College of Charleston 12, Savannah State 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - College of Charleston won its second game in two days with a 12-0 shutout of Savannah State at home on Tuesday evening.
The Cougars (33-15) won their fifth straight home game, while Savannah State dropped to 18-30 on the season. The shutout was the fifth for the CofC pitching staff this season, while the hitters eclipsed 10 runs for the eighth time in 2012.
Left-hander Jake Zokan (1-0) made his first start and second appearance of the season as he went 5.0 innings and allowed just four hits while striking out four, earning his first win of the season. Relievers Dre Watts, Drew Freie, Griffin Jones and Derrick Smith each pitched an inning and did not allow a hit for the rest of the game. The CofC pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts for the fifth time this season.
The College of Charleston hitting attack was led by seniors Marty Gantt and Rob Harding. Gantt belted a two-run homer, his ninth of the season, while drawing three walks and scoring three runs. Harding tallied two hits and two RBI while reaching base three times.
Both players extended their reached base streaks to 15 games, respectively. Despite walking twice and scoring a run, Brandon Glazer snapped his team-best 14-game hitting streak.
Daniel Aldrich and Cody Martin each hit triples, while Tyler Jackson and Brandon Murray tallied doubles.
Savannah State starter Eric Ransom (1-1) took the loss despite allowing only one hit, as he went 2.1 innings, giving up two runs, one earned. Tiger reliever Jackson May took the most damage as he allowed eight hits and eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings as the Cougars put the game out of reach.
The Cougars used sloppy Tiger defense to score runs in the first and third innings. Gantt reached on an error to start the game, before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher. He scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Murray. Gantt scored again in the third inning with a leadoff walk, a balk, an advance on a fly ball and a wild pitch.
CofC walked its way to two runs in the fourth inning as the five different Cougars drew walks and Gunnar Heidt and Bradley Goodson picked up RBIs on a sacrifice fly and a groundout. On the game, College of Charleston drew 10 team walks, tying a season high.
The home team broke the game open in the fifth and sixth innings as the bats came alive to find hits. Harding, Welke and Heidt all hit safely in the fifth inning before Gantt hit a two-run homer to give the Cougars an 8-0 lead.
The Cougars opened the sixth inning with four consecutive hits with a double from Murray, triple from Aldrich, single from Harding and triple from Martin as the Cougars posted four more runs on the board to create the final margin of 12-0.
College of Charleston will continue with a non-conference makeup game tomorrow at Charleston Southern. Game time has been moved to 1:30 p.m.
No. 30 East Carolina 4, Elon 1
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- For the second time this year Elon and East Carolina went deep into the game scoreless, and for the second time, ECU was able to defeat the Phoenix. On Tuesday evening the Pirates used a four-run sixth to claim a 4-1 victory.
The loss dropped Elon to 28-24 while ECU improved to 32-16-1 on the year.
With neither team able to muster much offense, the game went to the bottom of the sixth scoreless. Drew Reynolds led off the frame with a single up the middle and went to second on a one-out single from John Wooten. That forced the Phoenix to draw the infield in and Zach Wright grounded the ball to short, forcing the runners to hold as he was set down for the second out. After Jack Reinheimer was intentionally walked to load the bases Elon went to the pen. Unfortunately, the Phoenix reliever was unable to find the zone and proceeded to walk in three runs before another pitching change. A wild pitch with the bags full brought home the fourth and final Pirate tally.
Elon tried its hand at a ninth-inning rally. With one out, Joey Tomko bounced to short, but his path to first base was impeded by the ECU pitcher and he was awarded first on obstruction. With two down Sam Paone collected the first hit of his career to put two aboard for Quinn Bower. Bower delivered the Elon run with a single to right. That is where the rally ended though as Tanner Merritt struck out the next hitter to end the contest.
Andrew MacDonald (4-3) took the loss, but had a solid start. He threw a career-long 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
Andy Smithmyer (4-2) was the winning pitcher, going 6.2 scoreless innings and scattering four hits. Merritt's 2.1-inning stint earned him his eighth save.
Ryan Kinsella went 1-for-4 to extend his career-long hit streak to 14 games. Two of Elon's six hits were notched by Bower.
Elon will break for exams before concluding its 2012 regular season with a three-game Southern Conference set with The Citadel. That series begins on Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m.
Campbell 9, Wofford 4
GREENVILLE, S.C. - In the final non-conference game of the season, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 9-4 by Campbell at Russell C. King Field. It was a one-run game until the Camels scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.
Wofford is 19-29 overall and Campbell is 35-14 overall. The Terriers were led by Konstantine Diamaduros with three hits and two RBIs. The Camels had three hits each from Ben McQuown and Michael Felton, with Felton adding three RBIs.
The Camels got on the board in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by Michael Felton to take an early 1-0 lead. After Wofford was retired in order, Campbell added a run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly by Brent Graham and took a 3-0 lead on a double by Jimmy Brenneman.
In the bottom of the third, Luke Feisal reached on a walk and took second on a wild pitch. A double to the right corner by James Foster drove in Feisal for a 3-1 score. With two out in the top of the fourth, Campbell added a runs on RBI singles by Ben McQuown and Michael Felton for a 5-1 lead.
The Terriers left one on base in the bottom of the fourth after Konstantine Diamaduros hit a double. In the bottom of the fifth, Wofford loaded the bases on two walks and a single from Matt Moore. A walk with two-out to Mac Doyle allowed a run to score for a 5-2 game. Konstantine Diamaduros hit a single up the middle that drove in two runs to make it 5-4 score after five innings.
Campbell added a run on an RBI single by Michael Felton for a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Nick Ray was hit by a pitch to plate a run. A double by Ben Fish drove in two runs to push the lead to 9-4. Wofford left two on base at the end of the sixth inning. In the final three innings, Campbell left two runners on base and Wofford stranded one runner.
Wofford starter Gus White (1-1) worked four innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with one strikeout. Connell Anderson threw 1.1 innings and allowed two hits with one strikeout. Ryan Traylor went a third of an inning and gave up two runs on two hits. Anthony Rowland went 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit with one strikeout. Alex Wilson and Eric Eck each threw an inning with one strikeout.
Campbell starter Paul Eyster threw 4.1 innings with four runs allowed on four hits with six strikeouts. Andrew Jacobsen (5-0) went 2.2 innings and gave up three hits with one strikeout. Matt Marksberry went the final two innings and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts.
The Terriers will travel to UNCG for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 6:00 p.m.
The Citadel-USC Upstate Contest Cancelled
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Tonight's contest between The Citadel and USC Upstate has been cancelled due to the threat of rain in the Spartanburg area this afternoon and evening.
With the regular-season nearly complete, the contest will not be made up. The Bulldogs (22-27, 11-13 SoCon) close the home portion of the 2012 schedule with a three-game series against Furman at Riley Park beginning May 11.
RAIN CANCELS TUESDAY FURMAN-WINTHROP BASEBALL GAME
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Tuesday's Furman-Winthrop baseball game at Latham Stadium has been canceled due to rain and will not be rescheduled, Paladin head coach Ron Smith announced at 12:25 p.m. today.
Furman (22-25) will play at third-ranked South Carolina (36-12) on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in a game televised by Fox SportSouth and Fox Carolinas.
In addition, the Furman-South Carolina contests will be broadcast over Furman network flagship station WOLT 103.3-FM, via the internet through StretchAudio at www.furmanpaladins.com, and stadium transmitter at 105.9 FM. Dan Scott, the "Voice of the Paladins," will deliver the play-by-play and former Paladin standout Clint Hill color commentary.