Samford 8, Auburn 0
AUBURN, Ala.- Samford's Phillip Ervin hit a home run and drove in five runs, and four pitchers combined to give up no runs on six hits as the Bulldog baseball team earned an 8-0 win at Auburn Tuesday evening.
Samford plated four runs in the first inning and three in the third to jump on the Tigers early in the game. Josh Martin (3-1) pitched 6.0 innings, giving up no runs on five hits, striking out two batters and walking just two to earn the win for the Bulldogs.
"Obviously, any win is a good win," Samford associate head coach Tony David said. "But against an SEC team, with them being tied for first in the West and with what their RPI is, this is obviously a big one and it's something our program is excited about. The biggest thing was jumping on them early, and Josh Martin really came out, commanded the zone and threw multiple pitches for strikes."
The win is the first for Samford over Auburn since April 21, 2009, when the Bulldogs claimed an 8-2 win at Auburn. The game also marks the first time Samford has shutout a Southeastern Conference opponent since claiming a 6-0 win at Mississippi State on March 24, 2004, and it is the first time Samford has earned a shutout at Auburn in the Division I history of the program.
In addition to Martin, C.K. Irby, Grant Sides and Andrew Jones combined to pitch the final 3.0 innings, allowing just one hit.
Ervin went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and five RBI for the Bulldogs. Brandon Miller went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Tyler Filliben went 3-for-4, while Michael Johnson, Brad Moss and Saxon Butler had two hits each for Samford.
Auburn's Andrew Morris (1-3) pitched 3.0 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits to take the loss for the Tigers. Kevin Patterson led Auburn at the plate, going 2-for-4.
Samford jumped on top early with four runs in the top of the first inning. Johnson singled to right field to lead off the game. Moss then doubled to left field to move Johnson to third base. After a strikeout by Butler, Miller doubled to left-center field to drive in Johnson and Moss for the first two runs of the game. Ervin then doubled to left-center field to drive in Miller for a 3-0 Samford lead. After Ervin stole third base, he scored on a ground out by Kevin Putkonen to make the score 4-0.
Samford added three runs in the top of the third inning to push its lead to 7-0. With one out in the inning, Butler and Miller delivered back-to-back singles. Ervin then hit a home run, his fourth of the season, to left field to give Samford a seven-run lead.
The Bulldogs plated one final run in the top of the ninth inning. Moss singled to lead off the inning and then moved to second base on a ground out by Butler. Moss then went to third base on a wild pitch. Moss scored the game's final run when Ervin reached base on a fielder's choice to make the score 8-0.
Samford will return to action on Saturday, April 30, when the Bulldogs play at Furman in the first game of a three-game Southern Conference series. The teams will play a single game Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT), and a doubleheader Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT).
Davidson 11, North Carolina Central 4
DURHAM, N.C. - Freshman right-hander Danny Mooney held the NC Central Eagles to a run on three hits and struck out a career-high seven, and the Davidson Wildcats used a season-high 14 hits for an 11-4 win in non-conference play Tuesday night at the Durham Athletic Park.
Mooney (W, 2-2) struck out the side in the first and retired his first nine batters to earn his second career win. Davidson (17-22) finished with a season-best 14 hits, including a season-best seven doubles, led by junior center fielder Seth Freeman, who batted 3-for-6 with an RBI. Junior second baseman James Cerbie (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning, and freshman left fielder Forrest Brandt (2-for-5), junior right fielder Drew Gadaire (2-for-5, RBI), sophomore third baseman Andrew Barna (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and junior first baseman Matt Ray (2-for-3, RBI) all had two hits for the ‘Cats.
NC Central (6-37) finished with seven hits, led by center fielder Nate Smith (2-for-4, RBI) and first baseman Blake Murray (1-for-3, 2 RBI). Eagle starter LHP Brandon Oatis (L, 1-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings.
