#18 College of Charleston 9, Jacksonville 5
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Redshirt-junior 1B Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.) snapped a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning with a three-run home run to right giving #18 College of Charleston a 9-5 victory over Jacksonville University Tuesday evening at Sessions Stadium. Rodriguez also added solo shot in the ninth to seal the win for the Cougars, who improve to 8-0 on the season, equaling the mark in 2002 for the best start in program history.
Charleston fell behind early as Jacksonville scored three first-inning runs off sophomore RHP Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C.). A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for Adam Brett Walker, who plated two runs with a single to center. A sacrifice bunt by Jimmy Howick advanced the runners and a sacrifice fly to right scored another run to give the Dolphins a 3-0 lead before the Cougars stepped to the plate.
Jacksonville took a 4-0 lead in the third as Jonathan Murphy doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a groundout and stole home on a dropped third strike as the putout was being made at first.
The Cougars started to rally back in the fourth, scoring three runs to cut the Jacksonville lead to 4-3. After senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) grounded out to open the frame, redshirt-junior DH Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) walked and junior RF Marty Gantt (North Augusta, S.C.) doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Redshirt-junior 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.) followed up with a two-run double down the left-field line and redshirt-freshman LF Daniel Aldrich (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) ripped a third straight double, this time to right, scoring Leeds from second. Jacksonville got a run back in the bottom of the frame to open a two-run lead after four innings.
A bases-loaded walk by Rodriguez in the fifth, cut the Cougars' deficit to 5-4. Redshirt-freshman C Jimmy Holton (West Palm Beach, Fla.) doubled off the left field wall to open the inning and walks by Rakar and Gantt loaded the bases. Leeds grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out, but Rodriguez fought off Jacksonville reliever Adam Maxon to draw the free pass and score Rakar.
The Cougars broke the game open in the seventh, first knotting the score at 5-5, and then taking their first lead of the game on Rodriguez's third round-tripper of the season. Rakar and Gantt both reached on fielding errors by the Jacksonville shortstop and Rakar scored from third on a wild pitch by Dolphin reliever Will Flor. Gantt moved to third when Flor overthrew second on a failed pickoff attempt and Leeds drew a walk to set the stage for Rodriguez.
Rodriguez's leadoff home run to left in the ninth capped off the victory for the Cougars. The Hialeah, Fla.-native finished the game 4-for-4 with five RBIs. Senior RHP Casey Lucchese (Lexington, Ky.) picked up the win for Charleston, tossing four innings of relief and allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Junior Kyle Owings (Gilbert, S.C.) picked up his second save of the season, scattering two hits over two shutout innings.
The Cougars return home to face Coastal Carolina, Wednesday, March 2, at Patriots Point. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.
Samford 6, Troy 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- The Samford baseball team used strong pitching and an impressive defensive performance to earn a 6-1 win over in-state rival Troy Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Five Samford pitchers combined to hold Troy to just one run on six hits. Three Samford players belted home runs and the Bulldog defense made several big plays and turned in an errorless performance.
"This was a great job by our guys," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "Defensively we made plays. All of our pitchers did a heck of a job. It was just a great night all around. Hopefully this is something that will show a little bit about the type of team we have, taking a tough weekend and then coming back against a really good Troy team and getting a big win."
With the win, Samford improves to 6-4 on the season. The Bulldogs are 6-0 at home, with their only losses coming last weekend at Jacksonville. Troy drops to 6-2 with the loss.
Samford's Saxon Butler, Brandon Miller and Gardner Richey each homered in the win. Miller's home run was a three-run shot in the fifth inning, with Butler's and Richey's both being solo homers. Michael Johnson went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Phillip Ervin was 2-for-5 for the Bulldogs.
Charles Basford (2-0) pitched 6.2 innings, giving up one run on four hits, and striking out seven batters while walking just two. Joseph Burns, Tyler Vanderheiden, Andrew Jones and C.K. Irby split the final 2.1 innings of work.
For Troy at the plate, Tyson Workman and Josh McDorman both went 2-for-3. Jimmy Hodgskin (0-1) pitched 4.0 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits, and striking out eight batters and walking four for the Trojans.
Samford got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Butler hit a solo home run to right-center field, his first homer of the season, to give Samford a 1-0 lead.
Troy answered with a run in the top of the third inning to tie the score at 1-1. Adam Bryant hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in McDorman, who had singled up the middle to lead off the inning, for Troy's lone run of the game.
Samford took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brandon Powell singled up the middle to drive in Christiaan Durdaller to give Samford a 2-1 lead. Durdaller had earlier walked with one out and then stole second to move into scoring position.
The Bulldogs plated three runs in the fifth inning to push their lead to 5-1. After Johnson and Ervin had both singled, Miller hit his second home run of the season to left field to give Samford a four-run lead.
