Georgia Southern 6, Elon 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Baseball (24-15, 13-4) scored four unearned runs in the first five innings and shut out Elon (25-16, 14-6) 6-0 to take the second game in the series on Saturday, April 23rd. The Eagles tallied their fifth shutout of the season.
Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Joe Lower (West Palm Beach, Fla.) combined for a six-hit shutout and struck out a combined nine batters while allowing only two walks. Moye made his seventh start on the mound and left with his fifth win after allowing five hits in seven innings.
The senior pitcher scattered the hits and did not allow more than one in an inning. He struck out seven Elon batters and walked only two. Lower shut the door with a scoreless final two frames, striking out the final batter he faced in the ninth inning.
After six runs crossed the plate in the first three innings on Friday, Saturday's contest got off to a quite start with only one run scoring in the same period. The Eagles scored that run in the third on a walk by Brent Pugh (Atlanta, Ga.), a wild pitch and two passed balls.
Georgia Southern extended its lead to 4-0 with three more unearned runs in the fifth inning. An error and a wild pitch scored the first two runs before Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) put a third run on the board after sending a two-out pitch over the right field fence near the batter's eye for a home run.
Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) doubled with one out to start the scoring and reached third on a failed pick-off attempt. Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) hit a ground ball at the shortstop to score Payne and a defensive misplay allowed him to reach safely. Burruss came around to score with a stolen base, a fly out and a wild pitch.
Payne homered in his next plate appearance in the seventh inning, snapping a streak of 32.1 scoreless innings by the Phoenix bullpen to put GSU up 5-0. The senior outfielder drove in the sixth Eagle run in the eighth inning with a single to center field plating Ben Morgan (Evans, Ga.), who doubled with one out in the inning.
Thomas Girdwood picked up his fourth loss of the season but did not allow an earned run in six innings. He held the Eagles to three hits and struck out four batters while allowing three walks. Three pitchers finished the final two innings for Elon and allowed a combined two runs and two hits.
The series continues Sunday at 1:30 p.m. as Georgia Southern looks for the series sweep at J.I. Clements Stadium.
College of Charleston 9, Furman 6
College of Charleston 10, Furman 6
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Redshirt-junior 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.) had a pair of home runs and six RBIs on the afternoon as the College of Charleston swept visiting Furman University by scores of 10-6 and 9-6 Saturday afternoon at Patriots Point. The Cougars improve to 26-15 on the season, 10-7 in the SoCon. Furman falls to 19-22, 9-10. The two teams will meet for game three of the series Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
Furman jumped out to an early lead in game one, plating a pair of runs in the opening frame. Aaron Thompkins knocked a RBI double to left, while Taylor Johnson brought home Thompkins with a RBI single to right. Charleston cut the deficit in half with a RBI single by redshirt-junior LF Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.) in the bottom of the first and took a 3-2 lead in the second on a two-run double to right center by Leeds that scored junior 1B Marty Gantt (N. Augusta, S.C.) and senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.).
The Paladins rallied back in the third with a pair of runs for a 4-3 lead on a RBI triple to right by Thompkins and a RBI single up the middle by Johnson. Charleston responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, taking a 5-4 lead that it would not relinquish. Senior SS Jamie Holler (Rock Hill, S.C.) lined a RBI single to center, scoring Rodriguez and a sacrifice fly by Rakar plated junior 2B Rob Harding (Columbia, S.C.).
Charleston put the game out of reach in the fifth, scoring four runs with two outs and surging out to a 9-4 advantage. Gantt singled up the middle and after stealing second, scored on a RBI double to right center by Rakar. Redshirt-junior DH Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) was hit by a pitch and Leeds doubled down the left-field line to score Rakar. Redshirt-freshman RF Daniel Aldrich (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) plated Kral and Leeds with a two-run double to right for the 9-4 lead.
Furman scored single runs in the sixth and eighth, while a solo home run to right center by Kral led off the seventh for the Cougars. Junior LHP Josh Renfro (Bradenton, Fla.) earned the win for the Cougars, scattering eight hits and allowing five runs with five strikeouts and three walks in 6-2/3 innings. Leeds and Rodriguez had three hits apiece for the Cougars.
In game two, a four-run seventh inning evaporated a 6-5 deficit as the Cougars roared back for a 9-6 win. Senior RHP Casey Lucchese (Lexington, Ky.) earned the win in relief for Charleston improving to 2-0 on the season, while Leeds knocked a pair of home runs in the win, giving him 14 on the season.
Furman put runs on the board in the second straight game, taking a 1-0 lead on a RBI groundout by Reese Wade in the top of the first. Charleston responded with two in the bottom of the frame for a 2-1 lead. Kral singled to right and Leeds depositied a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left off Furman starter Daniel Stallsmith.
