Elon 16, High Point 7
ELON, N.C. – The Elon offense went on the attack on Tuesday night, pounding out 17 hits en route to a 16-7 victory over fellow Triad school High Point at Latham Park.
Six different Phoenix players had multi-hit outings as Elon (18-11) avenged an earlier loss to the Panthers (14-15). On the mound, Tyler Manez (1-2) earned his first career victory after allowing two runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.
After a scoreless first inning, Elon got a run in the second on back-to-back doubles from Antonio Alvarez and Sebastian Gomez.
The Phoenix extended its lead to 5-0 in the third. Niko Fraser led things off with his 11th career triple to move into a tie for 10th all-time in program history. Alex Swim followed with a double just inside the third-base bag and then trotted home on Ryan Kinsella's team-best ninth home run of the season. Alvarez then singled, giving Elon the cycle in an inning for the first time since 2009, and later scored on a double play.
High Point tried to make it a game in the fourth, getting on the board three times. Devin Bujnovsky singled to start the inning and moved to third on back-to-back groundouts. After a walk put runners on the corners, Adam Barry singled and headed to second on the throw in to third base. Cody Manzella followed with a two-RBI single down the right-field line to make it 5-3.
Elon quickly responded as the first four hitters of the inning singled, the last off the bat of Kinsella scoring the first of six runs in the frame. A walk to Alvarez forced in a run before Gomez recorded an RBI single. Chris King then cleared the bags with a triple to right as the Maroon and Gold built an 11-3 lead.
The Panthers put two on the board in the fifth and another in the sixth to cut their deficit to 11-6 only to see the Phoenix come back with a three-run sixth, including a two-RBI single from Fraser.
King began the Elon seventh with a solo homer to left-center and Kinsella would later draw a bases-loaded walk and the Phoenix led 16-6 after seven innings.
High Point got its final run in the top of the eighth.
Manez came on in relief and was stellar while earning the first victory of his career. Starter David Whitehead allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Elon roughed up High Point starter Ryan Retz (3-2), who had defeated the Phoenix exactly a week ago in High Point. Retz, who had allowed just five earned runs all season, was touched up for seven runs on nine hits in just three innings of work.
King finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. He was a single shy of the cycle. Fraser and Gomez also had three-hit nights for the Phoenix. Kinsella drove in four during his 2-for-4 performance.
The Phoenix will begin a four-game road swing on Wednesday night by traveling to Raleigh, N.C., to face the 25th-ranked NC State Wolfpack. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Georgia Southern 8, Jacksonville 4
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Georgia Southern pitching stranded 12 runners and scattered 13 hits to complete the season-series sweep of the Jacksonville Dolphins with an 8-4 win on Tuesday night.
Georgia Southern (19-9) got good pitching from five different players to improve to 15-2 when holding an opponent to five runs or fewer. Sam Howard pitched the Eagles out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning. Howard struck out two batters and got a pop up after allowing two hits and a walk.
Drew Johnson (1-0) earned the win after GSU struck for three runs in the sixth inning to break open a 4-3 ball game. Johnson allowed one run on four hits over two innings. The left-hander recorded four straight outs after allowing back-to-back singles to start the fourth inning.
Adam Maxon (1-1) took the loss after giving up four runs over 2 1/3 innings. Maxon struck out four batters and allowed six hits in his first start of the season. The right-hander allowed single runs in the first and second innings before surrendering two runs in the third inning.
Jacksonville (10-19) out-hit the Eagles 13-to-10. Braddock Rowe recorded four singles, two runs and an RBI to pace the Dolphins. Zach Houck and Nate Ricci both had two singles. Ben Morgan recorded two hits and three RBIs for Georgia Southern. T.D. Davis also added two hits and scored a run.
The Eagles opened the game with a first-inning run off the bat of Chase Griffin. Griffin plated a leadoff single by Scooter Williams with a double down the right-field line. Griffin was thrown out at the plate a batter later trying to score a second run on Davis' single to left field.
Georgia Southern went ahead 2-0 in the second inning on a two-out single by Brent Pugh before Jacksonville tied the ball game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the frame. Rowe and Josh Baker tallied back-to-back singles to lead off the frame. Rowe scored on a passed ball, and Baker crossed the plate on a Ricci single.