Samford put another run on the scoreboard in the seventh inning to make the final score 6-1. With two outs Richey blasted his fourth home run of the season to left field for the game's final run.
Samford will return to action on Friday when the Bulldogs play host to Toledo to open a three-game weekend series at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Friday's series-opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start. The teams will also play Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Wofford 8, USC Upstate 7 (11 inn.)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Down 7-1 after three innings, the Wofford baseball team defeated USC Upstate 8-7 in eleven innings on Tuesday at Russell C. King Field. After tying the game in the bottom of the sixth, the two teams played four scoreless innings before Josh McKinney hit a single with the bases loaded to give the Terriers the victory in the eleventh.
Wofford is now 6-2 on the season, while USC Upstate is now 4-5. The Terriers were led by Konstantine Diamaduros with four hits and James Foster and Landon Bennett with three hits each. Eight different players had RBIs for Wofford in the contest. The Spartans were led by Blake Green with four hits and Luke Weber with three hits and two RBIs.
The Spartans opened the game with an unearned run in the first inning. Wofford answered in the bottom of the second when Landon Bennett led off with a triple and was driven home on a single by Eric Brenk.
In the top of the third, the Spartans scored six runs on six hits and one Wofford error. Trey Richardson drove in two runs with a single and Luke Weber added two more RBIs on a single up the middle as Upstate took a 7-1 lead.
The Terriers were able to score four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. David Roney and Julian Bridges each had RBI singles, while Alex Lee grounded out to score a run. A double by James Foster added a run as well to cut the lead to 7-5.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Terriers were able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. James Foster led off with a double and Clark Wise added a single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, with a ground out by Mac Doyle scoring Foster. A single to right field by Konstantine Diamaduros scored Wise for a 7-7 game.
The seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth innings all ended with one runner on base for the Terriers. In the bottom of the eleventh, Konstantine Diamaduros and Landon Bennett each had singles to open the inning. A fielder's choice by Bradley Evsich was followed by David Roney reaching on an error to load the bases with one out. Josh McKinney snuck a single through the right side to score the winning run in the 8-7 victory.
Wofford starter Drew Sheridan went four innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Jesse Morris threw 2.1 innings and allowed only one hit. Anthony Rowland and Pete Noordsy each allowed a hit, while Bobby Streisel went two-thirds without allowing a hit. Tom Dolinak threw 1.1 innings with one hit allowed and three strikeouts. John Cornely (1-0) got the win by going the final 2.2 innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
For the Spartans, starter Andrew Wyant threw 3.1 innings with nine hits and five runs allowed with two strikeouts. Chris Knauff went 1.2 innings and allowed four hits and two runs with two strikeouts. Ryan Fern (0-1) went the final five innings and allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts.
Wofford's Julian Bridges recorded his first career hit and RBI, Eric Brenk had two hits and an RBI in his first career start, and Jesse Morris saw his first career work on the mound. Overall, 16 position players saw time on the field and seven pitchers were used in the first extra inning contest of the season.
The Terriers visit Clemson on Wednesday before hosting Pittsburgh in a three-game weekend series beginning on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
North Carolina State 3, Davidson 2
RALEIGH, N.C. - Freshmen Forrest Brandt and Kelly Myerseach drove in a late-game run to erase NC State's 2-0 lead, but the Wolfpack plated the winning run in the eighth to escape with the 3-2 win Tuesday afternoon at Doak Field.
Davidson (5-5) never solved NC State (4-3) starter Ethan Ogburn, who struck out a career-high 11 and carried a no-hitter through six innings, but did its damage late in the game against the Wolfpack bullpen. After falling behind 2-0 in the fifth, the Wildcats tied the game with a single score in both the sixth and seventh, but the Wolfpack scratched across the winning run on two straight hits in the eighth.
In a scheduled short start, senior RHP Andy Bass retired the minimum in the first and struck out catcher Danny Canela to start the second. He got into a jam with two straight walks but got into the dugout with a pair of punch-outs to keep the game scoreless.
Davidson got its first base runner in third when freshman catcher Daniel Gerow drew a two-out walk. Ogburn used his sixth strikeout of the game to get out of the inning, and the Wolfpack got the first run across in the bottom half. Sophomore RHP Coleman Barron got two quick outs in relief of Bass but walked designated hitter Pratt Maynard. Third baseman Andrew Ciencin followed with a base hit that was fielded cleanly by Barna at third but overthrown at first to allow Maynard to score. Center fielder Seth Freeman chased down a fly out by Canela to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.
With Ogburn facing only one over the minimum through four, the Wolfpack had something going in the bottom of the frame. First baseman Harold Riggins singled through the left side and Barron's throwing error to second on the fielder's choice put two on with no outs. Barron came back to retire three straight.
