Samford 15, Troy 4

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The Samford baseball team plated nine runs in the final two innings to break open a close game on its way to a 15-4 win over in-state rival Troy Tuesday night at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

With the win, Samford improves to 30-16 on the season. The Bulldogs have now won at least 30 games in three-straight seasons and in six of the last seven years. Samford has now won nine of its last 10 games. Troy falls to 20-25 with the loss.

Samford was led at the plate by designated hitter C.K. Irby, going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and five RBI. Irby also pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Bulldogs, allowing no runs on two hits.

"This was a pretty special night for C.K.," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "He had a lot of hard-hit balls tonight. It was just a great job by him at the plate tonight."

Following Irby at the plate for Samford, Zeth Stone went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Brandon Miller went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Saxon Butler went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBI. Butler's home run was his 11th of the season. Phillip Ervin also went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Bulldogs.

Andres Gracia (2-0) pitched 5.0 innings, giving up no runs on five hits and striking out two batters to earn the win on the mound for the Bulldogs. Charles Terry, Sean Handlan, Michael Gunter, Joseph Burns, Tyler Vanderheiden and Irby split up the final 4.0 innings of the contest.

Troy was led at the plate by Boone Shear, going 2-for-5 with an RBI. Jakob Nixon went 2-for-5, while Tyler Vaughn went 2-for-4 for the Trojans. Tyler Hannah drove in two runs with a double in a 1-for-2 performance at the plate. Cass Abercrombie (1-3) pitched 3.1 innings, giving up five runs on four hits to take the loss for the Trojans.

The teams were scoreless for the first three and a half innings. Samford struck for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead. The majority of the damage in the inning came on a three-run home run by Irby with Miller and Ervin on base. Miller and Zeth Stone also drove in a run each in the inning for Samford.

Samford added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to push its lead to 6-0. Christiaan Durdaller was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Durdaller later scored from third base when Brad Moss reached base on a fielder's choice for a six-run Samford lead.

Troy fought back with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull to within two runs of the Bulldogs. Hannah drove in two runs in the inning, while Logan Pierce and Shear drove in a run each in the inning to cut the Samford lead to 6-4.

Samford answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to make the score 8-4. Irby singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Ervin for the first run of the inning. Miller scored the final run of the inning on a ground out by Tommy Corbin.

The Bulldogs broke the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the final score 15-4. Butler hit a three-run home run to right field with Moss and Stone on base for the first three runs of the inning. Irby, Kevin Putkonen and Stone also drove in a run each in the inning, and Miller came home on a wild pitch as Samford pulled away for the 11-run win over the Trojans.

Samford will return to action on Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Statesboro, Ga., for a three-game Southern Conference series at Georgia Southern. The teams will play Friday at 5 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (CT) and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (CT).

 

Wofford 7, USC Upstate 6

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - On Tuesday evening, the Wofford baseball team won 7-6 on a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth over USC Upstate at Russell C. King Field. The Spartans scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game before Eric Brenk hit a bases loaded single in the bottom half of the inning to drive in the winning run.

Wofford is 18-26 overall and USC Upstate is 29-13 overall. The Terriers were led by Mac Doyle with three hits and three RBIs on the night, while four other players had two hits each. The Spartans were led by Gaither Bumgardner with a five-for-five performance and one RBI. The teams combined for 31 hits on the night and the Spartans left 18 runners on base.

The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the first inning and a sacrifice fly by Greg Guers scored a run for a 1-0 lead. Three runners were left on base at the end of the Spartans half of the inning.

In the top of the second, Austin Liput hit a single that drove in runners from second and third to take a 3-0 lead. Wofford got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Stephen Cantrell walked and moved to third on a double by James Foster. An RBI single by Matthew Pelt scored Cantrell for a 3-1 score. Mac Doyle then hit a home run over the left center fence which scored three runs for a 4-3 Wofford lead.

The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with three walks, but all three were stranded. In the bottom of the seventh, Wofford loaded the bases on three walks. James Plaisted hit a two-out single through the right side to score two runs as the Terriers took a 6-3 lead.

In the top of the eighth, the Spartans loaded the bases on a single and two walks, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance. Wofford left two on base in the bottom of the eighth inning. USC Upstate had two singles in the top of the ninth when a single by Gaither Bumgardner scored a run for a 6-4 score. A double down the left field line by Austin Liput added a run to make it a 6-5 game. With the bases loaded and one out, a wild pitch allowed the tying run to cross the plate. The Spartans left two on base at the end of the top of the ninth.

The Terriers opened the bottom of the ninth with a single by Mac Doyle. A single up the middle by Konstantine Diamaduros moved Doyle to third base and an intentional walk to Josh Hyman loaded the bases with nobody out. With one out, Eric Brenk hit a ball that bounced off the left center fence to drive in the winning run in the 7-6 victory.

Wofford starter Gus White threw 4.2 innings and scattered eleven hits with three runs scored along with two strikeouts. Ryan Traylor went 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit. J.D. Osborne added an inning and did not allow a hit. Eric Eck went 1.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Alex Wilson (2-3) picked up the win with two-thirds of an inning without allowing a hit.

USC Upstate starter Scott DeCecco worked two innings and allowed two hits with two strikeouts. Brandon Lee threw 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on five hits with two strikeouts. David Roseboom went 1.2 innings with one hit and three strikeouts. Jake Waller added a third of an inning and allowed two runs on three walks. Andrew Wyant (0-2) went 1.3 innings and gave up five hits with two strikeouts. Chad Sobotka had one strikeout and allowed one hit in a third of an inning.

