College of Charleston 4, Elon 1
ELON, N.C. -- Thomas Girdwood set a new Elon program record by making his 96th career appearance, but unfortunately it was the only thing the Phoenix had to celebrate on Sunday as the visiting College of Charleston Cougars salvaged their weekend by picking up a 4-1 victory in front of 955 fans at Latham Park. Elon, which had won the first two games of the series, fell to 24-13 overall and 14-4 in Southern Conference play. CofC improved to 23-14, 8-7.
For the second consecutive game, the Cougars grabbed a first-inning lead. Marty Gantt led off with a single to right, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Rob Kral's sharp infield single to second plated Gantt with the first run. After a failed pick-off attempt and wild pitch advanced Kral to third, Matt Leeds grounded a ball to first for the second out that plated the second CofC tally.
Eric Serra started the bottom of the first with a line drive single to left and moved up 90 feet when Niko Fraser was plunked. With two away, Alex Swim lined a single to left that plated Serra. The Phoenix would then load the bases after Sebastian Gomez drew a four-pitch walk, but failed to score any more runs as Grant McCoury's rope to center was right at Cole Rakar and was hauled in for the final out.
With Rob Harding on first after being hit by a one-out pitch, Robert Pritcher singled to center to put two aboard for the Cougars in the top of the second. With two down, Gantt hit a 3-2 pitch into right for a single that plated Harding.
It remained a 3-1 game into the fifth when Gantt scored from third on a Kral sacrifice fly to center. Gantt was on third thanks to a walk, stolen base and Rakar single.
Swim led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to the gap in right-center and McCoury drew a one-out walk, but the Phoenix failed to find a way to win for the 10th time in its final at bat this season as Casey Lucchese retired the next two hitters to earn his first save of the year.
Kyle Webb (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year after he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in four innings. Girdwood came on and tossed four scoreless frames. In the process, Girdwood surpassed former Elon pitcher Kevin Regan's 95 appearances on the mound between 2003-06.
CofC's Christian Powell gave up one run on four hits while striking out seven in eight innings. Powell retired the final 16 hitters he faced.
At the plate, Swim recorded two of Elon's five hits while Gomez went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
For the Cougars, Gantt, Kral and Leeds all posted two-hit days. Kral also drove in two while Gantt scored twice.
Elon will play host to High Point in a showdown of Triad rivals at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday night while the Cougars entertain No. 3 South Carolina Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Wofford 2, Davidson 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Wofford baseball team used a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon to sweep the weekend series against Davidson at Russell C. King Field on Sunday afternoon. The Terriers scored two runs in the fourth inning and the pitching staff struck out ten batters to secure the victory.
Wofford is now 17-20 on the season and 5-10 in the SoCon. Davidson is 16-19 overall and 8-12 in conference play. The Terriers were led by Matt Moore with two hits and starter Tom Dolinak struck out seven batters in six innings of work on the mound. The Wildcats were limited to only two hits on the day.
Davidson picked up the first hit of the game in the top of the third inning, but a double play erased the runner. The Terriers first hit came in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Clark Wise. A single to left field by Konstantine Diamaduros scored Wise for a 1-0 lead and Diamaduros went to second on the throw to home. Another single by Josh McKinney scored Diamaduros to take a 2-0 advantage.
In the top of the fifth, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out. A ground out by Calvin Sigelbaum drove in one run to make it a 2-1 game and the Wildcats left two on base at the end of their half of the fifth.
Wofford had Clark Wise reach on an error and Mac Doyle was intentionally walked, but both runners were stranded to end the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Landon Bennett walked and a hit and run single by Matt Moore. A double steal gave Wofford two runners in scoring position with one out, but both were left on base.
The Wildcats left one runner on base in the top of the eighth and Wofford went down in order in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, Drew Sheridan struck out the first two batters looking then a fly ball ended the game at 2-1.
Wofford starter Tom Dolinak (3-3) went six innings with one run allowed on two hits with seven strikeouts. Bobby Streisel threw an inning without allowing a hit and one strikeout. Pete Noordsy retired the one batter he faced in the eighth. Ryan Traylor worked two-thirds of an inning without a hit. Drew Sheridan picked up his first save of the season by striking out two in the ninth.
Davidson starter Ryan Overcash (2-3) threw 5.1 innings and allowed four hits and two runs along with four strikeouts. Mac Hunter went an inning without allowing a hit. Matt Frongello went the final 1.2 innings and allowed only one hit.
The series win over Davidson marked the first sweep in conference play since 2005. The 17 total wins on the season tie the mark from last season. Next week, Wofford will travel to UNC Asheville on Wednesday, then head to Western Carolina on Friday for the start of a three-game series.