Georgia Southern took a 4-2 lead with a pair of runs in the third inning. Robbie Dodds drove in a leadoff single by Morgan with a base hit to right field, and Griffin, who reached after being hit by a pitch, scored on a wild pitch.
The Eagles broke open the contest with a sixth-run sixth inning, scoring three runs to take a 7-3 lead. Morgan plated all three runs with a two-out triple to left-center field. GSU loaded the bases with a pair of fielder's choices and a walk. Both teams traded runs in the seventh inning before both bullpens pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
Georgia Southern remains on the road and returns to Southern Conference play at Appalachian State. The Eagles begin a three-game weekend series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The series concludes with a 3 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
Appalachian State 9, Eastern Kentucky 6
RICHMOND, Ky. – A three-run seven inning, highlighted by a Dillon Dobson home run over the right-center wall, propelled Appalachian State to a 9-6 win over Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field.
Dobson, who was slotted in the second spot in the lineup, combined with leadoff hitter Hector Crespo to go 7-for-11 with three runs and five RBIs. The duo also combined for the cycle as Dobson tallied a double and a home run, while Crespo began the game with a leadoff triple and recorded a single.
Preston Troutman was the third Mountaineer in the lineup to record multiple hits, finishing 2-for-5 with a double.
Tyler Jackson claimed his first victory of the year, as he entered the game in the sixth inning and went two innings, striking out two EKU hitters. Left-hander Chad Farmer started the game and went three innings while striking out three, as six different Mountaineer pitchers saw action in the contest.
After Crespo’s triple to begin the game, the senior was driven home by a Jaylin Davis single through the left side. The Appalachian hit spree continued in the second when the Mountaineers (15-9) plated three, highlighted by an RBI single from Gabe Dimock, who started his first collegiate game behind the plate, and an RBI double from Dobson.
Appalachian scored another run in the third but the lead was quickly relinquished in the fifth when the Colonels (5-19) plated two runs on two hits, headlined by Austin Grisham’s double.
Playing from behind for the first time in the game, the Mountaineers climbed back into the lead in the seventh when Brandon Burris started the inning with a leadoff single. With a sacrifice bunt moving Burris over, Crespo singled to bring in the tying run. Dobson’s home run in the next at-bat brought the game to 9-6 and solidified the victory.
Left-hander Rob Marcello shut the door, coming into the game in the eighth inning to grab the six-out save.
Eastern Kentucky’s bottom half of the order did all the damage, as its 4-9 hitters in the lineup each recorded two hits. EKU’s top three hitters combined for a 1-for-11 day. Matt Lynch was tagged with the loss.
The Mountaineers return to Southern Conference play on Friday, as they host Georgia Southern at Smith Stadium for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m.
Western Carolina 13, UNC Asheville 9
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Jacob Hoyle matched his career high with four hits, including three for extra bases, as Western Carolina overcame a sluggish start to rally past mountain-rival UNC Asheville, 13-9, Tuesday night in the front end of a midweek home-and-home at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Hoyle paced five Catamounts with multiple-hit games as WCU overcame a five-run first-inning deficit in halting a three-game slide to the Bulldogs while handing UNCA its ninth straight loss this season. The Hickory, N.C., native had two doubles and his third home run of the season, driving in three runs to move into a tie with senior Tyler White for the team lead with 27 RBIs.
The visiting Bulldogs plated five runs in the top of the first inning, including three on a Todd Joyner home run, capitalizing on two WCU errors. However, after stranding two in the first inning, the Catamounts got going in the second with the first two of six straight markers to take a one-run lead, 6-5, through three.
Aaron Attaway drove in two runs on a two-out double to right-center field in the second inning to put the Catamounts on the board, trimming UNCA’s lead to three, 5-2. In the third inning, Luke Gragg drove home White, who was plunked by a pitch to open the frame. Hoyle scored on a wild pitch with J.D. Long driving in a run on a sacrifice fly and an infield throwing error allowing the third run home.
The Bulldogs charged back in the fourth, taking advantage of four free passes from Catamount pitching. Billy Creighton and Tommy Houmard drove in runs on bases-loaded walks to push UNCA back in front, 7-6, before Ian Graham singled home former Catamount Phillip Treadway to give the ‘Dogs a two-run, 8-6, cushion.
