Georgia Southern 6, Elon 3
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Baseball (23-15, 12-4) sent 14 batters to the plate in the first two frames to score four of its six runs in a 6-3 victory in the rain-delayed series opener against Elon (25-15, 14-5). The Eagles got a quality start from their Friday starter, Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.).
Beck allowed two earned runs on five hits in seven quality innings. The junior pitcher walked only one batter and struck out six to improve to 6-1 on the year. Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) closed out the game for his seventh save of the year. Murray allowed just one hit over the final two innings while striking out three.
Georgia Southern jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first three frames, but had to strap it down after Elon scored two runs in the fourth inning and sent the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) went 2-2 in the first two innings and scored a pair of runs to spark the Eagle offense in the early going.
Payne singled into left field to lead off the game and was one of eight batters to make a plate appearance in the first inning. GSU quickly loaded the bases with a hit by pitch and a walk of Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.). All three runners came around to score on a passed ball, fielding error and a bunt single by Garren Palmer (Dalton, Ga.) for a 3-0 Eagle lead.
Elon got its first run in the top of the second inning after Ryan Kinsella got caught in a rundown with two outs. Alex Swim, who led off the inning with a double into the left field corner, scored after reaching third on a fly out. In the bottom half of the inning, Payne singled back up the middle with one out and beat out a fielder's choice attempt at second base to put a runner in scoring position. He came around to score on a base knock by Phillips to put GSU up 4-1.
Georgia Southern extended its lead to 5-1 in the third inning with two walks and a pair of sacrifice bunts. Brent Pugh (Atlanta, Ga.), who bunted in his first three plate appearances, drove in Palmer with the squeeze play to open up a 6-1 margin. The Phoenix got two runs back in the fourth inning to pull within two runs. A double and a fielding error led off the inning for Jake Luce. He scored on a ground out in the next at-bat. A two-out fly ball was dropped allowing Ryan Kinsella to reach second base before back-to-back hits scored the unearned runs.
The score remained 6-3 for the final four innings were scoreless, however, Elon did send the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. A single and a fielding error put runners on first and third with one out, but Murray hunkered down and struck out the final two batters to end the threat.
The series continues tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. with the finale set for 1:30 p.m. at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Samford 7, UNCG 5
UNCG 4, Samford 1 (10)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Samford baseball team split a Southern Conference doubleheader with UNC Greensboro Friday at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Samford won the first game, 7-5, before falling in game two, 4-1 in 10 innings.
Samford's record moves to 24-16 overall and 12-8 in Southern Conference play. UNC Greensboro is now 20-17 overall and 10-7 in league play.
In the first game, Samford's Tyler Vanderheiden (2-0) earned the win on the mound, pitching 1.2 innings in relief, allowing no hits and striking out three batters. Andrew Jones pitched the final inning, striking out all three batters, to pick up his ninth save of the season.
For Samford at the plate in game one, Saxon Butler went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Phillip Ervin went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Tyler Filliben drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 performance.
UNC Greensboro's Jarett Miller (3-2) took the loss for the Spartans, pitching 3.0 innings in relief, giving up two runs on three hits. Bobby Martin led the Spartans at the plate in the first game, going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Eric Brindle was 2-for-4 for the Spartans.
Samford jumped on top first in game one, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning. Michael Johnson singled to right field to lead off the inning. Johnson then stole second base and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brad Moss. Butler then singled up the middle to drive in Johnson to give Samford a 1-0 lead.
UNC Greensboro took the lead, scoring five runs in the top of the third inning. Martin doubled to left field to drive in John Hein and Brindle to make the score 2-1. Drew Gehringer, Chris Barker and Ray Crawford drove in a run each in the inning to give the Spartans a 5-1 lead.
Samford plated two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to tie the score at 5-5. In the fourth inning, Filliben singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Gary Cramer and Ervin to make the score 5-3. In the fifth inning, Ervin and Cramer each drove in a run to tie the score.
The Bulldogs plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead for good. Butler singled to left field to drive in Johnson and Filliben to give Samford the 7-5 lead.
In game two of the doubleheader, Johnson led Samford at the plate, going 2-for-5. Butler drove in the team's lone run for his fourth RBI of the day. The Bulldogs managed just three hits in the 10-inning loss, all coming in the first three innings.
Samford's Arthur Strauss (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings in relief, giving up two runs on two hits to take the loss on the mound for the Bulldogs.
For UNC Greensboro, Trevor Edwards went 3-for-5 with a home runs and two RBI. Ray Quinones also drove in a run for the Spartans. Dylan Hathcock (2-0) earned the win for the Spartans, pitching the final 2.2 innings, giving up no hits and striking out one batter.
Samford struck first in game two with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Johnson singled to lead off the inning and then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Moss. Butler then singled up the middle to drive in Johnson to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
UNC Greensboro tied the score with a run in the top of the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Edwards hit a solo home run to right field to tie the score at 1-1.
The teams remained tied through the bottom of the ninth inning and into the 10th inning. In the top of the 10th, UNC Greensboro plated three runs to take the 4-1 win.
