Samford 8, UNCG 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Samford's Charles Basford was perfect for nearly five innings and didn't allow a run until the eighth inning as UNCG fell to the Bulldogs, 8-2, on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Basford was nearly untouchable as he went eight innings and allowed just two runs on five hits, while striking out three. He had a perfect game going until TJ Spina doubled just inside the right field line with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. That was the only hit UNCG would have through the first 7 1/3 innings of play.
Samford (10-5, 1-1 Southern Conference) used three runs in the top of the third inning to take give the entire cushion Basford would need. With one out, Austin Allison, Zeth Stone and Brad Moss hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases.
A groundout gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead and Brandon Miller followed with a single to center field to score Stone and Moss to give the visitors the 3-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs would add three more insurance runs in the top of the eighth to stretch their lead out to 6-0. Stone led off with a single up the middle and then Saxon Butler walked two batters later before Miller doubled to left center to clear the bases and make it 5-0. Samford would tack on another run later in the inning on a single by C.K. Irby.
The Spartans finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth when Spina hit another double, this time to left center. He moved over to third on a single by Cambric Moye before scoring on a single by Kris Richards to make it 6-1. After a UNCG strikeout, Zach Leach singled just over the head of the shortstop to score Moye and make it a 6-2 contest.
Samford added two more runs on a two-run double in the top of the ninth by Moss to make the final score 8-2.
The Spartans and Bulldogs will play the rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Elon 7, Georgia Southern 2
ELON, N.C. -- A seven-run afternoon by the Elon offense combined with a masterful starting pitching performance by Dylan Clark sent the Phoenix soaring past the visiting Georgia Southern Eagles by a 7-2 margin on Saturday afternoon. The win, which improved Elon to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in the Southern Conference, assured the maroon and gold of a series win. GSU dropped to 7-8, 0-2.
Clark (4-1) struck out a career-best eight hitters in seven innings to claim the win. He scattered seven hits and gave up just one run.
Three different Phoenix players notched multi-hit games - Alex Swim (3-for-4, one run, one SB), Sebastian Gomez (2-for-4, one RBI and Ryan Kinsella (2-for-4, one run, two RBI).
"Any time you can score early, it relaxes the dugout a little bit," said Elon head coach Mike Kennedy. "Our guys know that when Dylan's out there, if we can get two or three we have a chance to win. I thought our at bats got better as the day went on too."
Georgia Southern took a 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out homer by Eric Phillips in the first inning only to see the Phoenix answer back with a run of its own in the bottom half. Elon scored its first marker when Garrett Koster doubled home Niko Fraser.
Elon increased its lead to 3-1 in the last of the third. With Fraser on third and Swim on second with one out, Kinsella laced a liner into the gap in right-center to plate both runners.
The Phoenix erupted for four runs in the sixth inning to cushion its advantage. Kinsella got things started with a single and Elon loaded the bases with a walk to Grant McCoury and a bunt single by Jake Luce. Joey Tomko and Gomez would then draw bases-loaded walks to force home two runs before Fraser doubled to right-center to drive in the final two runs.
Tyler Avera's grounder in the ninth scored GSU's second run.
Taking the loss for the Eagles was Jarret Leverett (1-1). Leverett allowed three runs on seven hits in four frames.
Elon will look to complete the conference series sweep when game three gets underway at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Latham Park.
Western Carolina 11, The Citadel 4
Charleston, S.C. - Three Catamounts collected three hits apiece and Western Carolina scored seven runs in the first two innings, handing The Citadel an 11-7 loss in Southern Conference action Saturday afternoon at Riley Park. The two teams meet Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to decide the three-game series. The game can be heard on Sports Radio 1450 beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Western Carolina (11-4, 1-1 SoCon) scored three in the first and tacked on four more runs in the second to take a 7-0 lead early in the game. After retiring Aaron Attaway on a fly out, Citadel starter James Reeves gave up a single to Tyler White and a wild pitch moved White to second. Reeves was called for a balk with Ross Heffley at the plate to move White to third and Heffley drove in White with a RBI single to left. One out later, Bryant Noteboom's RBI single through the right side scored Heffley and a RBI double to right by Connor Andrus plated Noteboom for a 3-0 lead.
The Catamounts added four more in the second, knocking Reeves out of the game after back-to-back singles by Dale Urquhart and Cody Jones gave Western Carolina runners at the corners. Zach Sherrill came on in relief for the Bulldogs and a double steal gave the Catamounts a 4-0 lead. Sherrill recorded a groundout on Attaway, but hit White with a 1-0 pitch and walked Heffley to load the bases. A sacrifice fly to right by Jacob Hoyle brought home the second run of the frame and a two-run single to right by Andrus increased the Catamounts' lead to 7-0.