Western Carolina responded with seven straight runs, including one in the fifth and three in both the sixth and seventh innings to claim a lead it would never relinquish. Dykota Spiess scored on a wild pitch in the fifth with Cody Jones coming home on a UNCA throwing error ahead of Hoyle’s two-run home run in the sixth inning. Then, in the seventh, Attaway belted his fifth home run of the year with a leadoff solo shot to left center, with Hoyle scoring White and Spiess doubling home Hoyle to cap WCU’s scoring.
UNCA added one additional run in the eighth as Ian Graham opened with a double to right-center before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Towles to provide the final tally, 13-9.
Behind Hoyle’s 4-for-5 showing at the dish, Attaway was 2-for-6 with a double and three RBIs, while Spiess and White were both 2-for-4. Bradley Strong finished 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Freshman Alex Barr (2-0) scored the victory for the Catamounts, striking out a career-high five in two and a third relief innings. The Hamptonville, N.C., native held UNCA to one run on two hits to score his second collegiate victory.
Freshman Colton Davis struck out two in an inning and a third as the first out of the bullpen in relief of starter Adam Curtis. Facing his former high school coach – and 1976 Western Carolina graduate Tom Smith – Curtis tossed three and a third innings in the starting role, allowing seven runs – only two of which were earned – on five hits with four walks and a strikeout.
Freshman Jonathan Waszak was perfect through one inning of work with redshirt sophomore Bryce Danielson pitching around two walks with a strikeout in an inning of work to close the game.
Reliever Justin Hunt (0-2) took the loss for UNC Asheville, surrendering three runs on three hits in an inning and a third out of the bullpen. Combined, the Bulldogs used six pitchers on the night, striking out six.
Offensively, Joyner finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while Graham was a perfect 3-for-3 with a pair of walks to pace the Bulldogs.
Western Carolina and UNC Asheville meet at historic McCormick Field on Wednesday with first pitch at 6 p.m.
Duke 9, Davidson 3
DURHAM, N.C. – Matt Berezo reached base four times and drove in three runs to lead Duke past Davidson, 9-3, Tuesday night in nonconference baseball action in Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Designated hitter Ryan Lowe and shortstop Michael Zeblo each went 3-for-4 to lead Davidson (8-19), with Lowe driving in two runs and Zeblo driving in the other.
Berezo went 3-for-4 with one double and a walk to lead Duke (17-13). Center fielder Grant McCabe and shortstop Kenny Koplove were each 3-for-5 at the plate as the Blue Devils totaled 13 hits.
Lowe drove in second baseman Sam Foy from third base in the first inning on an infield single for an early 1-0 Davidson lead, but an RBI double by third baseman Jordan Betts and a fielding error gave Duke a 2-1 advantage in the bottom half.
The Blue Devils added another run in the second inning during a bases-loaded double play. Zeblo hit an RBI triple in the third inning to bring Davidson back within one, but Berezo hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the frame to restore the two-run cushion for Duke.
The Blue Devils took a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Chris Marconcini. Davidson answered in the top of the sixth inning when center fielder Forrest Brandt walked to lead off the frame, stole second and then scored on a single through the right side by Lowe. However, Duke added three runs in the seventh on a pair of bases-loaded walks and an RBI single and one more run in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
RHP James Marvel (4-2) held Davidson to two runs on six hits and no walks in five innings of work, also striking out seven. Three Duke pitchers held the ‘Cats to one run over the final four innings. LHP Rob Bain (0-3) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings of work.
Davidson will next play a three-game nonconference series with UNCW. The first game will be Friday at Wilson Field at 6 p.m., and the next two will be at UNCW on Saturday (4 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.) The Saturday game was recently added to the schedule. The Wildcats have also changed the game time for their Friday, April 19, home contest against UNCG, moving it back one hour to 7 p.m.
UNCW 7, College of Charleston 2
WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCW held off a late College of Charleston comeback with three runs in the seventh inning to go on to a 7-2 nonconference victory on Tuesday night.
The Seahawks (21-8) tallied nine hits and drew eight walks as they halted College of Charleston’s recent three-game win streak.