With one out in the 10th inning, Barker reached base on an infield single. Barker then stole second base and Brindle walked. Edwards then singled to right field to drive in Barker for the eventual game-winning run. Quinones later hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Brindle to make the score 3-1. The game's final run was scored when Edwards scored on a wild pitch to give UNCG a 4-1 lead.
Samford and UNC Greensboro will conclude their SoCon series with a single game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.
Wofford 11, Western Carolina 7
Cullowhee, N.C. - Wofford plated three runs on a bases loaded double in the top of the ninth inning to pull away from Western Carolina on Friday night, defeating the Catamounts 11-7 in Southern Conference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. Konstantine Diamaduros doubled to left center field to score three as the Terriers opened up an 8-7 game to thwart WCU's would-be rally.
Game two of the series is scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.
WCU starter Matt Benedict (2-3), who struck out four in six innings of work, managed to work around 11 base hits allowing six runs, only three of which were earned. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native was one of eight Catamount hurlers to record action on Friday with the staff issuing six walks against six strikeouts collectively.
Seniors Andrew Chilcoat and Brandon Johnson both tossed an inning apiece in the longest appearance for any reliever with Johnson fanning two while allowing the three runs on the Diamaduros double.
Terrier starter Cash Collins (7-1) was chased in the sixth inning, scattering five base hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts and four walks. Collins held WCU without a hit through the opening three and two thirds innings.
Matt Johns gave Western Carolina (14-20-1, 5-14 SoCon) a short-lived, 1-0, lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double to straight-away center field to plate Ross Heffley who drew a two-out walk in the frame.
However, the Terriers responded with three runs apiece in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to take a 6-1 lead through five and a half. In the fifth, Mac Doyle drove in two on a single to center as a part of three Wofford hits in the inning with Clark Wise plating a pair off a triple to right center in the sixth inning.
The Catamounts got the three runs back in the home portion of the sixth as Austin Schultz and Heffley both singled around a strikeout with Johns drive in Scuhltz on a RBI single through the left side. Stephen Notaro then drew the first of three-consecutive walks for Catamount batters, the latter two plating runs. Freshman Adam Martin drew the free pass to drive in Heffley while Tyler White drew a four-pitch walk to score Johns. However, WCU left the bases loaded as a strikeout and pop-up on the infield ended the rally.
Wofford scored solo runs in the top of the seventh and eighth to pull out to an 8-4 lead before the Catamounts again lit the scoreboard with a three-spot in the home half of the eighth to make it a one-run game. Johns, who finished 4-for-5 with two RBI, opened the inning with a triple to right center field and was plated one pitch later as Notaro dropped a single into right field. Martin doubled to left before White punched a two-RBI single through the left side to claw back within a run, 8-7.
All told, WCU used four-straight hits to open the inning to chase reliever Ryan Traylor and to score all three runs.
Freshman Aaron Attaway sacrificed White into scoring position at second base where pinch hitter Luke Gragg reached on an infield error to put runners at the corners, still with just one out. However, Schultz popped out in foul ground down to right fielder Landon Bennett who then threw home to easily nail White who was trying to scamper home from third after tagging on the play.
A single and two walks loaded the bases in the ninth inning for the Terriers before Diamaduros belted a three RBI double to deep left center field to provide the final margin. WCU loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but White was fanned by John Cornely, who earned his eighth save of the season in two innings of work.
Both White and Notaro finished 2-for-4 with the previous driving in three and the latter plating one. Heffley finished 1-for-3 with two walks in the loss.
For Wofford (19-20, 6-10 SoCon) the first three hitters in the lineup all posted three-hit games as Wise was 3-for-5 while Josh McKinney and Diamaduros were 3-for-6. Catcher David Roney was 2-for-4 with a walk also for the Terriers.
CofC-Furman Baseball Postponed Friday Night; Doubleheader Planned for Saturday
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Due to heavy rains in the Charleston area Friday afternoon, the College of Charleston baseball game against Furman University scheduled for 6:00 p.m. this evening has been cancelled and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday, April 23, starting at 1:00 p.m. Game 2 will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
The teams will play two separate nine-inning contests on Saturday afternoon and complete the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
The Citadel Game Postponed
Charleston, S.C. - Friday's baseball game between The Citadel and USC Upstate has been postponed due to inclement weather in the Charleston area.
Friday's game, which was orginially scheduled for 4 p.m., will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday at Riley Park beginning at noon. Saturday's game, orginially scheduled for 2 p.m., will follow approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.
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Tonight's Baseball Game vs. Appalachian State Rained Out, Doubleheader Tomorrow
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Tonight's baseball game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers has been rained out, and the teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.
The class of 2011 will be honored in pre-game festivities prior to the first pitch of game one. Senior RHP Ian Horkley (4-3, 3.83) will make the start for the Wildcats against sophomore RHP Nathan Hyatt (4-5, 3.63) for the Mountaineers.
Game two will feature Davidson's junior RHP Ryan Overcash(2-3, 3.14) against App. State's junior RHP Seth Grant (3-5, 5.13).
Appalachian State (23-17, 8-11 SoCon) leads the series 1-0 after defeating Davidson (16-20, 8-13 SoCon) 3-1 in 12 innings Thursday night.