The Citadel 6, College of Charleston 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? Bryan Altman roped a bases-loaded double to key a five-run eighth inning as The Citadel rallied to steal the final game of the Southern Conference series against College of Charleston 6-3 Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point. The loss snaps the Cougars’ seven-game winning streak and drops their overall record to 35-13 and 19-8 in the league.
Charleston opened the scoring in the third inning as senior 2B Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) ripped a triple down the right-field line and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by junior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando). The Citadel (30-19, 18-6 SoCon) tied the game in the top of the sixth on a RBI single to left by Matt Simonelli that plated William Ladd, who led of the frame with a double down the left-field line.
The Cougars pulled ahead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs to take a 3-1 lead. Junior C Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) drew a leadoff walk and sophomore LF Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) hit into a fielder’s choice with Kral taken out at second. Senior 1B Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC) then deposited a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for his 13th round-tripper of the season and a two-run cushion. Rodriguez would finish the game 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 14 games.
The Citadel surged ahead with the five-run eighth, using four hits and one error to manufacture the runs. Ladd led off the frame with a single to third and advanced two bases on a throwing error by sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage). Nick Orvin reached on an infield single to third and Brad Felder was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Altman then laced a 0-1 pitch to deep right center, clearing the bases and advancing to third on the throw for a 4-3 Bulldog lead. Justin Mackert drew a five-pitch walk and stole second to put runners at second and third for David Greene, who hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Altman. Kyle Jordan kept thing rolling for The Citadel with a RBI single through the left side, scoring Mackert for the 6-3 lead.
Sophomore RHP David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif./Los Lomas) took the loss for Charleston, his first since March 12 against Samford, to fall to 7-3. Peterson tossed 7-1/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Blake and Bergman each had two hits for the Cougars.
Michael Clevinger picked up the win in relief for The Citadel, tossing three shutout innings and scattering two hits and fanning two. The Cougars touched Bulldog starter Austin Pritcher for three runs and five hits in six innings. Altman, Jordan and Ladd each had two hits for The Citadel.
Charleston returns to action Tuesday evening with a non-conference game against USC Upstate at Patriots Point. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
Samford 13, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 13-0 by Samford on Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. Despite the loss, the Terriers won the weekend series over the Bulldogs.
Wofford is 16-31 on the season and 9-15 in the Southern Conference. Samford is 26-20 overall and 14-9 in the conference. The Terriers were limited to only five hits on the day, two of which were by Matt Moore. The Bulldogs had 14 hits and were led by Michael Johnson with three hits and two RBIs.
Samford got on the board in the top of the second with a double by Wayne Miller that scored two runs. After a scoreless third, the Bulldogs were able to add six runs in the top of the fourth inning. Trey Hayes led-off with a home run to left center. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. A single by Wayne Miller drove in one run. After a pitching change, Mason Meredeth walked with the bases loaded to score a run to make it 5-0. A single up the middle by David Schulze scored two more runs and an RBI single by Bo Smith made it 8-0 before a double-play ended the inning.
The Terriers loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth on two walks and a single by David Roney with one out, however two strikeouts left all three runners stranded at the end of the inning.
Neither team scored in the fifth or sixth innings. In the bottom of the seventh, the Terriers opened with two outs. However after Matt Moore, James Foster and Alex Lee walked, the bases were loaded. A ground-out ended the inning with all three still on base.
In the top of the eighth, the Bulldogs added four runs on four hits, including a two RBI single by Michael Johnson to make it a 12-0 game. After the Terriers were retired in order in the bottom of the eighth, Samford added a run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Marcus Rodriguez for a 13-0 lead. Wofford had two hits in the bottom of the ninth, but a play at the plate was the final out of the game.
For the Terriers, John Cornely (3-7) started and went three innings and gave up seven runs on six hits with three strikeouts. J.D. Osborne threw 4.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Brandon Yarusi went two-thirds of an inning with four runs and four hits allowed, while Alex Wilson threw the ninth and allowed one run on one hit.
Samford starter Josh Martin (4-5) threw 6.2 innings with three hits allowed and four strikeouts. Andrew Jones went 1.1 innings without a hit allowed and Lex Rutledge allowed two hits in the ninth with two strikeouts.