Ogburn struck out the side in the fifth, and the Wolfpack added another run in the bottom half to take a 2-0 lead. Center fielder Brett Williams got a leadoff single down the left field line and scored on a one-out double from Ciencin. Barron stranded another with a pop up to Zeblo and a strikeout.
Myers gave the 'Cats a second base runner with a leadoff walk in the sixth and stole second before junior center fielder Seth Freeman was hit by a pitch to put a pair on with one out. Brandt doubled to right to score Myers and bust up Ogburn's no-hitter, but Freeman was gunned down at the plate trying to tie the score.
Ogburn got senior designated hitter Danny Weiss to ground out to leave the tying run at second, and freshman RHP Jip Richards took the mound for the 'Cats in the seventh. Left fielder Tarran Senay took the free pass to start the inning, but Zeblo turned a double play and Richards got the final out with a strikeout.
Davidson tied the game in the top of the inning as sophomore third baseman Andrew Barna legged out an infield single off Wolfpack reliever Rob Chamra and was sacrificed over by junior second baseman Calvin Sigelbaum. Barna took third on a one-out wild pitch and, after Zeblo took a free pass, scored as Myers dropped a base hit into center field. Freshman catcherDaniel Gerow grounded out to end the inning, and senior RHPMike Frongello (L, 1-1) came on to work the bottom half. After second baseman Matt Bergquist smacked a leadoff single to center field, Frongello sat Williams on strikes and Sigelbaum and Zeblo turned Davidson's second double play of the game to keep the game tied.
Brandt and Weiss put together two straight one-out base hits to put runners on the corners in the top of the eighth but failed to execute the squeeze play before Wolfpack reliever Chris Overman (W, 1-0) got Sigelbaum to fly out for the final inning. NC State took the lead in the bottom of the inning as Ciencin doubled to lead off the frame and scored on Canela's base hit to center in the next at-bat. Frongello gets out of the inning, but Overman gets three straight groundouts to pull out the win for the Wolfpack.
Davidson returns to action tomorrow, traveling to No. 18 North Carolina for a 3 p.m. contest at Boshamer Stadium.
Eastern Kentucky 12, Western Carolina 8
Richmond, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and again in the home half of the seventh inning to upend Western Carolina, 12-8, on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. Mitch Durbin's pinch hit RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Colonels the lead for good as WCU stranded four runners in the final three frames.
Game two of the two-game nonconference series is set for 2:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Matt Johns had a break-out game with a 5-for-6 showing at the plate including his first home run of the season. The Stafford, Va., native matched a career-high with a game-best five RBI. Junior infielder Ross Heffley remained steady with a 3-for-5 showing including two doubles to give him six already on the season, with freshman Aaron Attaway also doubling as a part of a 3-for-5 performance.
Western Carolina used seven different pitchers to piece together Tuesday's two-game series opener, none tossing more than two innings. Preston Hatcher (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs - only one of which was earned - on two hits in two innings. Junior left-hander Mike Gaffigan got the starting nod for WCU, lasting two innings after surrendering three runs on five hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.
Colonel third baseman Bryan Soloman finished 5-for-6 with four runs scored and three driven in to lead three EKU players with multi-hit games.
Reliever Greg Terry (1-0) picked up the victory for Eastern Kentucky, shutting the door on the Catamounts in the top of the sixth ahead of Durbin's go-ahead RBI in the home half of the inning. Starter Paul Duncan lasted three just innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with a walk. Reliever Chris Hord struck out four before running into issues in the sixth inning.
Western Carolina (5-3) climbed on top first after a pair of base hits sandwiched around a fly out in the top of the first put two aboard for Johns who delivered a two-RBI single through the left side to score both Austin Schultz and Heffley, who doubled. However, consecutive fly-ball outs left Johns stranded.
EKU answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Richie Rodriguez singled up the middle before Soloman doubled to right center to score the first run, later scoring on a single by Ryan Faidley. The Colonels loaded the bases before Gaffigan induced a pop-up to Catamount shortstop Aaron Attaway to end the threat.
In the third, the Catamounts again hung a two-spot on the outfield scoreboard as Heffley and Johns both reached on a single before a balk moved the runners both into scoring position. Tyler White was hit by a pitch to load the bases for catcher Stephen Notaro who rapped a single to left field to plate one run. The second run scored as Attaway reached on a fielding error, giving WCU a 4-2 lead.
The Colonels got a run in the home half of the third to close the margin to 4-3 before single runs in the top of both the fourth and fifth innings stretched WCU's lead to 6-3. In the fourth, Cameron Dullnig drew a one-out walk and promptly stole second. The speedster then came home on an RBI single by Johns. An inning later, Attaway doubled and was driven in by Schultz, but the Catamounts left potential runs on the bases, stranding the bases loaded.
Schultz finished 2-for-6 with a run score and one driven in.