Charleston jumped out to a 4-1 lead with two runs in the fourth on a two-run homer by Aldrich after Leeds doubled to left to open the inning. Furman knotted the game at 4-4 with three runs in the fifth and took a 6-4 lead in the sixth before a solo blast to left center by Leeds cut the deficit to one run. The four-run seventh started with a walk to Holler, a single by Gantt and Rakar getting hit by a pitch to load the bases for Kral. Kral answered with a bases-clearing three-run double to right center and Aldrich capped the inning with a RBI single to right.
Kral, Leeds and Aldrich each had three RBIs in the nightcap, while Charleston junior starter David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif.) allowed six runs - five earned - on eight hits with four strikeouts in 6-2/3 innings.
UNCG 5, Samford 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Samford baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision in the final game of its Southern Conference series with UNC Greensboro Saturday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
With the loss, Samford falls in the series, two games to one. The Bulldogs drop to 24-17 overall and 12-9 in SoCon play. UNC Greensboro improves to 21-17 overall and 11-7 in league play.
"Obviously, this was a tough weekend for us," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "We had three competitive games and we came up on the short end twice. Tip your hat to their guys, they got bigger hits and made bigger plays than we did."
Samford starting pitcher Kyle Putkonen (5-2) pitched 6.2 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits, striking out four batters and walking none to take the loss for the Bulldogs. Lex Rutledge and Grant Sides combined to pitch the final 2.1 innings, allowing no hits.
At the plate for Samford, Phillip Ervin went 3-for-4. Tyler Filliben was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Brad Moss and Kevin Putkonen both went 2-for-4 for the Bulldogs.
UNC Greensboro's Colby Hyatt (6-2) tossed 6.0 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits to earn the win. Jonathan Jones pitched the final 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits, to pick up his second save of the season.
Bobby Martin led the Spartans at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Drew Gehringer went 2-for-3 with two RBI for UNC Greensboro.
UNC Greensboro jumped on top first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Gehringer singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Martin and John Hein to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
Samford answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the score at 2-2. Filliben doubled down the left field line to drive in C.K. Irby and Kevin Putkonen for Samford's first two runs of the game.
The Bulldogs took the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ervin singled up the middle with one out to start the rally. Ervin later scored when Stephen Ballard reached base on a fielder's choice to give Samford a 3-2 lead.
UNC Greensboro then answered with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead. Kris Richards tripled down the right field line to drive in Thomas Troelstrup to tie the score at 3-3. Eric Brindle then singled to drive in Richards to give the Spartans the lead for good. Martin later doubled to drive in Brindle for the game's final run.
Samford threatened to score in the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out in the inning, Irby walked. Filliben then singled to left field and Irby moved to second base. Michael Johnson then reached base on a fielder's choice, with Irby being thrown out at third base for the second out of the inning. Moss then reached base on a bunt single to load the bases. Butler then hit a grounder to UNCG third baseman Richards whose throw just beat Butler to first base to end the game.
Samford will return to action with a game at Auburn on Tuesday, April 26. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start from Plainsman Park.
Western Carolina 11, Wofford 0
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina freshman right-hander Jordan Smith tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout as the Catamounts evened the best of three Southern Conference series by blanking the Wofford Terriers, 11-0, Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Celebrating his 19th birthday with his scheduled start, Smith finished just one strikeout shy of matching his career high by fanning eight while only surrendering four singles to the Terriers. Wofford managed a base runner to second on three occasions, but never advanced past. A native of Liberty, N.C., Smith hit one batter and issued three walks, but freshman battery mate Adam Martin caught one stealing and the WCU defense turned a double-play in helping work out of trouble.
Sunday's rubber match is scheduled for a 2:00 pm first pitch. There will be a pre-game Easter Egg Hunt for all children ages 12-and-under beginning at 1:30 pm at the stadium.
While Smith was tossing a gem on the mound, the Catamounts came alive at the plate, pounding out 15 hits including four for extra bases in scoring their fourth shutout victory of the season.
Senior Stephen Notaro put Western Carolina on the board in the home half of the first inning with his first of two hits on the day and the first of three RBI. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native doubled to right field to score Ross Heffley who reached on a one-out single. Two innings later, Notaro again drove in a solo run with a sacrifice fly to left allowing classmate Austin Schultz to tag and score from third for a 2-0 lead.
Western Carolina (15-20-1, 6-14 SoCon) added some distance with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as a two-out infield error by the Terriers allowed two runs to score with Heffley driving in Schultz with an RBI double to left center.
Martin legged out his first career triple to drive in Notaro in the fifth inning while the Catamounts plated five runs in home half of the eighth to cap the scoring. Freshman Macon Smith drove in a run with a single to left center during the frame while Matt Johns tallied an RBI with the second of consecutive walks issued by Terrier pitching. Sophomore Tyler White also doubled home a pair of runs in the frame.