The Terriers will travel to Columbia on Tuesday to face South Carolina at 7:00 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on Fox Sports South. 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.
Elon 13, Appalachian State 3
ELON, N.C. -- Mike Melillo's three-run homer in the fifth moved the senior into a tie for Elon's all-time home run lead with 37 career dingers to help lead the Phoenix to a 13-3 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers to complete a three-game sweep.
Elon (34-18, 17-10 SoCon) got on the board first, scoring four times in the second inning. Matt Hinson and Ryan Adams drew back-to-back walks to start the at bat before a Scott Riddle single loaded the bases. With one out, Justin Hilt drew a five-pitch walk to force Hinson home with the first run. On the next pitch, Harry Austin laced a single through the right side of the infield to drive home both Adams and Riddle. With runners on the corners, Niko Fraser grounded out to third, but Hilt scored on the play with run number four.
ASU's (31-12-1, 11-11-1) David Towarnicky made it a 4-1 game in the fourth when he led off the inning with his seventh homer of the year over the wall in left. Jack Myers followed with a single to center before moving to second when Hector Crespo was hit by a pitch. After Doug Jones was struck out looking at a pitch over the outside corner, Ryan Stetson rolled into a 4-3 double play to end the inning.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fifth, Elon looked like it would escape the inning unscathed when Myers grounded a ball to short, but Neal Pritchard booted the ball allowing Tyler Zupcic to score to make it 4-2. The Phoenix got out of it without any further damage when Crespo grounded into a fielder's choice.
Austin began the Phoenix fifth with a walk before Fraser sent a single to right. Melillo greeted new Mountaineer pitcher Will Helms by lining a 1-0 pitch over the wall down the left field line for a three-run blast that made it 7-2. The shot evened the Elon career record for homers at 37 originally set by Scott Brendle between 1996-99. With two outs, Adams drew his second walk of the contest before ASU made another pitching change. Riddle hit a ground ball to third that should have ended the inning, but the throw to first was in the dirt and Riddle was safe. Ben Scott's bloop single to shallow center scored Adams. On the play, the throw to third sailed high and Riddle raced home to make it a 9-2 Phoenix advantage.
ASU got another in the sixth when Zupcic scored from first as Wes Hobson's single to right was misplayed.
Elon's lead was extended to 10-3 in the eighth when Hilt hit his ninth homer of the year just to the left of the scoreboard in left-center to begin the at bat. Austin reached after being hit by a pitch and then went to third on a Fraser double. With one out, Pritchard was intentionally walked to load the bases. Grant McCoury made the Mountaineers pay with a two-RBI double to left that plated both Austin and Fraser to make it a 12-3 game. After Chris Bresnahan walked to fill the bags again, pinch-hitter Matt Kirchner sent a ball to deep right for a sacrifice fly that allowed Pritchard to come home from third.
Ken Ferrer earned a decision in his 11th consecutive outing as picked up the win to improve to 8-5 on the year. The victory was also the 21st of the junior's career, moving him into a tie for 10th on the program's career wins chart. Ferrer allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits in 5.2 innings.
ASU's Nathan Hyatt took the loss, falling to 2-2, after surrendering six runs on four hits in four innings on the mound.
Fraser scored two runs and drove in another with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate for Elon. Austin (2-for-3, two runs, two RBI) had the only other multi-hit outing. Melillo (three RBI), McCoury (two) and Hilt (two) all had multiple RBI games.
Hobson had the lone multi-hit day for the Mountaineers, posting a 2-for-5 day at the plate. ASU struggled with runners in scoring position all day, going just 1-for-14 in those situations. The Mountaineers left 11 runners on base.
The Phoenix will return to the diamond on Tuesday evening to host the East Carolina Pirates at 7 p.m. from Latham Park.
Western Carolina 8, Furman 7
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Matt Johns belted a solo home run in the opening frame to lead five Catamounts with multi-hit games as Western Carolina led from start to finish and held off a late innings rally by the Paladins to take the second game of the three-game series, 8-7, over Furman Sunday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
The win gives WCU (28-16-1, 11-11-1 SoCon) the series victory over Furman, which scored four runs in the final two innings to pull to within one in the ninth. The two squads will complete the three-game SoCon set on Monday afternoon with first pitch at 3:00 pm in Cullowhee.