Davidson hosts Appalachian State next weekend in a three-game SoCon series.
Samford 8, Appalachian State 3
BOONE, N.C. - Eight Samford players collected at least one hit to lead the Bulldogs to an 8-3 victory over Appalachian State University baseball on Sunday at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. With the loss, Appalachian (21-17, 7-11 SoCon) dropped the weekend's three-game Southern Conference series to Samford (23-14, 11-7 SoCon), two games to one.
Appalachian trailed 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning but rallied for a pair of runs on an RBI groundout by Will Callaway (Greenville, S.C./Eastside) and sacrifice fly by Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) to cut the deficit to 4-3. However, the Mountaineer bullpen couldn't hold on to the momentum, surrendering four runs over the final two innings to allow Samford to run away with the victory.
ASU managed only five hits on the afternoon, including just four in six innings against Bulldog starter Kyle Putkonen (5-1). Making his first start in two weeks due to an oblique injury, Putkonen allowed just one run, struck out five and walked none to earn the victory.
Seth Grant (Etowah, N.C./West Henderson) gave the Mountaineers six strong innings on the mound but was hurt by two ASU errors in the setback. The right-hander allowed just five hits over his six innings of work but was saddled with three runs, two of which were unearned, to suffer the loss and fall to 3-5 on the campaign.
Zack Briggs (Lexington, N.C./Central Davidson) had two of Appalachian's five hits and scored two runs. Brad Moss went 2-for-5 with two RBI to lead Samford.
Appalachian closes a five-game homestand on Tuesday when it hosts Presbyterian at 6 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
Samford welcomes Alabama to Birmingham Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Citadel 9, Furman 7 (10 inn.)
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Justin Mackert homered twice, including a two-run 10th inning blast that broke a 7-7 tie, to lead The Citadel to a 9-7 victory over Furman in the Southern Conference series finale Sunday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
The win allowed The Citadel (14-22, 8-13 SoCon) to avoid the three-game series sweep after Furman (19-19, 9-8 SoCon) claimed a 12-3 victory on Friday and 7-6 Saturday decision.
Mackert, who went 3-for-5 and drove in five runs in the contest, stroked a two-run single in the first to help the Bulldogs build an early 6-0 lead and hit a solo home run in the sixth before delivering his decisive two-run shot to left field in the 10th off Paladin closer Dylan Cole.
Matt Simonelli also had three hits and scored three runs for the Bulldogs, who banged out 18 hits in the contest.
Furman's J.B. Jenkins led all hitters with a season best 4-for-5 performance that included two RBI. Will Owens had three hits for the Paladins, as did Paul Nitto, whose solo home run in the sixth and Taylor Johnson's pinch hit round tripper in the seventh helped the Paladins erase the six-run deficit.
Furman tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the eight when Simonelli's throw from shortstop pulled Mackert off the first base bag, allowing Jenkins to score from third with two outs.
The Paladins loaded the bases in the ninth before Bulldog left fielder Brad Felder gloved a sinking line drive off Owens' bat to end the threat.
In the 10th Simonelli served a one-out single to right field off Cole, and Mackert followed with the game's deciding blow, a two-run home run that cleared the left field fence.
T.J. Clarkson came on in the bottom of the 10th to record the save, his second of the season, by striking out Furman's Alex Abrams with a runner on base.
Jeremy Long (3-2), who got the final out of the eighth and worked the ninth, picked up the win after allowing two hits over 1 1/3 innings.
Cole (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after entering the game with one out in the seventh. The Paladin sophomore threw a career high 3 1/3 innings and surrendered five hits and two runs while walking one and striking out four.
Furman starting pitcher Tyler Wood was chased after The Citadel tagged the freshman right-hander for five runs on nine hits over the first 2 2/3 innings.
Mackert's two-run single in the first inning gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead, and William Ladd made it 3-0 with an RBI single, part of a five-hit first inning for The Citadel.
The Bulldogs made it 5-0 in the third and stretched it to 6-0 an inning later on a sacrifice fly by Ladd that scored Simonelli.
Furman started its comeback in the bottom of the fourth, cutting it to 6-3 with a Will Muzika RBI single and two-run double by Jenkins off Bulldog starting pitcher Justin Russell.
The Paladins trailed 7-5 when Taylor Johnson led off the seventh by depositing an offering by reliever Logan Cribb onto the hill overlooking left field to make it 7-6.
Jenkins led off the Furman eighth with a double to left center field and scored the game tying run on a two-out error.
Sunday's contest wrapped up a season long 11-game home stand for Furman, which will return to action on Tuesday at Gardner-Webb in a 6:00 p.m. game.
