweep. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Western Carolina 14, Elon 8
ELON, N.C. -- Ross Heffley homered twice and drove in five runs as the Western Carolina Catamounts bounced back after being shutout on Friday night to pick up a 14-8 victory over the Elon Phoenix from Latham Park on Saturday afternoon. Elon fell to 24-13 overall and 10-7 in Southern Conference play while Western Carolina improved to 23-10-1, 6-7-1 on the year.
Western Carolina, which had not scored in 11+ innings against the Phoenix in the series, finally broke through for two runs on a Heffley homer to left in the third inning that also plated Tyler Kirkpatrick who had reached on a two-out bunt single.
In the bottom of the inning, Harry Austin reached on a one-out walk before stealing second with two outs. After Mike Melillo was hit by a pitch, Ryan Adams singled up the middle to plate Austin to make it a 2-1 game.
An Ollie Goulder double down the left field line to lead off the Catamount fourth was immediately followed by a triple off the wall in center from Matt Johns as Western Carolina increased its lead to 3-1. The lead stretched to 4-1 when Johns scored on a ground out to second.
The Phoenix got going in the bottom of fifth when Ben Scott reached on an error before Austin put down a bunt single. Alex Swim's single to right then loaded the bases with no outs. Melillo's ground ball to second erased Swim, but left runners on the corners and plated Scott to make it 4-2. Adams' second single of the afternoon drove home Austin and left runners on the corners. Elon then tied the game at four on Neal Pritchard's sacrifice fly to left as Melillo scored.
The top of the sixth started with a single from Cameron Dullnig and a double off the bat of Austin Schultz before Trevor Collias put Western back on top with a three-run homer to left, his sixth of the year. With Dylan de Graaf on second after a walk and stolen base, Heffley belted his second two-run homer of the game as the Catamount advantage stretched to 9-4.
Western tacked on three more in the seventh with RBI singles from Kirkpatrick, Heffley and Tyler White.
Back-to-back two-out doubles from Melillo and Adams in the bottom of the seventh gave the Phoenix its fifth run of the game.
Johns ripped his sixth home run of the season over the wall in left as the Catamount lead reached 13-5 in the eighth. Western added another on a two-out single to left from Kirkpatrick.
Elon scored two in the bottom of the eighth on Alex Maruri's pinch-hit homer that scored Pritchard who had led off the frame with a double. It was the first home run of Maruri's career.
Ken Ferrer (6-3) was charged with the loss after he allowed three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen. Starter Daniel Britt was pulled after he surrendered four runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings.
Matt Benedict (5-0) remained perfect on the season. He scattered six hits over six innings. He was charged with four runs, two of which were earned.
Adams recorded four of Elon's eight RBI on the day, going 3-for-4. Swim added two hits to the Phoenix's total.
Heffley finished the day 4-for-6 with two runs scored and five RBI. Collias, Kirkpatrick and Schultz all posted three-hit games. Collias drove in three runs and scored twice for the Catamounts which pounded out a season-high 21 hits.
The two sides will face off in the rubber match of this three-game league series beginning at 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon on the Elon campus.
Appalachian State 6, UNC Greensboro 5
BOONE, N.C. ? Jeremy Dowdy (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning and Chris Patterson (Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland County) earned his record-tying 11th save of the season in Appalachian State University baseball's 6-5 win over UNC Greensboro on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Appalachian's 12th win in 13 games clinched a third-consecutive Southern Conference series victory and moved the Mountaineers to 26-7-1 overall and 9-7-1 in conference play. UNCG fell to 14-21 (2-14 SoCon) with its ninth loss in 10 games.
ASU trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Dowdy drilled his 12th double of the season into the left center field gap that brought Wes Hobson (Winston-Salem, N.C./North Forsyth) and Jerod Faggart (Concord, N.C./Northwest Cabarrus) home with the tying and go-ahead runs.
Patterson came into the game in the top of the eighth and struck out three batters over two innings to earn his 11th save of the year, which ties the single-season school record set just last year by all-American Zach Quate. With 20 regular-season games still on tap, Patterson will likely obliterate Quate's year-old record and make a run at the SoCon record of 17 set by Georgia Southern's Paul Thornton in 1993.
The Mountaineers stretched the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI groundout by Faggart but the Spartans got the run back when Harry Slade reached on a two-base error and scored on an infield single by Corey Overholtzer to make it 6-5. However, with the tying tun on base, Patterson struck out UNCG cleanup hitter Lloyd Enzor on four pitches to end the game.