Trailing 6-3, EKU exploded for four runs in the fifth, spurred by a home run to left center field by Soloman. Two more consecutive base hits - a double by Sean Hagen and a single by Faidley - chased reliever TJ Page. However, a walk and hit batsman drove in a second inning run, with a ground out and sacrifice fly plating the final two markers, handing EKU a 7-6 lead.
Johns homered in the sixth to knot the game at seven apiece, but Durbin's RBI single put the Colonels ahead for good, 7-6.
Eastern Kentucky (3-4) roughed up WCU reliever Jeremy Sluder for three runs - only one of which was earned - in the seventh inning with each run coming with two outs. Sluder recorded a strikeout and took care of a ground out back to the mound before issuing back-to-back walks to Jacob Daniel and Rodriguez, the latter on four-straight pitches. Soloman delivered an RBI single, chasing Sluder. With the bases loaded, Faidley was hit by a pitch with Michael Garcia capping the two-out rally with a two-RBI single before Morgan McKinney was summoned from the bullpen and was able to end the inning.
The Catamounts added a run in the top of the eighth as Heffley legged out his second double of the game and scored on an RBI single down the left field line by Johns.
#4 South Carolina 14, Furman 1
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Christian Walker's two-run home run ignited a nine-run sixth inning to propel nationally fourth-ranked and defending national champion South Carolina to a 14-1 win over Furman in baseball action Tuesday evening at Carolina Stadium.
Leading 2-1 after five innings, South Carolina erupted in the sixth, sparked by a leadoff double by Jackie Bradley, Jr. and two-run Walker blast to left field off Paladin reliever Jay Friedman. The frame's carnage for Furman continued in the form of three hits, including a two-run single by Jake Williams, a wild pitch, and six walks by Paladin pitchers, four of which forced in runs. In all the Gamecocks sent 14 batters to the plate in the sixth before the Evan Marzilli's ground out halted the onslaught but not until USC owned a comfortable 11-1 lead.
The Gamecocks tallied three more runs in the seventh on the way to their sixth consecutive win in the series.
Walker went 2-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored, and Williams fashioned a 3-for-5 outing while driving in three. Bradley went 2-for-4 and crossed the plate three times.
South Carolina finished with 12 hits off Paladin pitching.
Furman struggled at the plate, managing just five hits while fanning 12 times against Gamecock pitching. Aaron Thompkins and Will Miller had two hits apiece to lead the Paladins.
Despite the lopsided outcome, it was a 2-1 game through five and half innings. Paladin starter and losing pitcher Nate Smith (0-2) allowed only one run on one hit over four innings before departing with his squad trailing 1-0.
Smith's substitute, Brian Dudzinski, allowed a run on two hits in the fifth before the Paladins trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the sixth when Aaron Thompkins scooted home on a wild pitch by the Gamecocks reliever Colby Holmes.
Furman plays Georgia on Wednesday at Fluor Field in a 6:00 p.m. game.
Wake Forest 11, UNCG 1
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - UNCG took an early 1-0 lead, but Wake Forest rattled off nine unanswered runs as the Spartans fell to the Demon Deacons, 11-1, on Tuesday afternoon at the Wake Forest Baseball Park.
Justin Van Grouw picked up the win for the Deacons (4-4) after allowing just one run on two hits in 6 2/3 innings of work, while striking out four batters. Brandon Browne was credited with the loss after going 2 1/3 innings and giving up five runs on five hits.
Bobby Martin led the Spartans (4-4) at the plate as he went 1-2 with an RBI and a walk. Eric Brindle went 1-3 with a run scored, while Cole Harrison had the only other hit for UNCG in his only at-bat.
Matt Conway paced the Demon Deacons as he went 2-3 with four RBI, two runs scored and a pair of home runs. Charlie Morgan also had a nice day as he went a perfect 3-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI.
Things started well for the Spartans as they took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. With one out, Brindle had an infield single and then advanced to second after Joe Hager reached on an error. Martin then came up and slapped a single through the left side of the infield to score Brindle from second.
It was all Wake Forest from there, though, as it immediately tied the Spartans with a run in the bottom half of the second as Matt Conway led off with a solo home run to left field.
The Demon Deacons would add four more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 5-1 advantage. The Deacs loaded the bases with no outs before Conway hit a sacrifice fly to center to score the first run. Another runner would go on to score on a wild pitch before Morgan delivered a two-run single to make it a four-run contest.
Conway struck again in the bottom of the third with a two-out two-run home run to center field that pushed the Demon Deacon lead out to 7-1.
Wake Forest got another two-run homer, this time from Steven Brooks, in the bottom of the sixth inning to go ahead, 9-1. The Demon Deacons would take on another pair of runs in the eighth to make the final score, 11-1.
The Spartans return home this weekend as they host Albany for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.