Georgia Southern 11, The Citadel 9
STATESBORO, Ga. - Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) came up big again hitting two more home runs to spark Georgia Southern (18-11, 9-3) to a come-from-behind 11-9 win and a series sweep of The Citadel (10-18, 5-10) on Sunday, April 3rd. Roache launched his sixth home run of the week just a day after sending three over the wall and moved into second place in the NCAA rankings with 12, closely trailing behind Jake Lowery of James Madison.
The sophomore outfielder was the first Eagle to hit five or more home runs in a week since 2008 SoCon Player of the Year Chris Shehan hit five during the week of March 11th, 2008.
Sunday's game was tied 2-2 after the fourth inning, but a six-run fifth inning and a single run in the sixth put the Bulldogs up 9-5. Georgia Southern rallied with four runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to complete its largest comeback of the season.
Georgia Southern got three or more hits from its three, four and five hitters with Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) leading the way with four hits. Phillips came around to score four of the Eagles' runs after Roache and Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) both picked up three hits. Roache drove in five runs while Burruss plated two.
Both teams' bullpens factored into the decision after both starters had exited the game before the sixth inning. Justin Russell lasted the longest, allowing five runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings of work. Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) got into some early trouble and allowed a leadoff homer to Nick Orvin, but left after the fourth inning after allowing just one earned run on four hits.
Will Middour (Atlanta, Ga.) picked up the win after pitching two-thirds of a scoreless eighth inning. Statesboro's own Taylor Burke picked up the first out of the inning. Jarret Leverett (Eatonton, Ga.) picked up his first career save after throwing a scoreless ninth inning. Leverett allowed just one hit and struck out a batter in the inning. Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) lowered his ERA to 0.57 and really helped GSU get back in the contest, throwing a pair of scoreless innings in the middle of the game.
After a leadoff home run in the top half of the first inning, Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) led off the bottom half of the inning with a triple and scored a ground out. Three consecutive singles followed the out and scored Phillips, who singled into the right-field corner.
Georgia Southern was held scoreless after that until the sixth inning when Roache launched his first homer getting three of the six runs back The Citadel scored in the top-half of the inning. Four doubles sandwiched around Roache's second home run in the seventh inning drove in four runs to tie the contest at 9-9.
The Eagles manufactured the winning run in the eighth inning after a free pass was issued to Roache. An error on a failed pick-off attempt sent him to second base, and a sacrifice bunt by Ben Morgan (Evans, Ga.) moved him to third base. Phillips drove a ball back up the middle with the infield in to plate Roache. The junior captain came around to score the second run of the inning on a double by Burruss.
Georgia Southern returns to J.I. Clements Stadium for a single game on Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Mercer. The Eagles will take their longest trip of the season this weekend when they face Conference USA member Marshall in a three-game series in Beckley, W.Va. The Citadel hosts crosstown rival College of Charleston next weekend in a three-game set.
Samford 4, Davidson 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Samford pitcher Charles Basford pitched 7.2 strong innings, giving up one run on six hits to lead the Bulldog baseball team to a 4-1 Southern Conference win in the final game of the team's three-game series with Davidson, Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
"What a great job," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "He (Basford) gave up the one home run in the first and then a bunch of zeros after that. It was really just a good job of competing and going longer than he has in a while. On a day when we needed to shorten the game with our bullpen, because we used so many guys yesterday, he was able to get us into the eighth, and obviously it was just a great job by him."
In the win, Basford (3-2) tied a career high with seven strike outs, while allowing just three walks. Andrew Jones earned his seventh save of the season, pitching the final inning to seal the win.
For Samford at the plate, Brandon Miller led the way, going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. The home run was his team-leading ninth of the season, and he has now homered in four of the last five games. Phillip Ervin and Gary Cramer drove in a run each for the Bulldogs as well.
Davidson's Ryan Overcash (1-2) pitched 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits to take the loss. Drew Gadaire drove in the Wildcats' lone run of the game, going 1-for-3 with a home run.
Davidson jumped on top first with a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the inning, Gadaire hit a solo home run to left field to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Samford came back with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead. Ervin singled with one out and then moved to third base on a double by Saxon Butler. Miller singled to drive in Ervin to tie the score. Cramer then singled to drive in Butler to give Samford the lead for good.
The Bulldogs added to their lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Miller led the inning off with a solo home run to left field to push Samford's lead to 3-1.
Samford extended its lead again with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brad Moss doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ervin to make the score 4-1.
With the win, Samford improves to 19-11 overall and 8-4 in Southern Conference play. Davidson drops to 13-14 overall and 6-8 in league play.
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, April 5, when the Bulldogs play at Alabama. The game is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. start, and it can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Davidson entertains UNC Asheville Wednesday at 7 p.m.
UNCG 6, Elon 5
GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Elon that clinched the weekend series for the Spartans on Sunday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
With the Spartans (16-10, 8-4 Southern Conference) trailing 5-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter John Hein flared a singled to left field to get things started. Pinch hitter Zach Leach followed with a single up the middle before a walk by Drew Gehringer loaded the bases.
Chris Barker then stepped to the plate and took a 1-0 pitch into the left field corner for a double that scored Hein and Leach to tie the game at five. Bobby Martin then hit a chopper up the middle that was misplayed by the pitcher to load the bases once again. The first pitch to Trevor Edwards was wild in the dirt and got away from the Phoenix (18-11, 9-3 SoCon) catcher to allow Gehringer to score from third and give UNCG the dramatic 6-5 victory.