For the Bulldogs, a short trip over to Charleston Southern is up next, with Tuesday's first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m.
Georgia Southern 16, Western Carolina 13
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Georgia Southern (22-15, 11-4) survived a high-scoring 16-13 affair for the series victory over Western Carolina (14-19-1, 5-13) on Sunday, April 17th. Three home runs, four multi-hit performances and 16 hits provided the offense for the Eagles to score their 16 runs.
The series finale was knotted at 1-1 after three innings before the two teams combined for 16 runs in the fourth. Georgia Southern scored 11 of them and pushed across the game-winning RBI on a Steve Cochrane(Mooresville, N.C.) two-RBI triple in the sixth inning. The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning, and Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the game.
Cochrane picked up four of GSU's hits and drove in a team-high four RBIs. Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.),Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and Garren Palmer(Dalton, Ga.) all homered in the game and tallied multi-hit games. Phillips and Roache had three hits, while Palmer recorded two with three RBIs.
Justin Hess (Panama City, Fla.) earned his second win of the season after striking out a season-high seven batters, but allowed six runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. The Eagles used five more pitchers before Murray came on in the ninth for his sixth save of the season.
Adam Curtis was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in three innings. Brandon Johnson threw a scoreless final 2.2 innings for the Catamounts and struck out three batters while allowing four hits.
A pair of solo shots provided the scoring in the first three innings before both teams batted around in the fourth inning. Georgia Southern nearly batted around twice in the top-half of the fourth, scoring 11 runs, just five short of the school record. The record for runs in an inning is 16, set in 2007 against New Jersey Tech.
Phillips led off the fourth inning with a single to left field and scored on a homer by Roache. Back-to-back base hits and a hit by pitch were sandwiched around a pair of outs before a walk and single by Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) drove in three more runs. Three-straight walks followed, scoring two more Eagle runs before a three-run big fly by Palmer capped off the inning.
After the two-RBI triple by Cochrane in the sixth, the Eagles added two more runs in the seventh on RBI singles by Phillips and Cochrane. Brent Pugh (Atlanta, Ga.) led off the inning with a single before Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) was hit by a pitch. The two RBI singles followed a sacrifice bunt by Burruss.
The Catamounts batted around again in the sixth inning, scoring five more runs. WCU also put single runs on the board in the seventh and eighth inning to reach its 13-run total.
The Eagles return to action next weekend in a Southern Conference series against Elon at J.I. Clements Stadium. The series opens Friday at 7 p.m. and continues on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Western Carolina visits Tennessee Wednesday at 6 p.m.
James Madison 17, UNCG 7
GREENSBORO, N.C. - James Madison took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning and continued to pour on the offense as it scored at least two runs in six innings on Sunday as UNCG fell to the Dukes, 17-7, at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Dukes reliever Josh Futter picked up his first win of the season as he pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit and struck out four. UNCG (18-16) starter Jonathan Jones was credited with the loss after allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Bobby Martin led the Spartans with three RBI and two runs scored and teammate Trevor Edwards added a pair of hits and two RBI, as well.
Johnny Bladel and Jake Lowery each went 3-5 at the plate with three RBI each and Ty McFarland had an impressive 4-5 afternoon with an RBI and three runs scored.
The Dukes took the early lead in the second inning as they hit back-to-back-to-back singles to score their first run. A double by Ian Haynes added another run before a sacrifice fly gave them a 3-0 lead.
UNCG was able to respond, though, in the home half of the second with four runs to take the lead. Thomas Troelstrup was hit by a pitch and after a fly out, Cambric Moye and John Hein each drew walks to load the bases.
Drew Gehringer then scored a run on a fielder's choice before another walk to Martin loaded the bases again. Edwards then hit a line drive past the first baseman and the right fielder let it roll past him to clear the bases and put the Spartans in front, 4-3.
That lead didn't last long as James Madison scored a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to retake the lead at 5-4.
The Dukes put up three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run double down the left-field line by Matt Tenaglia to stretch their lead to 8-4.
The Spartans continued to fight to keep it close as Hein and Gehringer drew back-to-back walks with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Martin then took a 2-1 pitch out to left field for his first home run of the season and cut the Dukes' lead down to 8-7.
James Madison came right back with two runs of its own in the top of the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles by Bladel and Lowery to make it 10-7.
Lowery struck again in the seventh inning with a two-run triple as part of a three-run inning push the Duke lead out to 13-7.
James Madison would tack on four more in the eighth inning to make the final score 17-7.
The Spartans return to the diamond on Tuesday as they travel to Duke for a 6 p.m. game.