Elon 2, Western Carolina 1
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Spencer Medick and Jordan Smith matched each other pitch-for-pitch for much of the day on Sunday, but the Elon Phoenix was able to scratch out a 2-1 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts to take the series between two of the league's preseason favorites.
Medick (3-1) threw 8 1/3 innings and allowed just one unearned run on eight hits. He struck out eight. Smith (1-3) went 8 2/3 innings and was charged with two runs on five hits.
With the game tied at 1 entering the ninth inning, Elon’s Joey Tomko drew a one-out walk and raced to third on a Chris King two-out single up the middle. Sebastian Gomez drove home Tomko with the winning run three pitches later with a line-drive single to center.
Elon (14-9, 7-5 SoCon) was the first to score, getting on the board with a sixth-inning run. Gomez began that inning with a double down the right-field line and later scored from third on a two-out single to center off the bat of Alex Swim.
Western Carolina (13-11, 5-4) evened the score in the last of the seventh. With one out, pinch-hitter Luke Gragg singled to left. The next hitter grounded a ball to second and reached on a fielder's choice, but Elon was unable to record an out at second as the grounder was bobbled. Danny Bermudez then tied the game with a single down the left-field line that left runners on the corners. Medick escaped further damage by striking out the next two hitters to end the innings.
Medick worked out of a jam in the eighth, as well. The Catamounts had runners on first and second with no outs before a sac bunt moved them up 90 feet. With the infield in, Medick got a grounder to second for the second out before a ground ball to third ended the frame.
Medick departed after retiring the first hitter of the ninth on a grounder to second. He was replaced by Nate Young, who allowed two runners to reach but got the final two outs to pick up his sixth save of the season.
Elon will be back on the road for its next game, a Tuesday evening contest at Triad rival High Point. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Western Carolina hosts Wake Forest on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Georgia Southern 9, Davidson 4
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern Eagles completed a three-game series sweep of the Davidson Wildcats with a 9-4 win to improve to a Southern Conference best 8-1, their best league start since 2005.
Georgia Southern (16-7, 8-1 SoCon) scored three runs in the first inning and shut out Davidson (8-14, 4-8 SoCon) over the final three frames to complete its second series sweep of the year. The Eagles recorded three straight doubles in the first inning and scored all three runs with two outs.
Justin Hess (3-2) earned the win in relief and allowed just one run on four hits over 3 2/3 innings. Hess entered in the fifth inning with a one-run lead and stranded a runner at third base. Starter Josh Stevenson surrendered three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Davidson’s Rob Bain pitched into the second inning but was unable to record an out after allowing a home run to Brent Pugh and a walk to Tyler Avera.
Bain (0-2) took the loss after allowing four runs over an inning of work.
Eight of the nine spots in the Eagle batting order contributed a hit and the team finished with 13. T.D. Davis was one of four players to finish with two hits. Ben Morgan singled in the eighth inning and walked twice on the day. The Wildcats finished with 11 hits, and Sam Foy led the team with three.
Davidson cut GSU's lead to one run in the third inning with a two-run homer by Andrew Barna. After allowing a one-out walk to Ryan Lowe, Stevenson coaxed a pair of ground outs to end the inning.
Georgia Southern scored a run over its final four frames, while holding the Wildcats to just one sixth-inning run. The Eagles loaded the bases to start the fifth inning but were only able to score one run on a Zac Lenns groundout.
Chase Griffin hit a two-out homer in the sixth inning, and Stryker Brown scored from first base on a throwing error by the catcher in the seventh. Brown opened up what was a three-run game in the eighth inning with a two-RBI single.
Davidson’s Barna finished the day 2-for-5 at the plate. Catcher Daniel Gerow drove in the other two runs for Davidson, hitting an RBI single in the second inning and an RBI groundout in the sixth. Freshmen Sam Foy and Lee Miller also enjoyed multi-hit games, going 3-for-5 and 2-for-4, respectively.
Georgia Southern remains at home and will host A-Sun member Jacksonville at J.I. Clements Stadium on Tuesday. It will be Taste of Statesboro at the ballpark and first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
The ‘Cats, in the midst of eight straight games on the road, will next play at Winthrop on Tuesday with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
College of Charleston vs. Appalachian State, canc.
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Due to heavy rain in the morning, Sunday's baseball game vs. Appalachian State has been canceled.
The two teams will not be making up the rubber game of the series, after Appalachian State (12-8, 4-4) won on Friday and College of Charleston (13-10, 4-4) won on Saturday.
The greater Charleston area received a steady torrential downpour all morning, and flash-flood warnings were issued for the downtown area. Field conditions did not permit for playing on Sunday.
College of Charleston will close out its homestand with a game against No. 6 South Carolina on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. All tickets have been sold for that game.
The Mountaineers return to the High Country on Tuesday as they host UNC Asheville for a nonconference showdown. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
The Citadel at Charleston Southern, ppd.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – For the second day in a row, rain has postponed the scheduled game between The Citadel and Charleston Southern.
The teams will make up the rainouts at dates to be announced later in the season.
The Bulldogs are back in action Tuesday at Georgia Tech and return to Southern Conference play with a three-game series beginning Friday at Western Carolina.