The Citadel 7, Georgia Southern 2 (Resumption of Game 2)
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Resuming the game after a weather delay Friday night, The Citadel completed a game two 7-2 win over Georgia Southern Saturday afternoon (May 22) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles dropped to 34-21 overall and 19-10 in Southern Conference play, while the Bulldogs claimed the 2010 Southern Conference regular season title with the win and improved to 37-20, 23-6.
Matt Talley recorded the win throwing seven innings, allowing the only two GS runs on five hits. Raymond Copenhaver entered in relief and tossed the final two innings, holding the Eagles scoreless and hitless, striking out two. Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) drew the loss after five innings of work. Moye allowed six runs on eight hits with Trent Franzago (Byron, Ga.) closing the game logging the final four innings. The redshirt-sophomore surrendered only one run on two hits in 14 batters faced.
Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) went 2-for-4, while Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.), A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) collected the remaining three Eagle hits. Meanwhile, four Bulldogs posted two hits apiece with Bryan Altman launching two home runs.
Back-to-back solo home runs in the second from Altman and Justin Mackert, both to left center field, put The Citadel on top, 2-0. But GS cut the score in half in the home half of the frame using a sacrifice fly from Burruss. Phillips singled through the left side to leadoff and stole second and third enabling the sophomore to score on the flyout.
The Bulldogs pushed their lead back to three runs picking up a run in the third using a pair of doubles from Brad Felder and Matt Simonelli. Moye sat the next four down in order but a Grant Richards solo shot just fair of the left field foul pole cushioned the lead to 4-1.
Altman then gave The Citadel a 6-1 lead in the sixth inning with a two-run home run to left field.
The conference foes traded single runs in the seventh frame. For the Bulldogs, Nick Orvin singled to center and was driven in on a Simonelli base hit up the middle. Phillips opened the home half taking a free pass and stole second. Wirnsberger moved Phillips to third with a single through the left side and Burruss picked up the RBI with a single to left. With runners on first and third, Copenhaver ended the threat with a strikeout before the rain started to fall and the game was forced into a weather delay.
The game resumed Saturday afternoon with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Both relievers returned to the contest with Copenhaver and Franzago sitting down their opponents in order to close the game. Franzago struck out four of the last six batters faced.
The Citadel 5, Georgia Southern 2
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Senior Kyle Blackburn took the ball deep twice in the final regular season contest of 2010, but Georgia Southern fell 5-2 to The Citadel Saturday afternoon (May 22) at J.I. Clements Stadium. It was only the second series sweep for the Bulldogs over the Eagles, who dropped to 34-22 this season and 19-11 in Southern Conference play. The Citadel finished the regular season, 38-30 and 24-6.
Both starters were of record in the contest with Michael Clevinger credited with the win. Clevinger threw six innings, allowing only one run on five hits. The Citadel used two relief pitchers to close the game with Drew Mahaffey picking up his seventh save.
Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) was charged with the loss after seven innings of work. Murray logged seven innings of work, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) and Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) both posted two hits apiece. Nick Orvin was 3-for-5 and Justin Mackert was 2-for-3 with a home run.
Both starters came out on top of their games as both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings. The Citadel took a 3-0 lead in the fourth putting together its first run on a Brad Felder single and Matt Simonelli double to right. A Bryan Altman sacrifice fly drove Simonelli in for the second run before Mackert homered for the third time this series.
Blackburn made his last home game at J.I. Clements Stadium memorable with his first home run coming as a solo shot in the fourth to right center. Blackburn cut the score to 3-1 with the home run.
The Bulldogs pushed a run across in the sixth using two singles from Orvin and Altman. Another Bulldog run in the eighth made the score 5-1. The Citadel loaded the bases on an Eagle error, single and base on balls. Colin Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.), who entered in the top of the frame, recorded the second out forcing Altman to foul out to the catcher, but hit Mackert in the next at-bat, allowing William Ladd to score, unearned.
Blackburn’s second home run occurred in the home half of the eighth. The senior drove a 2-2 pitch to deep right field for a 5-2 ballgame.
Dexter Bobo (Cumming, Ga.) entered in the ninth and quickly picked up two outs with a runner caught stealing at second. Bobo ended a two out threat from The Citadel striking out Felder.
Georgia Southern put two on in the bottom of the ninth and with two outs, Blackburn approached the plate. The senior drove a ball to deep left field, but came up a foot shy of tying the game as Ladd caught it at the wall for the final out of the contest.