The Terriers won both games this season against the Spartans. Wofford will travel to Greenville to face Furman in a three-game Southern Conference series beginning on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and continue on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Wake Forest 7, Elon 5

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - On Tuesday evening, the Wofford baseball team won 7-6 on a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth over USC Upstate at Russell C. King Field. The Spartans scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game before Eric Brenk hit a bases loaded single in the bottom half of the inning to drive in the winning run.

Wofford is 18-26 overall and USC Upstate is 29-13 overall. The Terriers were led by Mac Doyle with three hits and three RBIs on the night, while four other players had two hits each. The Spartans were led by Gaither Bumgardner with a five-for-five performance and one RBI. The teams combined for 31 hits on the night and the Spartans left 18 runners on base.

The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the first inning and a sacrifice fly by Greg Guers scored a run for a 1-0 lead. Three runners were left on base at the end of the Spartans half of the inning.

In the top of the second, Austin Liput hit a single that drove in runners from second and third to take a 3-0 lead. Wofford got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Stephen Cantrell walked and moved to third on a double by James Foster. An RBI single by Matthew Pelt scored Cantrell for a 3-1 score. Mac Doyle then hit a home run over the left center fence which scored three runs for a 4-3 Wofford lead.

The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with three walks, but all three were stranded. In the bottom of the seventh, Wofford loaded the bases on three walks. James Plaisted hit a two-out single through the right side to score two runs as the Terriers took a 6-3 lead.

In the top of the eighth, the Spartans loaded the bases on a single and two walks, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance. Wofford left two on base in the bottom of the eighth inning. USC Upstate had two singles in the top of the ninth when a single by Gaither Bumgardner scored a run for a 6-4 score. A double down the left field line by Austin Liput added a run to make it a 6-5 game. With the bases loaded and one out, a wild pitch allowed the tying run to cross the plate. The Spartans left two on base at the end of the top of the ninth.

The Terriers opened the bottom of the ninth with a single by Mac Doyle. A single up the middle by Konstantine Diamaduros moved Doyle to third base and an intentional walk to Josh Hyman loaded the bases with nobody out. With one out, Eric Brenk hit a ball that bounced off the left center fence to drive in the winning run in the 7-6 victory.

Wofford starter Gus White threw 4.2 innings and scattered eleven hits with three runs scored along with two strikeouts. Ryan Traylor went 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit. J.D. Osborne added an inning and did not allow a hit. Eric Eck went 1.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Alex Wilson (2-3) picked up the win with two-thirds of an inning without allowing a hit.

USC Upstate starter Scott DeCecco worked two innings and allowed two hits with two strikeouts. Brandon Lee threw 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on five hits with two strikeouts. David Roseboom went 1.2 innings with one hit and three strikeouts. Jake Waller added a third of an inning and allowed two runs on three walks. Andrew Wyant (0-2) went 1.3 innings and gave up five hits with two strikeouts. Chad Sobotka had one strikeout and allowed one hit in a third of an inning.

The Terriers won both games this season against the Spartans. Wofford will travel to Greenville to face Furman in a three-game Southern Conference series beginning on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and continue on Saturday and Sunday.

 

North Florida 6, The Citadel 3

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Andrew Karmeris' three-run home run in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as North Florida handed The Citadel a 6-3 defeat in non-conference action Tuesday evening at Riley Park. The Bulldogs fall to 19-26 on the season and will look to even the two-game series with the Ospreys Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

Tommy Organ struck out nine Bulldogs over 5.2 innings for the win, improving to 4-2 on the year. The southpaw allowed one run on four hits and walked none. Chandler Jagodzinski tossed a perfect ninth for his third save of the season.

Brett Tompkins suffered the loss for The Citadel, giving up six runs on six hits in five innings with three walks and five strikeouts. Grant Richards and Mason Davis each had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs.

North Florida (26-18) opened the scoring with three runs in the second frame for a 3-0 lead. Tyler Marincov led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and Karmeris was hit by a 0-1 pitch from Tompkins to put a pair of runners on with no outs. Alex Bacon dropped a bunt down the third-base line and the force attempt at third was late to load the bases. Spencer Herrmann drilled a sacrifice fly to deep center to plate the first Osprey run and a groundout to short moved the other runners to second and third. A wild pitch by Tompkins allowed Karmeris to score and moved Bacon to third, while Paul Karmeris lined a RBI single down the left-field line for the early 3-0 lead.

The Ospreys doubled their lead to 6-0 in the fifth on Andrew Karmeris' three-run home run that curled inside the left-field foul pole. T.J. Gavlik and Joe Wielbruda led off the fifth with back-to-back singles and two outs later, Karmeris sent a 2-2 offering from Tompkins over the fence for his fifth round-tripper of the season.

The Citadel broke up the shutout bid in the bottom of the fifth when Bailey Rush lined a one-out triple down the left-field line and scored on a RBI groundout to the pitcher by Johnathan Stokes. The Bulldogs added single runs in the seventh and eighth frame to cut the deficit to three runs, but could not close the margin. Joe Jackson walked to lead off the seventh and advanced to third on Richards' double to right center. Jackson came home on a passed ball by Paul Karmeris for a 6-2 score. In the eighth, Davis drilled a one-out triple to right center and scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Mackert for the final Citadel run of the evening.

Wednesday's 3 p.m. first pitch is the beginning of a Citadel-Charleston RiverDogs doubleheader, as the RiverDogs will host the Lakewood BlueCraws with a scheduled start time of 7 p.m.