Matt Benedict (7-1) picked up his team-leading seventh win of the season after tossing six solid innings, scattering three runs on four base hits. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native countered three walks with four strikeouts in the winning effort. Kyle Stewart struck out two in an inning of work, picking up his first career save after coming on in a two-on, two-out jam in the ninth inning.
Johns finished 3-for-5 with the solo homer that handed Western Carolina and early, 1-0, lead. He was joined with multiple hits by sophomore Ross Heffley who was also 3-for-5 with a double, while senior Dylan de Graaf finished 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring three runs. The Cumming, Ga., native also swiped two bags to give him a team-leading 26 stolen bases on the season.
Junior Austin Schultz drove in three on a 2-for-4 performance with freshman Bryant Noteboom legging out his first career double as a part of a 2-for-4 outing.
Following Johns’ go-head home run, the Catamounts added another solo run in the home portion of the second inning as de Graaf drew a two-out walk and then promptly stole second to put him into scoring position. Schultz singled through the left side to plate his first RBI of the day.
Back-to-back doubles by Noteboom and de Graaf opened a three-run fourth inning for the Catamounts as WCU stretched its lead to 5-0. A hit batsman and bunt single by Johns loaded the bases ahead of Tyler Kirkpatrick who drove in a run with a walk. The third run crossed the plate as Furman turned a double-play along the infield, conceding the run to get the two outs.
The Paladins (13-31, 5-18 SoCon) answered in the top of the fifth with two runs to trim the deficit to three. With runners at second and third, Will Owens drew a two-out walk with the fourth ball getting away from catcher Ollie Goulder allowing Will Miller to scamper home on the wild pitch. The next batter, Aaron Thompkins, drove in the second run on an RBI single up the middle to make it 5-2.
Furman would close the gap to two, 5-3, with a run in the top of the sixth that was answered by the Catamounts in the home half of the frame on a RBI triple to right center by Trevor Collias.
Western Carolina added a pair of insurance runs in the home half of the seventh as Schultz singled to left center to drive in both pinch runner Cameron Dullnig and de Graaf, handing the Catamounts an 8-3 advantage. However, Furman rallied with three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth but stranding a pair of runners in each frame.
In the eighth, J.B. Jenkins belted a two-run home run to left center as a part of three-consecutive extra base hits by the Paladins to open the frame. Will Muzika also singled home a run to close the gap to two, 8-6, before Andrew Chilcoat summonsed from the bullpen to record the final out and stranding a pair of Furman runners.
An inning later, the Paladins pulled to within one after Reese Wade reached on an infield throwing error and scored on a single to deep left by Jenkins, who finished with a game-high four RBI, on the second pitch from Stewart who was called on from the pen. Stewart then settled down, fanning back-to-back hitters ? one swinging, the second looking ? before getting Owens to fly out to right to end the threat.
Furman starter Ian Parry (3-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing six earned runs on 11 hits in six innings of work, walking four against four strikeouts. Kevin Gottlieb held WCU to two runs, only one of which was earned, on just three hits in two innings in relief.
In addition to Jenkins’ 2-for-5 showing, Cameron Allmendinger posted a 2-for-3 day while Brian Harrison had a double as a part of a 2-for-4 performance.
Georgia Southern 10, Alcorn State 7
Georgia Southern 11, Alcorn State 8
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Behind two home runs from junior Shawn Payne, Georgia Southern took game one of a doubleheader from Alcorn State, 10-7, and game two, 11-8, Sunday afternoon (May 9) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Braves took an early lead in both contests, but the Eagles battled back to secure the doubleheader sweep. The wins pushed GS to 28-19 on the season, while Alcorn State dropped to 23-23.
Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) received the win in game one improving to 7-3 on the year. Brave starter Collin Armold was charged with the loss throwing five innings, allowing seven runs on 10 hits. Game two was picked up by Eagle starter Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.), who moved his mark to 5-2 on the season. Steve Easter drew the loss, while closer Dexter Bobo (Cumming, Ga.) recorded his eighth save of the season.
Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.), Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) and A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) each posted two hits apiece in game one. Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) went 3-for-5 in game two, while Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) went 2-for-5.