With the regular season concluded, Georgia Southern has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament to be played, May 26-30 in Charleston, S.C. The Eagles will face No. 6 Western Carolina at 1 p.m. at Riley Park.
No. 1 seed The Citadel will host No. 8 seed Furman Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Western Carolina 11, Davidson 2
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Western Carolina used a strong hitting day and finished ?Senior Day’ on top as the Catamounts swept Davidson with an 11-2 victory at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Catamounts (34-19-1, 16-13-1 SoCon) used seven extra-base hits to out-slug the Wildcats (19-32, 5-25 SoCon), 13-to-8, and extended their win streak over Davidson to 13 games. Western Carolina will now look forward to the Bennett Hofford Southern Conference Baseball Championships presented by the Carolina Ford Dealers next Wednesday, May 26. WCU will be the No. 6 seed in the tournament and play No. 3 seeded Georgia Southern at 1 pm.
WCU seniors played a pivotal role as Tyler Kirkpatrick, Trevor Collias, Russell Robertson and Dylan de Graaf all recorded hits in the contest.
Collias hit 2-for-4 on Saturday afternoon with a double, home run and four RBIs, while Ross Heffley led the hit parade with 3-for-5 performance, two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs.
Kyle Stewart (2-2) tied a career-high 10 strikeouts and held Davidson scoreless with just five hits in six innings pitched in the victory. The 10 batters fanned by Stewart tied a previous career-high set on March 27 when he retired the same number against the College of Charleston.
Seniors Jason Sullivan and Daniel Ottone tossed the next two innings, giving up just two combined hits. Kirkpatrick came in the ninth inning to close the door, facing four batters and allowing just one run.
In the second inning, Tyler Kirkpatrick led off with a single setting up Trevor Collias’ 14th homer of the season to left field giving the Catamounts the 2-0 advantage.
Ross Heffley fired a double to left field in the third, allowing Matt Johns and de Graaf to score increasing WCU’s lead to four.
Robertson, a senior from Eden, N.C., added the Catamounts’ fifth run with a double to right center as Cameron Dulling rounded the bases.
Heffley plated his second double of the contest in the fifth, driving in Johns to extend Western Carolina’s lead to 6-0. Cameron Dullnig etched his second triple of the season to right field, driving in two more Catamount runs to give WCU an 8-0 cushion.
A Collias double to left field in the second drove in Kirkpatrick and Heffley once again to give the Catamounts the 10-0 advantage.
Davidson broke the scoreless funk as Seth Freeman scored from a Drew Gadaire double to left field.
Collias capped a strong day at the plate with his team-leading 14th home run in the eighth. Davidson added their final run in the ninth with a Tommy Piacenza homer to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 11-2.
Starter Ryan Overcash (5-4) took the loss for Davidson, giving up six earned runs on seven hits in four innings pitched. Piacenza finished the afternoon 4-for-4 with a homerun, double, a run scored and a RBI.
The Catamounts, the No. 6 seed in the SoCon tournament, will play No. 3 Georgia Southern next Wednesday, May 27 at 1 pm. The live audio broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network will be available for all the WCU games in the tournament. For updated information on the Southern Conference Tournament, visit CatamountSports.com.
Furman 11, UNC Greensboro 6 (8 inn. - rain)
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? UNC Greensboro took a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but Furman responded with six runs in the second en route to an 11-6 victory over the Spartans in a rain-shortened game on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The game was the season finale for the Spartans who failed to qualify for the Southern Conference Tournament next weekend.
Prior to the game, seniors Corey Overholtzer and Alex Shelton were honored for their time with the Spartans over the past four seasons.
The game was called by the home plate umpire with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but per NCAA rules the game reverts back to the last completed inning, which was the eighth.
Paladin starter Bobby Lyne picked up the win as he went five innings and gave up three runs on six hits. Matt Parish was credited with the loss for the Spartans (20-33, 7-23 SoCon) after allowing six runs on six hits in one-plus innings of work.
The Spartans were led at the plate by Ray Quinones who went 2-4 with a pair of RBI, while Overholtzer added a pair of hits and an RBI in his final game as a Spartan jersey. Chris Barker had a hit and two RBI and two runs scored for UNCG as well.
Aaron Thompkins led the Paladins (19-35, 11-19 SoCon) by going 3-4 with three RBI and Brian Harrison also chipped in three RBI as he went 2-4.