Ryan Stetson (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) paced Appalachian's nine-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. In the process, the freshman extended his ASU season-best hitting streak to 16 games. Dowdy was the only other Mountaineer with multiple hits, going 2-for-4, and Hector Crespo (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) hit his second home run of the season.
On the mound, Will Helms (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) tossed 1.1 innings of perfect relief to get the win and move to 3-0 on the season.
Enzor hit a grand slam in the third inning to account for UNCG's entire scoring output. Reliever Warren Slack surrendered Dowdy's double to suffer the loss and fall to 2-8 on the campaign.
Appalachian goes for its second-straight SoCon sweep on Sunday when it hosts the series finale between the two clubs. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
The Citadel 10, Furman 5
Charleston, S.C. - Justin Mackert hit his first career grand slam and recorded a career-high five RBI to send The Citadel past Furman, 10-5, on Saturday afternoon in front of 557 fans at Riley Park.
Every Bulldog started had at least one hit as the Bulldogs scored eight runs in the first two innings to improve to 25-13 overall and 13-1 in the Southern Conference. The loss drops Furman to 11-24 overall and 5-12 in the SoCon.
The Bulldogs got off to a fast start against Furman starter Kevin Gaid as Nick Orvin (Moncks Corner, S.C.) hit a line drive homer to left on the first pitch of the game for the Paladin right-hander. Brad Felder (Orangeburg, S.C.) then walked on four pitches and stole second base. Matt Simonelli (Orlando, Fla.) was then hit by a pitch and Bryan Altman (Summerville, S.C.) reached on a fielder's choice grounder up the middle that would score Felder when Furman shortstop J.B. Jenkins sailed a throw into The Citadel dugout. Mackert (Cleveland, Ohio) then walked. Altman and Mackert both advanced a base on a double steal and Kyle Jordan (Goose Creek, S.C.) then walked to load the bases. David Greene (Columbia, S.C.) singled to left field to score Altman and re-load the bases and end the afternoon for Gaid.
Gaid (1-3) went only 0.1 innings, allowing two hits, three runs, three walks and no strikeouts. Furman reliever Bobby Lyne came into the game and induced a ground ball double-play to avoid further damage.
Furman would score a pair in the top of the second off Bulldog starter Matt Talley (Sumter, S.C.) as Dylan Cole reached on an error by Altman. Will Miller then singled and two batters later, Jenkins doubled in Cole. Cameron Allmendinger followed with a single to score Miller and a good relay from William Ladd (Winnsboro, S.C.) to Jordan to Grant Richards (Morrisville, N.C.) would be enough to gun down Jenkins at the plate.
The Citadel would blow things open in the bottom of the second as Orvin and Felder both singled to get two aboard. Simonelli then singled to center to score Orvin. After going up 3-0 on Altman, Furman then intentionally walked Altman to load the bases with one out. Mackert would then crush a 1-0 pitch from Lyne over the scoreboard in left for the first grand slam of his career to make it 8-2 in favor of the Bulldogs. It was the second grand slam of the year for The Citadel.
Talley (3-2) was able to shut down the Furman offense from that point forward as the left-hander matched a season and career high with 7.0 innings, allowing nine hits, two runs, one earned run, two walks and three strikeouts.
Simonelli would walk in the sixth, move over to second on a balk and score on an RBI single by Altman to make it 9-2. Furman manufactured a run in the top of the eight off Bulldog reliever Raymond Copenhaver (Apopka, Fla.) when Miller singled to lead off the inning, and moved over to second on a groundout. Jenkins then reached base on an error by Mackert at first and Miller moved over to third and scored on a sac fly by pinch hitter Rob Fondu.
In the eighth, Simonelli walked and Altman singled to put two aboard. Mackert then singled up the middle to score Simonelli, giving the sophomore his fifth RBI of the game, a career high. Will Muzika hit a two-run homer to left off new reliever Matt Reifsnider (Ormond Beach, Fla.) in the ninth to cap the scoring.
"I felt great out there today," said Mackert. "It was nice to help get my team the win and get a cushion early. It's huge to jump on the opposing starting pitcher early and we were able to do that. Talley was able to ride on that and pitch a great game for us. It was just a great day overall."
