Georgia Southern 12, Charleston Southern 7
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Colin Snow threw 5.1 innings en route to a 12-7 victory over Charleston Southern Tuesday evening (May 11) at J.I. Clements Stadium. Head coach Rodney Hennon recorded his 400th win at Georgia Southern as the Eagles improved to 30-19 overall. CSU fell to 17-30 with the loss.
In his 11th year at the helm of the program, Hennon has led the Eagles to at least 30-win campaigns every season with GS picking up its 30th win of 2010 against CSU. Tonight GS was led by Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) who went 3-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored. Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Eagle starter Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.) picked up the win, improving to 2-2 with 5.1 IP, allowing six runs on 10 hits, while striking out four. Jesse Cadenhead was charged with the loss after working only 3.2 innings, surrendering seven runs (five earned) on nine hits.
Helping himself gain the early lead, Charleston Southern’s Cadenhead handed the Buccaneers a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo shot to left center. But the Eagles took the run back and added an extra four for a 5-1 lead in the home half of the frame.
Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) reached second on a two-base throwing error from the third baseman before Burruss singled to left field. Arthur Owens (Fayetteville, Ga.) tied the contest with an RBI groundout before Randy J. Williams (Valdosta, Ga.) pushed GS in front 2-1 with a single to center. Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) drew a walk before Bowles roped his second collegiate triple to right center for two runs and a 4-1 advantage. Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) drove in the fifth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat. The Eagles completed the inning sending nine batters to the plate, collecting three hits and five runs on one error.
A solo home run from Drew Woodall in the third pushed the score to 5-2. A pair of singles followed the home run, but Snow worked out of the jam unscathed. An RBI double from Blackburn to right center was followed with an RBI single from A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) as the Eagles took a 7-2 lead in the fourth.
The fifth inning witnessed an RBI groundout from Bowles for an 8-2 lead, but a two-run home run from Nick Chinners in the sixth set the score at 8-4. A two-run Walt Quattlebaum single up the middle cut the score even further as CSU came to within two at 8-6.
Georgia Southern notched a run back on an RBI double from Burruss in the sixth and added a trio of insurance runs in the eighth on two outs. The Eagles used a double from Roache and singles from Burruss and Wiliams for a six run lead, 12-6.
CSU closed out the contest putting up a run in the ninth with the fourth home run of the contest from pinch-hitter Derek Smith.
Georgia Southern returns to Southern Conference action with a three-game series at Davidson, May 13-15. The series begins with a 6 p.m. first pitch on Thursday followed by 4 p.m. and 12 p.m. first pitches on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
College of Charleston 20, USC Upstate 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? Sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) went 5-for-5 with three doubles and two home runs to propel College of Charleston to a 20-3 victory over USC Upstate Tuesday evening at Patriots Point. The 14 total bases for Leeds sets a program single-game mark, while his three doubles equals the Cougars’ single-game record.
Leeds also became the first Cougar to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a single game since Shawn Lopez achieved the feat on March 27, 1994. His second-inning blast came right-handed off Upstate starter Austin Moyer, while his two-run shot in the fourth was left-handed off reliever Chris Knauff. Leeds broke the single-game total bases mark of 13 set by Lee Curtis against Virginia Military Institute on May 12, 2002 and tied the doubles record held by eight Cougars, most recently Austin Morgan on May 2, 2009.
Charleston (36-13) opened the game with a five-run first inning to set the tone for the evening. Sophomore RF Thomas Brittle (Cross, S.C./Berkeley) reached on a fielding error by Upstate 2B Joe Barnes and advanced to third on a single to right by junior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando). A sacrifice fly to left by senior 2B Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) brought home Brittle and a RBI double to right by Leeds scored Rakar for a 2-0 lead. Sophomore LF Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) drilled a 0-1 pitch over the wall in left for a two-run home run, his 12th of the season and one batter later, senior 1B Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC) connected on a 2-2 pitch to right, his 14th round-tripper of the year.
The Cougars continued to hammer Upstate starter Austin Moyer in the second frame, scoring three runs on a RBI double by Bergman and Leeds’ two-run blast to right center. Upstate (16-34) plated a pair of runs in the top of the third on a two-run homer to left by Jimmy Tanner to cut the Charleston lead to 8-2.
A RBI double by Rakar and Leeds’ second two-run homer of the evening plated three runs for the Cougars in the fourth to increase the lead to 11-2. The two team traded single runs in the following two innings, Upstate scoring on a solo home run by Brian Dempsey in the fifth and Charleston plating a run in the sixth on a RBI single by Rodriguez.
CofC closed the door for good in the seventh, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs for the 20-3 final score. With the bases loaded, Rakar roped a three-run double down the right-field line and after Bergman walked, Leeds drove home Rakar with a RBI double to left. A sacrifice fly by Blake plated another run and junior DH Kolby Epley (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush) blasted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left for a three-run shot to close the offensive barrage.
Charleston pounded out 19 hits, 11 for extra bases, on the night. Brittle, Rakar and Rodriguez each had three hits, while Rakar added four RBI and Brittle scored four times. Junior starter Josh Salay (Rock Hill, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) earned his second win of the season, scattering four hits over five innings and allowing three runs with five strikeouts. Three Charleston relievers combined to shutout the Spartans over the last four innings, holding them to one ninth-inning single along the way.