Game One
After two scoreless innings, an infield RBI single from Blackburn put the first run on the board as GS took a 1-0 lead in the third. Jake Ware (Statesboro, Ga.), earning his second start of the season, led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a successful hit-and-run by Bowles to set up Blackburn’s RBI hit.
But the Braves plated three in the fourth to take a two-run lead, 3-1. David Reed opened with a double to right field before Jake Brown (Forest Hill, Md.) forced two pop ups for two outs. But an Edgar Alvarez single to left tied the ballgame before a Cole Vicars two-run RBI triple to right gave Alcorn State its first advantage.
A two-run fifth inning extended the Braves’ lead to 5-1. A pair of RBI singles from Reed and Alvin Jackson plated two runs for Alcorn State.
Leading off the bottom of the fifth, Payne reached on a walk and picked up two stolen bases thereafter allowing the junior to score on a sacrifice fly from Bowles. Following Blackburn’s second infield single of the contest, Phillips doubled to left center to bring the tying run to the plate in Wirnsberger. The senior drove a full count pitch up the middle scoring both Blackburn and Phillips as the Eagles cut their deficit down to one run, 5-4. Arthur Owens (Fayetteville, Ga.) tied the contest using a double down the right field line that scored Wirnsberger from first for a 5-5 contest.
Payne roped a home run to centerfield in the sixth to return the lead back to Georgia Southern, 7-5. Ware walked to leadoff and Payne cleared the bases launching a 1-0 pitch to deep center.
A Brave run in the seventh tightened the ballgame. With two outs and a runner on third, Moye struck out Alvarez swinging, but a throwing error from Randy J. Williams (Valdosta, Ga.) to first allowed Alvarez to reach first and the run to score. Williams took the run back with an RBI single the bottom half of the frame before Payne launched his second home run of the game two batters later. Payne’s two-run shot to left field gave the Eagles a 10-6 lead.
The Braves added their last run in the ninth using an RBI single up the middle from Alvarez. Charles Matthews (Athens, Ga.) closed out the contest working the ninth for the final 10-7 margin.
Game Two
Alcorn State sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring three runs on five hits to take a 3-0 lead. But Georgia Southern scored a run in each of the first three innings to tie the contest 3-3. In the home half of the first inning, Payne opened with a double to left center and moved to third on a Bowles groundout. With two outs, Phillips lined a single up the middle to put the Eagles on board, 3-1.
GS cut the score to 3-2 adding a run in the second. The first two Eagles reached as Burruss doubled down the left field line and Steve Cochrane (Mooresville, N.C.) drew a walk. Owens laid down a sacrifice bunt moving both runners a base allowing Payne’s groundout to plate Burruss from third.
Two hits in the third tied the contest at 3-apiece as Blackburn doubled down the left field line to leadoff. Phillips bunt singled to follow and Blackburn scored two batters later on a Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) fielder’s choice.
Alvarez was caught stealing in the fourth inning, but in the run-down, Jackson scored from third as Alcorn State retook a 4-3 advantage. But the Eagles loaded the bases on the first three batters using an error, single and hit batsman in the bottom half. Bowles drove in the tying run with a single to right field. With two outs, Wirnsberger handed GS its first lead of the game lining a 3-2 pitch through the left side scoring two runners.
Rodney Warren cut the score to 6-5 with a solo shot in the fifth to left center. A pair of wild pitches in the sixth cushioned the Eagles’ advantage, 7-5, as Payne scored. But in the seventh, Warren homered for the second time with another solo shot to left field bringing the Braves to within one run.
The Eagles picked up four insurance runs with bases loaded in the eighth. Reliever Nick Carson walked in a run issuing a free pass to Roache on a full count. A triple steal followed with Phillips swiping home to score. Burruss then roped a double to left center that cleared the runners and pushed the score to 11-6.
GS’s insurance runs proved critical when Kenny Rowan lifted a two-run home run to left center in the ninth. Bobo recorded the save working the final 1.1 innings, allowing the two runs on two hits.
Due to the travel schedule for Alcorn State, the final game of the three-game series has been moved up to a 2 p.m. start on Monday, May 10, instead of the original 6 p.m. scheduled start. All tickets purchased for the 6 p.m. game will be honored at 2 p.m.