Notaro finished 2-for-3 with the three RBI while both Heffley and freshman shortstop Aaron Attaway matched him with 3-for-4 performances. Heffley doubled and scored twice in the win with Attaway also touching home twice for WCU.
One day after the top of the Terrier line-up finished with nine hits between the first three batters, the Catamounts held the same trio to two hits in a 2-for-10 showing. Wofford's four hits were scattered among four different batters. Lead-off hitter Clark Wise and Landon Bennett both reached twice with singles and walks for the Terriers who dropped to 19-21 overall, 6-11 in SoCon play.
Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi (0-3) took the loss for the Terriers, allowing six runs - only three of which were earned - on 11 hits in four and two-thirds innings, striking out three. Relievers Jesse Morris and Anthony Rowland threw the final two and a third, combining to allow five runs on five hits with five strikeouts against three walks, two issued by Rowland.
Appalachian State 4, Davidson 3
Appalachian State 7, Davidson 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Appalachian State won both ends of a doubleheader, completing the series sweep over the Davidson Wildcats with 4-3 and 7-0 victories on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
Appalachian State moved to 25-17 overall and 10-11 in the Southern Conference, while Davidson dropped to 16-22 overall and 8-15 in the league.
After the Mountaineers scratched a run in the first inning of the day on a pair of singles, a sac bunt and an RBI-groundout from designated hitter Daniel Kassouf, Davidson took a 2-1 lead on a double steal and an RBI-base hit from senior designated hitterDanny Weiss in the third. Junior center fielder Seth Freeman, who reached on a fielding error by third baseman Zack Briggs, bumped to third on a wild pitch and stole home as freshman left fielder Forrest Brandt (walk) swiped second. Weiss followed with a base knock up the middle to give the ‘Cats the one-run lead.
Appalachian State went ahead on Kassouf's two-run home run in the sixth, which also scored right fielder Jack Myers, who led off the inning with a double to the gap in right center field.
The Wildcats tied it up in the seventh when sophomore shortstopMichael Zeblo drew a leadoff walk to chase Mountaineer starter Nathan Hyatt, who went six innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out eight. Junior RHP David Port got back-to-back fielder's choices before Brandt smacked a two-out single into right to move Freeman, who reached on the second fielder's choice, to third. Freeman then scored the tying run as Appalachian second baseman Hector Crespo lost a ball in the sun that dropped in for an RBI-double for junior first baseman Drew Gadaire.
Senior LHP Mac Hunter tossed 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief on senior day before giving way to classmate Mike Frongello (L, 3-3), who neutralized a one-out single by Myers, who was caught stealing, with a fly out in the eighth. But Briggs went up the middle to lead off the ninth and was sacrificed to second before taking third on a wild pitch and scoring the go-ahead run on a base hit to left by Crespo a batter later.
Frongello fielded a ground ball from Tyler Zupcic to end the inning, but senior RHP Taylor Miller (S, 9) picked up the save by retiring three straight Wildcats in the ninth. Junior LHP Will Helms (W, 3-0) earned the win by facing just one hitter in the eighth.
Davidson finished with seven hits in the first game and was led by Weiss, who went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Brandt also had a pair of hits in the game. The Mountaineers finished with 10 hits, led by Kassouf, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
Senior RHP Ian Horkley allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out two in six innings in the start for Davidson.
The Wildcats also got solid starting pitching from junior RHPRyan Overcash (L, 1-4), who took the hard luck loss in the second game by allowing three runs on five hits and striking out four in 6 1/3 innings.
Junior RHP Seth Grant (W, 4-6) tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits and striking out a career-best 11 to earn the win.
In a game that was scoreless through four innings, and especially so as Myers timed his leap perfectly at the right field wall to rob Brandt of a two-run home run in the third, Appalachian State cracked the scoreboard in the fifth on a leadoff double by left fielder Preston Troutman, a groundout and a sac fly by catcher Tyler Tewell. First baseman Trey Holmes hit a one-out solo home run in the sixth, and the Mountaineers opened a 5-0 lead on a two-run home run by shortstop Will Callaway in the sixth.
Appalachian State added two more on four hits in the eighth and manufactured one final run in the ninth as Crespo led off with an infield single and scored on a couple of wild pitches.
Davidson finished with seven hits in the back end of the doubleheader and was led by Freeman, who batted 2-for-4. Appalachian tallied 12 hits, led by Crespo, who went 3-for-4 at the dish.
The Wildcats return to action with a pair of non-conference, midweek games, traveling to N.C. Central Tuesday at 6 p.m. before hosting Duke Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the second-to-last game at Wilson Field this season. Davidson has played both teams already this season, defeating NCCU, 4-2, on March 29 at home and losing to Duke, 5-7, in Durham on April 12.