The Citadel (7-7, 1-1) got on the board in the bottom of the second, scoring a single run to cut the deficit to 7-1. Tyler Griffin walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Hayden Hendry. Two outs later, Grant Richards was hit by a pitch and a RBI single by Mason Davis to left plated Hendry from second.
Western Carolina put up another run in the top of the fourth, with Attaway reaching on a single to right center, advancing to second on a wild pitch by Bulldog reliever Bryce Hines and taking third on a throwing error by Richards. A second wild pitch by Hines scored Attaway for an 8-1 lead.
The Bulldogs scored in the seventh to cut the score to 8-2 on a RBI double by Justin Mackert following a one-out double by Nick Orvin. A pair of runs in eighth cut the Catamounts' lead to 8-4. Bailey Rush drew a lead-off walk and one out later, Davis walked to put a pair of runners on. An RBI single to right by Joe Jackson scored the first run and a RBI fielder's choice by Orvin brought the Bulldogs within four.
The Catamounts plated three more insurance runs in the top of the ninth to seal the win. Andrus, Attaway, and White each collected three hits for Western Carolina, who recorded 15 in the game. Morgan McKinney picked up the win to improve to 3-1 on the season. McKinney scattered four hits over five innings, allowing one run and striking out two with four walks.
Reeves suffered the loss for the Bulldogs, falling to 3-1 on the year. The southpaw allowed five runs on six hits in one inning of work. Hines was impressive in relief, striking out nine in six innings.
Appalachian State 16, Davidson 3
BOONE, N.C. - Fueled by a nine-run fifth inning, Appalachian State University baseball rolled to its 10th-straight win, a 16-3 rout over Davidson on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Appalachian (12-2, 2-0 SoCon) scored in double-digits for the fifth time in six games to reach 10 victories in a row for the first time since it won its first 10 games of the 2010 season. With the triumph, ASU also clinched this weekend's three-game series versus Davidson (4-8, 0-2 SoCon), marking the first time since 1999 that the Mountaineers have won their initial Southern Conference series of the season.
Unlike the majority of its recent games, Appalachian appeared to be in store for a close affair on Saturday, as it led just 4-3 midway through the contest. However, the Mountaineers exploded for their second nine-run inning of the week in the fifth to turn the tight ballgame into a romp.
Thanks to five walks and a hit batter, ASU needed just three hits to put the nine-spot on the board in the fifth. Cleanup hitter Daniel Kassouf (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) provided two of three hits in the frame, an RBI single that opened the scoring and a towering grand slam to left field that capped the nine-run explosion and gave the Mountaineers a commanding 13-3 advantage. Hector Crespo (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) delivered the only other hit in the stanza with a three-run double to left.
From there, the only real question remaining was whether starting pitcher Seth Grant (Etowah, N.C./West Henderson) would toss a complete game. The right-handed senior wound up working eight strong innings, allowing just three runs on five hits while striking out five and walking only one. Despite throwing only 97 pitches in the efficient victory, Grant (2-1) came out of the ballgame after the Mountaineers scored three runs in the eighth to stretch their lead to 16-3.
Like in Friday's 10-4 series-opening triumph over Davidson, the top of the batting order led the way for ASU on Saturday. The Apps' first four hitters (Crespo, Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), Will Callaway (Greenville, S.C./Eastside) and Kassouf) all had multiple hits for the second-straight day, combining to go 8-for-17 with four walks, nine RBI and 10 runs scored. Also for the second-straight day, 8-of-9 starters had hits in the Mountaineers' 14-hit outburst.
Forrest Brandt had two of Davidson's six hits while pitcher Brian Russell (1-1) was tagged for seven runs in four innings to suffer the loss.
Appalachian goes for the series sweep on Sunday when it hosts the finale of the three-game set at 1 p.m.
College of Charleston 4, Furman 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Christian Powell threw eight innings of shutout ball then watched his bullpen almost give it away in the ninth before the College of Charleston held on to beat Furman, 4-3, Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game Southern Conference series at Latham Stadium.
The Cougars (11-3, 3-2 SoCon) will go for the series sweep of the Paladins (8-7, 0-2 SoCon) on Sunday, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.
Powell (3-1) dominated Furman for eight innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while matching a career high eight strikeouts. The junior right-hander retired the last 13 Paladins he faced and threw 90 pitches, 61 for strikes.