Tyler Hollstegge picked up his third win of the season after pitching a hitless ninth inning and striking out two batters. Phoenix closer Mitch Conner was credited with the loss after give up three runs on three hits without recording an out in the ninth.
Chris Barker helped lead the Spartan offense as he went 2-5 with a pair of RBI, while Thomas Troelstrup also had two RBI.
Niko Fraser and Alex Swim each went 2-4 with an RBI and run scored for Elon, while Grant McCoury came off the bench to go 1-2 with an RBI and run scored.
Elon took the early lead with a run in the top of the first as Swim singled up the middle with two outs. After a walk moved Swim to second, Ryan Kinsella delivered a single to left field to score Swim.
The Spartans took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth in what started a seesaw battle midway through the game. Edwards was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single by Eric Brindle. Troelstrup then stepped up and belted a double to left center to score both runners and give UNCG a 2-1 lead.
Elon answered right back in the top of the fifth inning when Fraser and Swim hit back-to-back RBI triples to retake the lead at 3-2.
In the home half of the fifth, Bobby Martin laid down a safety squeeze that scored Cambric Moye from third and tied the game a three.
In the next half inning, Elon was able to retake the lead on back-to-back solo home runs to left field. McCoury was the first as he hit a home run just over the wall on the ninth pitch of his at-bat. Garrett Koster followed with a solo home run of his own to put the Phoenix back in front, 5-3.
The score would stay that way until UNCG's come-from-behind heroics in the ninth inning.
The Spartans will face Duke on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Elon hosts Old Dominion Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Appalachian State 6, Wofford 2
BOONE, N.C. - A four-run sixth inning lifted Appalachian State University baseball to a 6-2 victory over Wofford on Sunday at Beaver Field and Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. With the victory, Appalachian (15-13, 4-8 SoCon) completed a three-game series sweep over visiting Wofford (14-15, 2-7 SoCon).
The difference in Sunday's triumph was ASU's four-run sixth. Clinging to a 2-1 lead going into the frame, the Mountaineers strung together five singles, highlighted by Doug Jones' (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) two-run line drive into left center field. Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) and Trey Holmes (Rockwell, N.C./East Rowan) also drove in runs in to help ASU take a commanding 6-1 advantage.
Appalachian's 12-hit attack, its largest output in 12 games, was complemented by a third-straight stellar performance from its pitching staff. In particular, starter Seth Grant (Etowah, N.C./West Henderson) turned in his best effort of the season, limiting Wofford to one run on five hits over seven innings and needing only 96 pitches to collect his second win of the season.
Zupcic led the Mountaineers' 12-hit outburst, going 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI. The sophomore's four hits matched a career high that was originally set against Wofford last May 22 in Spartanburg, S.C. Tyler Tewell (Charlotte, N.C./Butler) matched Jones' game-high two RBI with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning while he, Holmes and Zack Briggs (Lexington, N.C./Central Davidson) all had two hits in the winning effort.
Alex Lee went 3-for-4 and Konstantine Diamaduros went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple to pace the Terriers, who have dropped 10-straight decisions to ASU.
Appalachian wraps up a stretch of eight home games in 15 days when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
The Terriers are at Duke, Tuesday at 7 p.m.
College of Charleston 15, Western Carolina 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Sophomore RHP Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C.) tied a career-high with eight strikeouts and scattered five hits over eight innings to lead the College of Charleston to a 15-3 victory over Western Carolina Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point. The Cougars outhit WCU 13-6 and complete the weekend sweep, improving to 19-9 overall and 6-3 in the Southern Conference.
Charleston scored three runs in both the first and second inning to jump out to an early 6-0 lead. Redshirt-junior 1B Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.) provided the offense in the opening frame with a three-run home run to left, his sixth of the season. Senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and redshirt-junior DH Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) both drew walks against WCU starter Adam Curtis to get on base for Rodriguez's round-tripper. In the second, redshirt-freshman C Jimmy Holton (West Palm Beach, Fla.) doubled to left and Rakar knocked a RBI single to left for a 4-0 lead. After Kral's second straight base on balls, redshirt-junior 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.) dropped a two-run double into left for his 42nd and 43rd RBIs of the season and a 6-0 Charleston lead.
Western Carolina plated a pair of unearned runs in the fourth off Powell, after a passed ball advanced runners to second and third with two outs and Adam Martin lined a two-run single to center. The Cougars picked up a run in the bottom of the frame as junior RF Marty Gantt (N. Augusta, S.C.) scored on a fielding error by WCU 3B Austin Schultz for a 7-2 advantage.
The Cougars exploded for eight runs in the sixth, as the first six Charleston batters reached base and scored, while WCU used five relievers in the inning. Kral drilled a three-run double to right center to highlight the frame and five other Cougars collected RBIs in the inning and CofC pounded out seven hits.
WCU closed the scoring in the seventh with a RBI triple to left center by Cody Jones.
Powell improved to 3-0 on the season and allowed three runs, one earned with no walks. Gantt, Rakar, Leeds and Rodriguez all recorded multi-hit games, while Rodriguez had four RBIs. Curtis took the loss for WCU, allowing three runs on two hits in one inning of work.