Mackert paced the Bulldogs, going 2-for-4 with five RBI, a run scored and a walk. Altman and Orvin both collected two hits, while Simonelli tallied three runs and drew two walks. Muzika went 4-for-5 with a run and a pair of RBI to go with his homer to lead the Paladins. Miller went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
"I thought we were very patient at the plate today and Mackert was able to get a big hit out of the ballpark to expand the lead," said head coach Fred Jordan. "Talley was really able to take the game over once we expanded the lead. We played well in all three facets of the game today."
The Citadel concludes their three-game series with Furman on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Davidson 17, North Carolina Central 7
Davidson 9, North Carolina Central 2 (7 inn.)
DAVIDSON, N.C. - The Davidson Wildcats drove in 16 runs on 16 hits to win the opening game of a double-header against the N.C. Central Eagles, 17-7, and sophomore left-hander Chris Lamb struck out 16 in a seven-inning, complete-game 9-2 win in the nightcap to complete the sweep Saturday in non-conference play at Wilson Field.
Tied at 4-4, Davidson (16-19) exploded for 13 runs, including five in the fourth, over the final five innings to win the opening game against N.C. Central (1-34). After the first-game offensive explosion, Lamb retired a career-high 16, one off the Davidson record, in the finale and held the Eagles to just two runs on four hits in his first career complete game to complete the sweep.
Junior first baseman Danny Weiss (3-for-5), who tied a school record with three doubles, freshman third baseman Andrew Barna (3-for-4, 3 RBI) and junior designated hitter Will General (3-for-4, 4 RBI) each recorded three hits to lead the Wildcats, who also got multi-hit games from sophomore center fielder Drew Gadaire (2-for-6) and freshman left fielder Seth Freeman (2-for-4, 3 RBI), to the 17-7 win in the opener. Senior pinch-hitter Steve Blomberg (1-for-1, 2 RBI), sophomore second baseman Calvin Sigelbaum (1-for-3, 2 RBI) and senior catcher Tommy Piacenza (1-for-4, 2 RBI) also drove in multiple runs for the Wildcats.
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Overcash (W, 5-0) stayed perfect on the season, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits and striking out three over five innings to pick up his fifth win. Junior right-hander Ian Horkley scattered five hits for two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief, and junior leftie Mac Hunter blanked the Eagles over the final 1 1/3.
Joseph Cobb (0-6) was tagged with the loss for the Eagles, allowing nine runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings in the start.
The nightcap played out in reverse, with Lamb (W, 2-3) striking out a career-high 16 batters in the seven-inning, complete-game effort. After allowing two runs in the opening inning on two hits and an error, the sophomore southpaw scattered just two hits over the final six innings for his first career complete game.
His 16 punch outs were just one off the Davidson record of 17, first achieved by Clarence Clark at Wake Forest on April 14, 1908, and last by Greg Wilcox at Charlotte on May 8, 1988. Entering the game, Lamb had struck out a career-best eight against UNC Greensboro on April 25, 2009, and had retired a season-high five at Appalachian State April 10. It was the first double-digit strikeout effort by a Wildcat pitcher since Rob Wilson retired 11 against Columbia March 4, 2006 and the most since Andy Carter struck out 12 against Western Carolina on April 1, 2005.
Lamb got into a jam in the first inning, as leadoff batter Akeem Hood legged out an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on his errant throw. Justin Goodson became the first strike out victim before reaching safely on a wild pitch, allowing Hood to score. Lamb allowed a bunt single to Nate Smith and hit Derrell Parker to load the bases, but after plunking Edwar Pegues to plate another run, picked off Smith and got a pair of back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the early trouble.
After striking out the side in the fourth, Lamb allowed a leadoff single to Etienne Farquaharson to start the fifth, walked Hood and loaded the bases on an infield bunt single by Goodson. With the bases loaded and no outs in the inning, he struck out the next three batters to leave the bases jammed and would strand two more runners in the sixth before working a one-two-three seventh inning to earn the complete-game victory.
Continuing his impressive day, Freeman led the Wildcats at the plate in the finale, batting 2-for-3 with four RBI, and freshman shortstop Michael Zeblo (1-for-3) plated a pair. Gadaire (1-for-1), Barna (1-for-4) and Payne (1-for-2, RBI) would also record a hit for the Wildcats, who needed just six to score nine runs.
Drew Robinson (0-7) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing four runs on two hits in 3 2/3 innings in the start.
Davidson and N.C. Central will conclude the weekend series with a 2 p.m. game tomorrow at the Durham Athletic Park.