Evan Phillips (2-0) picked up the win for UNCW, going six innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out five. Ryan West (2-1) suffered his first loss on his first season start, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits.
Drew Farber led the UNCW offense with two RBIs on two hits, scoring two runs. Hunter Ridge hit a two-RBI double in the eighth inning to put help put the game away.
Ben Boykin went 2-for-3 for the Cougars (16-12), driving in one. Gunnar Heidt also tallied an RBI while Alex Pastorius scored a run. The Cougars stranded 11 runners on base in the game, including six in scoring position.
UNCW broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Luke Dunlap was hit by a pitch and Corey Dick walked. Another walk from Tyler Molinaro loaded the bases and Farber drove in two runs with a single up the middle to give UNCW a 2-0 lead.
College of Charleston threatened in the top of the sixth with a one-out double from Brandon Murray and a single from Boykin. However, College of Charleston couldn’t find another hit and eventually left the bases loaded.
The Seahawks scored again in the bottom of the sixth inning with hits from Farber, Connelly and an RBI double from Dillon Bass to make the score 3-0. After a groundout and a walk, Dunlap dropped in an infield single to score another run and push the Seahawks’ lead to four.
Freshmen Morgan Phillips and Pastorius led off the seventh inning with singles to left field. Heidt singled home a run for his team-leading 27th RBI of the year. Boykin then hit a two-out single off the leg of pitcher Justin Livengood that scored Pastorius from second base to cut it to a 4-2 game and give the Cougars momentum.
UNCW jumped right back on the Cougar bullpen in the bottom of the seventh inning with three runs on four walks and two hits, extending the lead to 7-2 and securing the victory.
College of Charleston will return home this week for a Southern Conference series against UNCG.
Coastal Carolina 3, The Citadel 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Coastal Carolina's Jacob May tripled off the glove of a sprinting Hughston Armstrong with one out in the seventh and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Buccilli for what proved to be the game-winning run in a 3-2 victory over The Citadel on Tuesday night at Riley Park.
The Chanticleers (16-12) defeated the Bulldogs (16-13) for the 10th time in the past 11 meetings and eighth time in the last nine games at Riley Park despite getting only four hits off five Citadel pitchers. The two teams will meet again Wednesday at 6 p.m. at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach.
The game was tied 2-2 when May lofted a drive into the alley in right-center off of Kevin Connell. Armstrong reached high over his head as he reached the ball on a dead run but was unable to haul it in as May raced all the way to third.
Zach Sherrill replaced Connell on the mound, and Buccilli lined a 1-1 pitch to right with May beating the throw by Tyler Griffin to put the Chanticleers in front.
The lead held up due to the work of Coastal reliever Austin Kerr, who allowed only three hits with three strikeouts and no walks in five shutout innings. Kerr (2-0) retired the final 10 Bulldogs, aided in no small part by a diving catch by May on the warning track in left-center that robbed Mason Davis of at least a triple leading off the eighth.
Freshman right hander Austin Livingston turned in a solid start for The Citadel but was not involved in the decision. He worked the first four innings and gave up only two hits and one run. Connell (0-1) gave up two hits and two runs (one earned) and struck out a pair in 2 1/3 innings, and the combination of Sherrill, James Reeves and David Rivera did not allow a hit over the final two frames.
Sherrill was appearing in his 11th straight game and 24th overall this season, the most of any pitcher in Division I baseball. Rivera, who also ranks among the national leaders in games pitched, took the mound for the 21st time on the year.
The Bulldogs scored single runs in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead against Coastal starter Alex Cunningham. Joe Jackson drew a two-out walk in the first and scored on a double by Bo Thompson. Two innings later, Drew DeKerlegand launched a solo homer to right, his third of the season.
DeKerlegand had two hits on the night to snap a 4-for-29 skid. Thompson's base hit enabled him to continue his streak of having reached safely in all 25 of his games this season and 28 in a row dating back to the end of the 2012 campaign.
The Chanticleers cut the Bulldog lead in half in the fourth when Will Remillard doubled just past the diving effort of DeKerlegand in the left-field corner and narrowly beat Griffin's throw home on a single to right by Jake Kane.