Davidson got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Gadaire and Brandt put back-to-back, one-out doubles into center field. Mooney struck out the side in the home half before Cerbie recorded the Wildcats' third double of the game, a one-out two-bagger to left in the top of the second. Oatis used his first strikeout and a groundball to leave him on second.
Mooney carried his efficiency into the second, getting three straight fly outs - the second by a sprinting Brandt going away, and third innings, retiring his first nine batters. The Wildcats gave him some run support, putting up a four-spot in the fourth on three hits and a couple of walks to chase Oatis. Senior designated hitter Danny Weiss (0-1, 2 BB, RBI) drew a leadoff walk and scored when Barna hit Davidson's fourth double. After Barna took third on a wild pitch, Ray plated him with a base hit to left that sent Oatis to the dugout in favor of Sam Fulmer. Cerbie kept things rolling, drawing a walk before being sacrificed to second by sophomore shortstop Michael Zeblo. With runners on second and third, freshman catcher Daniel Gerow (1-for-4, 2 RBI) drove in Ray with a sacrifice fly to straightaway center field, and Freeman made it 5-0 in Davidson's favor with an RBI-single to left.
Right fielder Akeem Hood got the Eagles' first hit of the game, leading off the fourth by beating out an infield single that Mooney slipped off the mound trying to field. Hood would also bust up the shutout, scoring Central's first run on a two-out single to the gap in right field by Smith.
Davidson extended its lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run by Cerbie. Weiss and Ray each walked and scored on the play. Mooney returned to form, retiring three in the bottom half before the Wildcats continued scoring in the sixth, adding three runs on four hits and a walk to go up, 11-1. Gerow led off with a solo home run to left field, and Freeman (double) and Brandt (single) followed with hits. Freeman scored a batter later on a sacrifice fly from Weiss, and Barna drove in his second run of the day as Brandt scored on Davidson's sixth double of the game.
Pinch hitter Derrel Parker led off the sixth with the Eagles' third hit of the day, but Zeblo made a diving catch in shallow left field to rob Hood of a base hit and NC Central of its hopes of a rally. Mooney retired his last two hitters, catching designated hitter Tyson Simpson looking at strike three before giving way to sophomore RHP Michael Goldberg.
The Eagles put up three runs in the seventh on a pair of hits to cut Davidson's lead to 11-4. Central loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of base hits, and Murray drove in two with a double to center field. An RBI-groundout by Farquharson in the next at-bat scored Central's final run of the game.
Freshman RHP Jip Richards, sophomore RHP Coleman Barron and senior RHP Mike Frongello combined for the final two shutout innings of relief.
Davidson returns to action tomorrow night, hosting Duke at Wilson Field at 7 p.m., before traveling to Elon for a three-game SoCon set.
Western Carolina 6, High Point 2
High Point, N.C. - Western Carolina scored five-unanswered runs in the latter innings on Tuesday night to rally past the High Point Panthers, 6-2, at Willard Stadium. The Catamounts pushed across two runs in both the fifth and seventh innings with a single run in the sixth to stretch its current winning streak to three, and to make it nine-straight over the Panthers.
Three Catamounts posted multi-hit games as Austin Schultz and Cameron Dullnig both finished 2-for-3, while freshman Cody Jones drove in a game-high two runs on a 1-for-3 showing including WCU's only extra base hit. Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week, Stephen Notaro, finished 2-for-4 in the winning effort.
Junior Andrew Blackwell (1-0) pitched three innings of relief for his first win of the season, taking over for Darron Dotson who made his first career start on Tuesday. Blackwell scattered five hits without allowing a run and struck out two batters while Dotson surrendered both Panther runs on just four hits through an inning and two-thirds before giving way to Blackwell.
Sophomore reliever Jeremy Sluder kept High Point off the board by tossing three and two-thirds of scoreless innings, working around one hit and a walk with a career-high five strikeouts. Senior Brandon Johnson earned his first save of the year by retiring the final two batters with two runners aboard to secure the victory.