UNCG got off to a good start as it pushed three runs across in the bottom of the first. Harry Slade walked to lead off the inning before advancing safely to second on a fielder’s choice by Barker. Overholtzer then hit a singled up the middle to load the bases.
After a UNCG strikeout, Quinones singled up the middle to score Slade and Barker and move Overholtzer to third. Overholtzer scored as Eric Brindle stepped to the plate and laid a bunt down the first base line for the safety squeeze to make it 3-0.
The Paladins responded in a big way, however, in the top of the second inning as they scored six runs to take a 6-3 lead. Reese Wade led things off with a single to right field before moving to third on a double by Will Miller. Paul Nitto was hit by a pitch to load the bases for J.B. Jenkins who hit a single to left field to make it 3-1.
Rob Fondu followed with an RBI single of his own before Will Owens walked to score another run and tie the game at three. Thompkins kept things going as he singled to left center to score one more run. After a Spartan pitching change, Harrison singled up the middle to score Fondu and Owens to put Furman in front, 6-3.
Slade prevented a run for the Paladins in the top of the third inning as Nitto led off with a shot to left field, but Slade jumped over the wall to pull back the would-be home run to keep the score at 6-3.
Nitto would not be denied though as he stretched the Paladins lead to 7-3 in the top of the fifth inning as he hit a home run well over the left field wall.
Furman kept the runs coming as Owens was hit by a pitch to start the sixth inning and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He scored as the next batter Harrison hit a double to right center. The Paladins made it 9-3 when Will Muzika singled to left field to score Harrison.
UNCG used a two-out rally in the bottom half of the sixth inning to score a pair of runs. Slade got things started by legging out an infield single and then scored on a double to left center that went to the wall by Barker. Overholtzer then hit a double of his own down the right field line to score Barker and pull the Spartans within, 9-5.
Fondu and Owens led off the seventh inning for the Paladins with back-to-back walks before scoring later in the inning on a two-run single up the middle by Thompkins to push their lead to 11-5.
Pinch hitter Cody Walker hit a double to left center to start the bottom of the eighth inning for UNCG and scored later in the inning on a groundout by Barker to make the final score 11-6.
The win secured the eighth seed in the SoCon Tournament next week for the Paladins.
Appalachian State 13, Wofford 4
Appalachian State 10, Wofford 3
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team ended the 2010 season with two losses to Appalachian State on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. In the first game, Appalachian State scored six runs in the eighth inning on the way to a 13-4 win. In the final game of the series, the Mountaineers scored eight runs in the second inning in a 10-3 win.
Wofford ends the season with a 17-38 overall mark and 9-21 record in the Southern Conference. Appalachian State is 35-16-1 overall and 14-14-1 in the conference. The games marked the final home contests for five Wofford seniors. The four position players all had hits on the day, led by Carson Turner with a four-of-five performance, and Jordan Mickleberry recorded a strikeout on the mound.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Mountaineers scored firs tin the top of the second on an error. Wofford took the lead in the bottom of the third when Matt Moore doubled and James Foster added a single and moved to second on an error. A sacrifice bunt by Kyle Behrendt allowed Moore to score and an RBI single by Mac Doyle scored Foster for the 2-1 lead.
The Mountaineers added two runs in the top of the fourth and two runs in the top of the fifth, including a two-run homer by David Towarnicky for a 5-2 lead. The Terriers got one run back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI ground out by James Foster. In the top of the seventh, Appalachian added two more runs on a double by Chris Alessandria for a 7-3 advantage.
In the top of the eighth, the Mountaineers exploded for six runs on six hits, which included a three-run shot by Chris Alessandria to push the lead to 13-3. Wofford was able to add one run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double by Michael McDonnell, but that was all the offense in the game for a 13-4 final score.
For the Terriers, Tom Dolinak (0-6) went 5.1 innings and allowed twelve hits and five runs with two strikeouts. Cash Collins threw 2.1 innings with four runs allowed on five hits with two strikeouts. Ryan Traylor allowed four runs on four hits in a third of an inning and Brandon Yarusi threw the ninth without allowing a hit.
Appalachian State starter Tyler Jackson (2-4) threw the first three innings with two runs allowed on five hits with two strikeouts. David Port, Zach Joyce, Nathan Hyatt, Will Helms, Taylor Miller, Michael Brogan and Kurt Frisbee combined to throw the final six innings with six hits and two runs allowed with five strikeouts.