Coastal pulled into a 2-2 tie in the sixth in unusual fashion. With two on and one out, Kane reached on a bunt single and Remillard, running from second, came all the way around to score when the ball got away from Connell covering first for an error.
Connell was able to avoid further damage by striking out pinch-hitter Luke Willis and getting an acrobatic catch at short by Johnathan Stokes on a bases-loaded line drive off the bat of Nick Oberg.
Winthrop 6, Wofford 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. – On Tuesday night, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 6-1 by Winthrop at Winthrop Ballpark. The Eagles had a 3-1 lead after three innings and added three runs in the eighth inning to secure the win.
Wofford is now 13-17 on the season and Winthrop is 10-19 overall. The Terriers were led by Josh Hyman with two hits. Chad Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the Eagles. The two teams will meet again on April 30 at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
In the top of the second, Wofford led off with a walk to James Plaisted. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third when Matthew Pelt reached on an error. A double steal allowed Plaisted to score and the Terriers took a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles took the lead when Max Vogel singled and Chad Smith hit a home run to left field for a 2-1 score after two innings. In the bottom of the third, Kyle Edwards singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single by Cody Dolan scored Edwards for a 3-1 lead.
Wofford led off the fourth inning with a single by Plaisted, but two strikeouts and a caught stealing ended the top half. The Eagles left one runner on base in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Terriers stranded one in the top of the fifth inning.
After Winthrop was retired in order in the bottom of the fifth, the Terriers went one-two-three in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Eagles had a single by Smith and a double by Austen Barber. A strikeout ended the scoring chance for the Eagles.
Wofford’s Matthew Kaskow was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch and an infield single by Hyman gave the Terriers runners on the corners. Kaskow was caught stealing before a single by Seth Neely and a wild pitch moved Hyman and Neely into scoring position with two outs. A groundout ended the scoring chance for the Terriers.
Winthrop loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth after a walk and two errors. A single to right field scored two runners to give the Eagles a 5-1 lead. A single up the middle by Michael Patrick added a run as Winthrop took a 6-1 advantage at the end of the inning.
Wofford starter Tanner Hawley (0-1) threw a season-high 5 2/3 innings with three runs allowed on eight hits and three strikeouts. Will Stillman went two innings and allowed three unearned runs on one hit with one strikeout. Connell Anderson gave up one hit and had one strikeout in a third of an inning.
Winthrop starter Joey Strain (3-3) went five innings and allowed one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts. Mitchell Knox threw two innings and allowed one hit with three strikeouts. Eric Ruth had the save by going two innings with four strikeouts and only one hit allowed.
The nine-game road trip for the Terriers will continue at Auburn on Wednesday night before they begin a three-game series at Samford on Friday.
Wake Forest 5, UNCG 4
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest took advantage of a pair of UNCG errors in the bottom of the ninth and received a two-run walkoff single to rally past the Spartans 5-4 in a nonconference game Tuesday night at the Wake Forest Baseball Park.
The Blue and Gold fell to 15-14 overall while the Demon Deacons improved their record to 17-14.
Senior infielder Lloyd Enzor had a solid night at the dish, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored, while freshman RHP Ryan Clark was tagged with a tough-luck loss to drop his record to 2-1. Sophomore RHP Tyler Frazier was in line for the win before Wake Forest’s late rally as he tossed two innings – allowing just one walk and striking out four batters.
After the Spartans went quietly in the top of the first, Brennen James ran into some trouble in the bottom of the inning. Evan Stephens reached on a hit up the middle before Conor Keniry walked. However, James was able to induce two fly outs and record a strikeout to escape unscathed.
Enzor provided James with some early run support, as, with runners on first and second, he crushed a ball to deep right-center and it fell over the wall for his third home run of the season.
The Demon Deacons broke through in the bottom of the third, tying the game at 3 thanks to a two-run double by Kevin Conway and an error charged to Enzor. Wake Forest threatened again in the fourth, but sophomore LHP Caleb Henley was able to get a 6-4-3 double play to terminate the inning.
As the game moved to the fifth inning, UNCG was able to string together some hits as senior outfielder Christian Wolfe and senior infielder Trevor Edwards reached first and second with one away. However, junior catcher Cambric Moye struck out and sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch grounded into a fielder’s choice for the final two outs.