High Point (21-22) loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning but only plated one run. Ryan Retz struck out looking before Murray White IV singled to center to score Sal Pezzino. Dotson then got Scott Glover to ground in to a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
Notaro singled and scored in the top of the second to briefly tie the game but HPU answered with another run in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead. Kyle Mahoney walked and scored on a wild pitch to hand the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, Schultz and Macon Smith both scored runs, the latter on a sacrifice fly by Ross Heffley as the Catamounts took their first advantage, 3-2. High Point had a chance to regain the lead, loading the bases in the bottom of the frame but Sluder came out of the WCU bullpen and got Mahoney to foul out to end the threat. Sluder went on to retire 11-in-a-row until Zach Tessier broke through with a double in the ninth inning but the Panthers did not score.
Tyler White was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to lead off the sixth inning and was moved around, scoring on an RBI double to left field by Jones. Then, in the seventh, WCU loaded the bases with one out before Schultz was able to score on a wild pitch with Dullnig drive in Matt Johns with a single to center to cap the scoring.
Both teams stranded 10 runners on base apiece.
High Point's Drew Dades (3-4) took the loss, his second of the season to WCU, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout in five innings of work. Pezzino was 3-for-4 with a run scored and a walk and Drew Geissinger and Tessier each had two hits in the game for the home squad.
Western Carolina hosts Clemson at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in the rescheduled game from March 9 when rain forced the postponement of the Cullowhee meeting between the two regional rivals. Fans will want to arrive at the ball park early as prior to first pitch, WCU will conduct a special ceremony to recognize former Catamount head coach - and current Clemson skipper - Jack Leggett for whom the "Leggett Number 7 Legacy" program has its inspiration.
The Catamounts will host San Diego State this weekend for three games this weekend with game one set for 6:00 pm on Friday evening. First pitch of the second game is scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday with a new start time on Sunday at 11:00 am.
All four nonconference home games this week will be available online with live GameTracker online at www.CatamountSports.com.
#23 Clemson 5, Furman 0
Clemson, S.C. -- Brad Miller went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and four RBI to propel nationally 23rd-ranked Clemson to a 5-0 shutout of Furman in baseball action Tuesday evening at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The game marked the 200th meeting in baseball between the Paladins (19-24) and Tigers (26-14), who have competed on the diamond since 1896, and first shutout suffered by Furman to Clemson since 1998.
Miller's towering three-run blast in the third inning off Furman starting pitcher Kevin Gottlieb, cleared the 370-foot sign in right center field to give the Tigers a 5-0 advantage.
The round tripper backed up his RBI single in the first inning that scored John Hinson for a 1-0 Tiger lead. Miller made it 2-0 later in the inning after stealing second and coming around to score on a fielding error.
Justin Sarratt (4-1), meanwhile, limited Furman to only four hits and struck out six over six innings to earn the victory. The Paladins finished with seven hits but never got a runner to third base. Rob Fondu had two of Furman's safeties, including an eighth inning double, but he was erased at third after trying to stretch it into a triple.
Furman reliever Stephen Gary came on for Gottlieb in the second and quieted Clemson's bats the rest of the way, shuttong out the Tigers on just two hits over the final six innings - a career long outing for the junior left-hander from Greewood, S.C.
Will Muzika also had two hits for Furman.
Clemson managed seven hits in the contest, with Miller and Hinson banging out two apiece.
Gottlieb (0-2) was charged the loss after allowing five runs, four of which were earned, on five hits in two-plus innings. He walked one and fanned two.
Furman entertains Gardner-Webb on Wednesday at Latham Stadium in a 6:00 p.m. game.
Wake Forest 13, Elon 4
ELON, N.C. -- Carlos Lopez went 3-for-6 with two three-run homers to lead the Wake Forest past Elon 13-4 in baseball action on Tuesday night as the Demon Deacons snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Phoenix.
After a scoreless first inning, the Deacons' (17-25) second began with a single to right-center from Mac Williamson. Charlie Morgan followed with a walk before Carlos Lopez belted his seventh homer of the year over the wall in left-center with one away to give Wake a 3-0 lead. James Harris then doubled before scoring on a two-out single through the right side by Pat Blair.