USC Upstate 6, The Citadel 2
The Citadel 3, USC Upstate 2
Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Baseball team split a doubleheader with USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon at Riley Park. The Spartans won the opening game, 6-2, in an error-filled contest. In the second game, The Citadel scored early and held on to a 3-2 victory.
Game One (USC Upstate 6, The Citadel 2)
The Bulldogs did not register a hit off Spartan starter Scott DeCecco (4-5) until the fifth inning in the opening game. The sophomore left-hander dominated the majority of the contest, pitching into the ninth inning. DeCecco went 8.1 innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, four walks and struck out three in the victory.
Meanwhile, four errors haunted The Citadel (15-24) and Bulldog starter Matt Talley (Sumter, S.C.) throughout the game. A pair of unearned runs would score in the second when Tyler Miller reached on an error by Matt Simonelli (Orlando, Fla.) at shortstop. A double down the left field line by Austin Liput and an error by Brad Felder (Bowman, S.C.) in left field would then allow Miller to score and an RBI single up the middle by Branden Millhouse would then plate Liput from third to put the Spartans in front, 2-0.
An RBI groundout by Tyler Cook in the third would score Gaither Bumgardner, who singled and advanced to third after a base hit and an errant throw by Drew DeKerlegand (Pearland, Texas) advanced both runners. In the fifth, a sac fly by Luke Weber would score leadoff man Blake Green to bump the lead up to 4-0.
The Citadel managed to get on the board off DeCecco in the bottom of the fifth when William Ladd (Winnsboro, S.C.) walked and moved to third alertly on a groundout when Bumgardner was away from the bag at third base. DeKerlegand punched a base hit up the middle to score Ladd to cut the lead to 4-1.
USC Upstate (14-28) would chase Talley in the sixth when they loaded the bases with three singles and Bumgardner singled to center to score Christian Faust. Talley (2-5) went 5.1 innings, allowing a career-high 11 hits, six runs (three earned) with a walk and five strikeouts. Jeremy Long (Clover, S.C.) entered and Trey Richardson hit a sac fly to right to score Millhouse.
Long and Connor Hitchingham (Jacksonville, Fla.) would keep the Spartans scoreless for the rest of the contest. The Bulldogs did threaten and eventually knocked DeCecco from the game in the ninth when Legare Jones (Columbia, S.C.) singled home Ladd, who walked to lead off the inning. Jake Waller entered for USC Upstate and gave up a base hit to Grant Richards (Morrisville, N.C.) to load the bases but Nick Orvin's (Moncks Corner, S.C.) liner came right back to Waller for a game-ending double play.
Waller recorded his first save of the season while Green and Faust led the offense for Upstate, going 3-for-5 with a run each. Ladd went 1-for-2 with a pair of runs and walks to lead the Bulldogs, while DeKerlegand went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
Game Two (The Citadel 3, USC Upstate 2)
Austin Pritcher's gem in game two propelled the Bulldogs to a 3-2 victory. Pritcher (Charleston, S.C.) fired 7.0 innings while scattering nine hits. He allowed one unearned run, walked no one and struck out four to pick up his first win since early March.
The Citadel (16-24) scored two runs in the first off USC Upstate (14-29) starter David Roseboom (1-9). Felder walked, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scored when Simonelli reached on an errant throw from Liput at shortstop. After a base hit by Ladd moved Simonelli to third, a sac fly to right by Joe Jackson (Mauldin, S.C.) would score Simonelli to give the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead.
The Spartans would cut the lead in half in the third when Tyler Miller singled and Millhouse reached on an error by shortstop Calvin Orth (Jacksonville, Fla.). After a groundout moved the runners into scoring position, Bumgardner's infield single would score Miller to make it 2-1.
The Bulldogs would get another run in the fifth when Josh Pless (Boiling Springs, S.C.) singled and moved to second on a base hit by Felder and then to third when Green misplayed the ball in center field. An RBI single to center by Simonelli scored Pless to make it 3-1 for The Citadel.
Justin Russell (Jacksonville, Fla.) came on in relief for the first time in his career in the eighth to relieve Pritcher (4-3). After an easy eighth inning, the Spartans threatened in the ninth with two outs. Catcher Dillon Way reached on an error by Justin Mackert (Cleveland, Ohio) at first base. A double by pinch hitter Anthony Vacca would put runners in scoring position and an RBI single by Millhouse would score Way to put the tying run on third base. Green then roped a ball right to Russell who tossed the ball over to first to end the game and pick up his first career save.
"Game one, we didn't do anything well," said head coach Fred Jordan. "Game two, we caught the ball well and got some timely hits to pull one out. All three of their lefthanders just pounded the strike zone today and did an excellent job. Pritcher did a solid job for us out there in game two."
The Citadel will break for finals for a week and return to the diamond against Presbyterian on Saturday, April 30 at Riley Park. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available along with recap and box score following the action on all new CitadelSports.com.