After Wolfe recorded a walk and redshirt sophomore infielder Ray Crawford a single to right field with one out in the top of the seventh, Edwards hit a ball deep enough to center to score Wolfe and put the Blue and Gold in front again 4-3.
The Spartans held the Demon Deacons off the board and received two huge innings from junior Dylan Hathcock to keep their 4-3 lead headed to the bottom of the ninth.
Clark got Mark Rhine to fly out to left for the first out, but Moye could not quite hang on to a foul ball behind the plate and Evan Stephens took advantage of the error. He singled and went to second on a throwing error by junior infielder Sean Guite. Keniry walked before Clark hit Pat Blair to load the bases. Jack Carey would end the game in his at-bat with a sharp single to left-center to score the tying and winning runs.
UNCG returns to action this weekend in a Southern Conference series at College of Charleston. The Spartans and Cougars will begin the set Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
Jacksonville State 12, Samford 11 (10 inn.)
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Jacksonville State baseball team plated four unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extra innings and then Andrew Bishop singled to drive in Coty Blanchard in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Gamecocks a 12-11 win over Samford on Tuesday evening at Rudy Abbott Field.
Samford entered the ninth inning with an 11-7 lead. Paschal Petrongolo and Eddie Mora-Loera scored the first two runs of the inning for the Gamecocks on a two-out Samford error. After Michael Bishop was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Chase Silvani singled to drive in Adam Miller and Stephen Bartlett to tie the game at 11-11 and force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Samford loaded the bases with two outs. The Bulldogs, however, were unable to get a run across, sending the game to the bottom of the 10th inning still tied at 11.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Blanchard walked to lead off the inning. Petrongolo then singled up the middle, moving Blanchard to third base. Bishop then singled up the middle to give the Gamecocks the 12-11 win.
For the game, Samford was led at the plate by Frankie Navarrete, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. C.K. Irby and Jared Watson each went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Watson hit the first home run of his Samford career in the loss. Parker Curry (0-2) gave up one run on two hits to take the loss on the mound for the Bulldogs.
Jacksonville State was led at the plate by Silvani, who went 3-for-6 with two doubles and two RBIs. Blanchard went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBIs. Travis Stout (3-0) pitched the final third of an inning to earn the win on the mound for the Gamecocks.
Jacksonville State jumped on top first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Michael Bishop tripled to right-center field to lead off the inning. With one out in the inning, Bishop scored when Griff Gordon reached base on an infield single to give the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead.
Samford tied the game with a run in the top of the third inning. Navarrete singled to lead off the inning. After moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt, Navarrete scored on a single up the middle by Tommy Corbin to tie the score at 1-1.
The Bulldogs took the lead with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Brandon Haarer doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Gonzalez for the first run of the inning. Watson hit a two-run home run to make the score 4-1. Irby later doubled to drive in Corbin for a 5-1 Samford lead.
Jacksonville State came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Samford lead to 5-4. Blanchard tripled to drive in Bishop and Silvani for the first two runs in the inning. Blanchard then scored on a Samford error to bring the Gamecocks to within one run.
Jacksonville State tied the score with one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out in the inning, Michael Bishop walked and stole second base. After moving to third base on a groundout, Bishop scored on a wild pitch to tie the score at 5.
The Bulldogs took the lead again with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Irby hit a sacrifice fly to score Navarrete for the inning’s first run. Christiaan Durdaller then doubled to center field to drive in Watson and Corbin for an 8-5 Samford lead.
The Gamecocks plated a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the Samford lead to 8-6. Blanchard doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a groundout by Cal Lambert.
Samford added another run in the top of the eighth inning to make the score 9-6. Zeth Stone doubled with two outs in the inning. Navarrete then doubled to drive in Stone for a three-run Samford lead.
JSU came back with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut the lead to 9-7. Gavin Golsan doubled to lead off the inning. Golsan later scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Bishop to pull JSU to within two runs.
Samford added two runs in the top of the ninth inning to push its lead to 11-7 and set the stage for the Gamecocks’ late comeback. Caleb Bryson doubled to drive in Corbin and Irby for a four-run Samford lead.
Samford will return to action on Friday, when the Bulldogs open a three-game Southern Conference series against Wofford at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (CT) start.