Jake Luce and Cyle Rasmus were both hit by pitches to start the bottom of the third before Ryan Kinsella drew a one-out walk to load the bases. The Phoenix (26-17) would get on the board thanks to a wild pitch before a double play ended the Elon threat.
A two-out error in the top of the fifth allowed Morgan to reach. The Deacons loaded the bases with a Matt Conway single and Lopez being hit by a pitch before Morgan scored on a Harris single up the middle to make it a 5-1 game.
With two down in the top of the seventh, both Brett Armour and Jack Fischer were hit by pitches to put two Wake Forest runners on for Conor Keniry who lined a single to center to drive home the lead runner.
Elon made it a 6-2 game in the last of the seventh. Matt Kirchner reached second on an error to start the inning before going to third on a ground out and then scoring on a Luce ground out.
Following back-to-back walks to start the top of the eighth, Lopez struck again connecting on his second three-run homer of the night as Wake Forest stretched its advantage to 9-2. Steven Brooks would later make it a 12-2 game by hitting the third three-run homer of the game for the Deacons.
An Elon error allowed Wake Forest to score its 13th run in the ninth inning.
David Wood singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth ahead of Kirchner being hit by a pitch to put on for Elon. Pinch-hitter Garrett Koster then doubled off the wall in right-center to score both runners to provide the final margin.
Grant McCoury (1-1) gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.2 innings to suffer the loss.
Wake's Zach White (2-4) was the winner after holding Elon to just one run on four hits in six innings of action.
Of Elon's six hits on the night, two came off the bat of #Sebastian Gomez#.
Along with Lopez, who also scored twice and drove in six, the Wake Forest offense was powered by a 2-for-5, one-run, three-RBI performance by Brooks and Blair's 2-for-3, one-RBI night.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Radford 3, Appalachian State 1
RADFORD, Va. - Appalachian State University baseball stranded 11 baserunners, including six left in scoring position, in a 3-1 loss at Radford on Tuesday evening.
Appalachian (25-18), which left 10 or more men on base seven times in the first 21 games of the season, stranded double-digit baserunners for the first time in 22 contests on Tuesday evening. The runners left on base were the main culprit in ASU seeing its winning streak snapped at four games.
Of the Mountaineers' 11 stranded runners on Tuesday, none were more painful than the final two. Trailing 3-1 in the top of the ninth inning and facing Radford closer Abram Williams, Appalachian put the tying run in scoring position with one out.
Jeremy Dowdy (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) started the ninth-inning rally by drawing a leadoff walk. Hector Crespo (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) followed with an infield single and Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) moved Crespo and Dowdy to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. However, ASU could not take advantage of two opportunities for a game-tying base hit, as Trey Holmes (Rockwell, N.C./East Rowan) struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch and Jack Myers (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park) grounded back to Williams to end the game.
Radford (25-15) scored what proved to be the winning runs on a two-run homer by Carl Travers in the sixth inning of ASU reliever Chad Farmer (Evans, Ga./Greenbrier) (2-2). RU jumped out to a 1-0 advantage on a sacrifice fly by Alex Guerra and Appalachian knotted the score at 1-1 in the fifth when it plated its only run of the game on a sac fly by Crespo.
The Mountaineers outhit the Highlanders, 11-6, led by three hits from Zupcic and a pair of doubles from Will Callaway (Greenville, S.C./Eastside), who scored ASU's only run after leading off the fifth with his second two-bagger of the ballgame.
Ryne Frankoff (Apex, N.C./Apex) turned in his fourth-consecutive strong start for the Mountaineers but did not figure into the decision after allowing one run on four hits over five innings of work.
Derrick Brewer (1-3) got the win for Radford with two innings of scoreless relief and Williams held on for his 11th save of the year.
Appalachian opens a season-long six-game homestand on Wednesday when it hosts North Carolina A&T. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at ASU's Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.