Moyer took the loss for Upstate, allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on nine hits in 3.1 innings.
Charleston returns to action Wednesday evening with a non-conference game against North Carolina in Chapel Hill. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
East Carolina 7, Elon 4
ELON, N.C. -- The Elon Phoenix left 12 runners on base and went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position in a 7-4 loss to the East Carolina Pirates from Latham Park on Tuesday night. The loss dropped Elon to 34-19 on the year while East Carolina improved its mark to 28-21 this season.
Facing a full count, Trent Whitehead led off the game by hitting his third home run of the season over the wall in left-center to quickly put the Pirates on top.
Devin Harris started the ECU second with a double to right-center and then went to third on a one-out ground out. Cameron Freeman made it a 2-0 game with a double down the left field line. After Chris Gosik was hit by a pitch, Whitehead singled through the left side to plate Freeman.
Elon got on the board in the second. Neal Pritchard led off with a single, went to second on a walk to Matt Hinson before Ryan Adams lined a single to left to drive Pritchard home to make it a 3-1 game.
Freeman was plunked to start the top of the fourth and then stole second before going to third on a Gosik bunt single. Whitehead drove home his third run of the game with a single to center as the Pirate lead stretched to 4-1. After a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, Kyle Roller singled through the right side to score Gosik and leave runners on the corners. John Wooten followed with a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Harris who grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
The Phoenix got two back in the fifth when Pritchard belted a no-doubt bomb to left-center with two outs that also brought home Mike Melillo who had walked. It was his 10th homer of the year.
In the top of the sixth, Gosik doubled and went to third on a ground out before trotting home on a Corey Thompson sacrifice fly.
With two down in the bottom of the eighth, Harry Austin doubled to the gap in right-center and then scored on Niko Fraser's single to center as the Phoenix trimmed its deficit to two runs at 6-4.
East Carolina got that run back in the ninth when Harris' two-out single to left allowed Thompson to score from second after he was hit by a pitch and advanced on a passed ball.
Jared Kernodle (6-3) took the loss after he allowed five runs on seven hits in just three innings. He also struck out six for the second consecutive outing. Four Elon relievers ? J.D. Reichenbach, Jim Stokes, Kyle Webb and Thomas Girdwood ? combined to allow two runs (one earned) on six hits over the final six innings.
Zach Woods (7-3) was the first of 10 pitchers used on a designated staff night for the Pirates. Woods threw a perfect first inning to pick up the victory.
At the plate, Pritchard finished the night 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI while Austin also posted a 2-for-4 performance, scoring once.
Whitehead led ECU at the dish, going 3-for-5 with a homer, one run and three RBI. Harris finished the game 3-for-5 with a double, run and RBI.
Elon will break for exams before concluding the regular season with a three-game Southern Conference series with the Samford Bulldogs. The set will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19.
#7 South Carolina 17, Wofford 4
COLUMBIA, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 17-4 by South Carolina on Tuesday night at Carolina Stadium. A 1-0 game through three innings, the Gamecocks scored six runs in the fourth inning and added seven in the seventh on the way to the victory.
Wofford moves to 16-32 on the season. South Carolina improves to 37-11 overall and is ranked seventh in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. Matt Moore led the Terriers with two hits. The Gamecocks were led by Jackie Bradley, Jr. with three hits and four RBIs on the night.
The Gamecocks took an early lead when Parker Bangs hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Jackie Bradley, Jr. in the bottom of the first. Both teams left one runner on base in the second inning and in the third inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Gamecocks loaded the bases on a single and two walks with one out. Whit Merrifield was hit by a pitch that allowed one run to score. An infield single by Jackie Bradley, Jr. added another run for a 3-0 lead. Christian Walker was hit by pitch with the bases still loaded to score a run. A single to right field by Parker Bangs drove in two runs and Adrian Morales drove in another run for the Gamecocks as they took a 7-0 advantage at the end of the fourth inning.
With two on and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Jackie Bradley, Jr. hit a home run to left center to give the Gamecocks a 10-0 lead. Neither team scored in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, the Terriers had two runners reach base on walks but both were stranded.
South Carolina added a run on a ground-out by Christian Walker in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded, Robert Beary and Richard Royal added RBI singles to make it a 13-0 game. Nick Ebert then hit a grand slam home run to left center field for a 17-0 lead.
The Terriers had their first hit of the night in the top of the seventh on a lead-off single to right field by Matt Moore, which was followed by a single from James Foster and a walk by Alex Lee to load the bases. A fielder’s choice by Kyle Behrendt drove in Moore to score the first run for Wofford. Landon Bennett and Konstantine Diamaduros both added RBI singles for a 17-3 score. With two out, Josh McKinney added a single to left center to score a fourth run.
Wofford added one more hit by Matt Moore in the top of the ninth, but a double play ended the game with a 17-4 final score.