He departed the contest with a 3-0 lead and was the beneficiary of a Cougar run in the ninth that proved to be the game winner.
David Peterson relieved Powell in the Furman ninth and promptly yielded a leadoff single to Will Owens, the Paladins' first hit since the fourth inning. With one out Will Muzika singled, and Peterson then grazed Paul Nitto with a pitch to load the bases. Alex Abrams followed with a single to left to score Owens, and Taylor Johnson drew a bases loaded walk to force in Muzika to make it 4-2.
Peterson's troubles continued when a wild pitch allowed Nitto to score from third, pulling the Paladins to within a run while also moving the potential tying and winning runs into scoring position. Peterson recovered by striking out Harrison Farmer on a 2-2 pitch. At that point Kyle Owings was summoned from the bullpen, and he ended the Paladin threat by striking out Hunter Burton looking to end the game.
The save was the first of the year for Owings.
The loss was charged to Nate Smith (1-2), who pitched well in defeat. The Paladin junior left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings while walking two and fanning seven, tying a career high.
Powell pitched out of trouble in the third after Farmer led off with a single and advanced to third on a Hunter Burton double to left field. The Greenwood native rallied by striking out Zack Greenwell for the first out and getting Will Miller on a fly to center field on a play that initially looked to be a sacrifice fly. Farmer, however, was ruled out on appeal at third for leaving before the catch, ending the inning.
Brandon Murray's solo home run to right field in the fourth gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead, and CofC made it 2-0 in the sixth on a Tyler Jackson RBI single that plated Brandon Glazer.
Rob Harding's RBI single in the seventh drove home Gunnar Heidt to stretch the advantage to 3-0.
The Cougars combined a hit with a hit batsman and two walks to push across the decisive run in the ninth on a bases loaded walk by Bradley Goodson that drove in Cody Martin.
CofC had eight hits in the game, including 2-for-4 performances by Jackson and Heidt.
Alex Abrams was credited with two of Furman's six hits.
Wofford 6, Eastern Kentucky 5
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - In the second game of a weekend series, the Wofford College baseball team held on for a 6-5 win over Eastern Kentucky at Russell C. King Field on Saturday. The Terriers scored five runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead, but the Colonels came back with four unearned runs in the top of the ninth for the 6-5 final score.
Wofford is 8-7 overall and Eastern Kentucky is 5-9 overall. The Terriers had a strong outing from starter Jesse Morris, going 8.1 innings and giving up just two hits. Matt Pelt and Stephen Cantrell each had two hits and an RBI for Wofford. The Colonels had four players with one hit each in the contest.
The second batter of the game for the Colonels, Dustin Dunlop, hit a solo home run to left field for an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Wofford led off with a single by Matt Moore and Matt Pelt added a single, but a double play ended the inning. After the Colonels were retired in order, Wofford opened the bottom of the fourth with a double by Mac Doyle. The Terriers left two runners on base at the end of the inning.
Wofford had a double by Stephen Cantrell in the bottom of the fifth. A single up the middle by Matt Pelt scored Cantrell to tie the game at 1-1. Eastern Kentucky went down in order in the top of the sixth.
The Terriers had a double by Mac Doyle and a single by Eric Brenk to put runners on the corners in the bottom of the sixth with one out. A double steal scored Doyle for a 2-1 lead and wild pitch scored Brenk from third for a 3-1 game. Matt Moore laid down a sacrifice bunt that plated a run and Stephen Cantrell had an RBI single to take a 5-1 lead. Another run was scored on an RBI single by David Roney to make it 6-1 after six innings.
In the top of the ninth, the Colonels got things going with a walk and two base runners on Wofford errors to score one run. A groundout and an RBI single from Alex Hughes cut the lead to 6-4. With the bases loaded, a balk plated a run to make it 6-5 with one out. A strikeout and fielder's choice ended the game with the bases loaded.
Wofford starter Jesse Morris (1-0) went a career-high 8.1 innings and allowed four runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits with eight strikeouts. Eric Eck went the final two-thirds of an inning and allowed two hits and an unearned run along with one strikeout for his fourth save of the season.
Eastern Kentucky starter Greg Tarry (1-1) went 5.1 innings and allowed ten hits and four runs with two strikeouts. Chase Greene worked a third of an inning and gave up two hits and two runs. Austin Rexroat went 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit. Lincoln Wagner threw the final inning and had one strikeout without allowing a hit.
The Terriers series with the Colonels concludes on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Next week Wofford will host East Tennessee State on Wednesday night.