In the second game, Wofford left two on base in the bottom of the first. Appalachian State then was able to score eight runs on four hits, one error and three walks in the top of the second inning to build an insurmountable lead. The Terriers scored a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Mac Doyle.
After neither team scored in the fourth, fifth nor sixth innings, the Mountaineers plated one run each in the seventh and eighth innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Mac Doyle had an RBI triple and David Roney added a sacrifice fly to score a run for the 10-3 final score. Wofford had 15 hits in the game to Appalachian State’s nine, but the Terriers stranded 15 runners in the game.
Wofford starter Gus White (2-5) lasted only one inning, giving up eight runs on four hits with three walks. Brandon Yarusi threw six innings and allowed only one run on three hits with three strikeouts. He retired eleven batters in a row at one point. J.D. Osborne threw the eighth and allowed one run on two hits, while senior Jordan Mickleberry threw the ninth and retired the side in order with one strikeout.
For the Mountaineers, starter Ryan Arrowood (7-4) went four innings and allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts. Michael Brogan went an inning without allowing a hit and Seth Grant threw three innings with six hits and no runs allowed with two strikeouts. Kurt Frisbee closed the game with three hits and two runs allowed in the bottom of the ninth.
The Terriers completed the season with several single season records set. Mac Doyle set the school mark with 75 RBIs on the season and is second with 166 total bases. Doyle also has the school record with 23 doubles in a season, extra base hits in a season (45) and is tied with six triples in a season. James Foster tied the single season record with 89 hits and Alex Lee tied the sacrifice hit mark with 13.
In addition, Kyle Behrendt leaves Wofford with the career record for doubles with 60 and he is tied for second all-time with 239 hits. He played in 201 career games, the fourth-most in school history.
College of Charleston 10, UNC Wilmington 8
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? College of Charleston raced out to a 7-0 lead after three innings and held on for a 10-8 non-conference Senior Night victory over UNC Wilmington on Saturday night at Patriots Point. The Cougars close out the regular season with a 41-15 overall record and are the #2 seed for next week’s 2010 Southern Conference Tournament at Riley Park.
The Cougars opened the game with a pair of runs in the first inning, as sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) blasted a two-run shot over the fence in left field for his 20th home run of the season. Leeds finished the game with three RBI, giving him a team-high 80 on the year.
Charleston plated five more runs in the third, using four hits and a Seahawk error to extend the lead to 7-0. Leeds led off with a four-pitch walk and senior 1B Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC) brought him home on a RBI triple to right center. Sophomore LF Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) reached on a fielding error by the UNCW first baseman and Blake scored on the play to make the score 4-0. Junior RF Baker Knox (San Mateo, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) lined a triple down the right-field line to plate Rodriguez and junior PH Kolby Epley (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush) hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Knox from third. A double by junior SS Jamie Holler (Rock Hill, S.C./USC Sumter JC) put a runner in scoring position for senior 2B Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny), who ripped a RBI single to right center for the 7-0 advantage.
UNCW chipped away scoring three runs in the fifth, a pair in the sixth and a single run in the eighth to cut the Cougars’ lead to 7-6. However, Charleston added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to gain some distance on the scoreboard. Bergman and junior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando) opened the frame with back-to-back singles and redshirt-sophomore C Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) lined a RBI single up the middle to score Bergman and advance Rakar to third. Leeds followed up with a RBI single to left, scoring Rakar and Kral cam home on a RBI fielder’s choice by Rodriguez.
The Cougars would need those insurance runs as UNCW scored twice in the top of the ninth to cut the lead to 10-8. With junior RHP Heath Hembree (Cowpens, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) on in relief, the Seahawks scored on a RBI single by Cody Stanley and a two-out, bases-loaded walk by Alex Hill, before senior RHP Tom Schiller (Rochester, N.Y./Monroe CC) came in and picked up his second save of the season, striking out Rhett Miller to end the game.
Freshman starter Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) earned his seventh win of the season, tossing five innings and allowing three runs, none earned, on five hits with three strikeouts. Blake finished the game with three hits and Leeds and Bergman chipped in two apiece. Justin Bradley took the loss for UNCW, allowing six runs on three hits with seven walks in two innings.
The Cougars open the 2010 Southern Conference Tournament Wednesday morning as the #2 seed and will face #7 seed Appalachian State in the opening round at 9:00 a.m. at Riley Park.