For the Terriers, Cash Collins (1-2) went the first three innings and allowed three hits and one run with one strikeout. Ryan Traylor threw a third of an inning and allowed six runs on four hits. Pete Noordsy went 2.2 innings with three runs allowed on three hits with two strikeouts. Alex Wilson threw a third of an inning and allowed one hit and four runs scored. Anthony Rowland went the next two-thirds of an inning with three hits and three runs allowed with one strikeout. Drew Sheridan had two strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth to close the game.
South Carolina starter Nolan Belcher (3-0) threw five innings without allowing a hit and striking out four. Jimmy Revan went two innings without a hit allowed and one strikeout. Alex Burrell threw the final two innings and allowed six hits and four runs with one strikeout.
For the Terriers, the game marked the first game in a stretch of five games in six days. On Wednesday, Wofford hosts Duke at Russell C. King Field at 2:00 p.m. in the final mid-week game of the regular season. The Terriers will play at Furman to begin a three-game series on Friday night.
#22 Clemson 12, Furman 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. ? Wilson Boyd’s grand slam home run highlighted a seven-run fifth inning that helped propel 22nd-ranked Clemson to a 12-1 victory over Furman in baseball action Tuesday evening at Fluor Field.
Boyd’s blast, which bounced off the left field foul pole 310-feet from home plate, was sandwiched between a Jeff Schaus two-run home run and a Mike Freeman RBI double, which combined to give Clemson (32-17) a 10-1 lead.
Freeman went 4-for-5 to pace Clemson’s 14-hit performance that also featured a solo home run by John Hinson, who went 3-for-6 and drove in three RBI. Boyd finished with a game-high five RBI.
Clemson starting pitcher Scott Firth (1-1) allowed a first inning run but settled down to go six solid innings and earn the victory. He allowed six hits and a walk while striking out four.
Barry Benton (0-5) was charged with the loss for Furman (13-33), which dropped its eighth straight contest.
The Tigers tied the game at 1-1 on a Boyd RBI grounder and went ahead for good in the third, plating two runs on a Hinson RBI single through the right side.
It remained 3-1 unitl the fifth when the Tigers exploded for seven runs on seven hits. Freeman opened the frame with a single and Schaus followed with a two-run round tripper over the right field fence to make it 5-1. The Tigers continued the onslaught with three straight singles to load the bases ahead of Boyd, who sliced a line drive pitch by Paladin reliever Bobby Lyne down the left field line and off the pole for the grand slam and a 9-1 lead.
The Tigers finished the decisive frame with a Freeman’s RBI double, which scored Lamb.
Furman opens a three-game Southern Conference series against Wofford on Friday at Latham Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
Mercer 5, The Citadel 0
Charleston, S.C. - Eight different Mercer pitchers combined to hand The Citadel their first shutout loss at home since 2005 by a final of 5-0 on Tuesday night at Riley Park.
The Citadel (30-20) scattered five hits over nine innings, but could not string anything together all night against a rotating door of pitchers used by Mercer (29-20). The Bears, who had not played a game since May 1, used a predetermined split coming into the game with their pitching staff and kept Bulldog hitters off balance all night. The Bears have now won nine of their last ten games, while the Bulldogs dropped their fifth contest in their last seven games.
The last time The Citadel was shutout at home came back on April 26, 2005 against East Carolina. The Pirates blanked the Bulldogs, 3-0 at Riley Park.
Nick Orvin (Moncks Corner, S.C.) started the game off on the right foot with a bloop single that dropped into center to leadoff for the Bulldogs, but Mercer starting pitcher Matt McCall retired the remaining three Bulldogs to smother the threat.
Mercer scored off Bulldog start TJ Clarkson (Coral Springs, Fla.) in the top of the second as Thomas Carroll led the inning off with a walk and moved to third on a base hit by Michael Langley. Nick DiMauro then sacrificed up the first base line to score Carroll and advance Langley to third to put the Bears up, 1-0.
The Bears would manufacture another run in the third as Billy Burns reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by Jacob Tanis to make it 2-0. A solo homer by John Moreland in the fifth would make it 3-0 and chase Clarkson (1-4) from the game, who went 4.0 innings, allowing five three runs, two walks and one strikeout.
Matt Reifsnider (Ormond Beach, Fla.) came on in relief for 2.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, one earned run, no walks and a strikeout. Chris Boyce (Simpsonville, S.C.) closed out the game for the Bulldogs, going 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out one.
A solo homer by Carroll off Reifsnider in the sixth would make it 4-0 and Moreland would come around to score in the seventh for the final Bears run when he reached on an error by Kyle Jordan (Goose Creek, S.C.) at shortstop, advanced to second on a sac bunt and scored on an RBI double by Tyler McCarty.
Mercer scored all five of their runs in separate innings, but did enough to allow their pitching staff to handcuff the Bulldog offense. David Randall (5-4) picked up the win for the Bears by pitching a scoreless second inning. Moreland went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI while Evan Boyd went 2-for-3.
Orvin went 2-for-3 with a walk for the Bulldogs. Jordan, Bryan Altman (Summerville, S.C.) and Matt Simonelli (Orlando, Fla.) were the only other Cadets to get a hit in the contest.
The Citadel travels to USC Upstate on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Harley Park.