UNCG 12, College of Charleston 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Sophomore right-hander Max Povse threw a complete-game, five-hit shutout and the UNCG baseball team touched up College of Charleston for 17 hits on the way to a 12-0 victory at Patriots Point on Friday.
It was the first complete game and shutout for Povse in his career as the Spartans won their third straight Southern Conference contest to improve to 16-14 overall and 4-6 in the league. UNCG also reached double figures in runs for the sixth time this season and is now 6-0 in those games. Additionally, the shutout is the first for the Blue and Gold in league play since May 21, 2011, when the Spartans blanked Wofford 15-0 in Spartanburg, S.C.
Povse struck out seven in the game while walking just two batters to raise his record to 2-1. He limited the third-place Cougars (16-13, 7-5 SoCon) to just three hits in the first six innings and retired eight consecutive batters in the middle frames.
A total of eight Spartans tallied hits on the night, including a pair of three-hit performances by junior catcher Cambric Moye and redshirt freshman infielder Nin Marrero. Senior infielder Trevor Edwards turned in a 2-for-4 effort with three RBIs and three runs scored. He also drew a pair of walks. His home run in the fourth was his team-leading ninth of the season and 35th of his career – the most of any active SoCon player.
The Spartans got the scoring started early in the game with Wolfe and Edwards ripping doubles to each side of the outfield, giving UNCG a 1-0 advantage in the first inning. It was the 12th double for Wolfe this season, as he came into the contest tied for the league lead in two-baggers.
The Blue and Gold strung together a pair of two-out hits to put runners on first and third in the second, but redshirt sophomore infielder Ray Crawford grounded out to second base to end the threat and leave the score at 1-0.
Senior infielder Lloyd Enzor crushed a one-out double to right field in the fourth inning before Marrero singled on the infield and then stole second after Wolfe struck out. Crawford came up with a huge two-out hit, scooting a ball through the right side, which scored both runners. With Crawford sitting on first, Edwards got a hold of a pitch and drove it out of the park to extend the UNCG advantage to 5-0.
UNCG tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to make the score 6-0 when Enzor recorded a base hit after senior infielder TJ Spina laced a triple to center field. The Cougars avoided further damage with Enzor at third and Marrero at second as Wolfe struck out and Crawford grounded out to short on a bang-bang play at first.
Keeping the offense rolling in the sixth, the Spartans plated two more runs on a single by Spina that plated sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch and Edwards. Kalbfleisch reached on a fielder’s choice after Edwards drew a walk and advanced to third on the fielder’s choice.
College of Charleston put up a threat in the sixth, but after a leadoff double by Ryan Welke and a walk to Morgan Phillips, Povse bore down and induced a pop out as well as two fly outs to shut the Cougars down and keep the score at 8-0.
A four-run seventh inning pushed the Spartans over double figures in runs as an RBI single by Moye and a three-run bomb by Kalbfleisch stretched the score to 12-0. It was Kalbfleisch’s first long ball of the year.
Povse was strong right until the end, giving up just single hits in the seventh and ninth innings to preserve the shutout.
UNCG continues its series with College of Charleston on Saturday at Patriots Point. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Furman 9, Western Carolina 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Chris Ohmstede continued his recent power surge with a first-inning grand slam and Taylor Johnson also homered and drove in three runs to power Furman past Western Carolina, 9-2, in the opening game of a three-game Southern Conference baseball series Friday evening at Latham Stadium.
The early offensive display by Furman (18-11, 6-7 SoCon), which scored four runs in both the first and second innings to take an 8-0 lead, helped Paladin starting pitcher Nate Smith (4-1) cruise to his third win in his last four starts. Smith tossed shutout ball through seven innings before yielding a pair of runs in the eighth. The senior left-hander surrendered six hits and a pair of walks while striking out nine, one shy of his season high.
Ohmstede’s grand slam, which came with two outs in the first inning off of Western Carolina’s Jeremy Null, was set up by Alex Abrams, who battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and bring Ohmstede to the plate, where he lined the first pitch he saw from Null over the left-field fence to stake the Paladins to a 4-0 lead.
Johnson, who doubled and scored on Ohmstede’s route job in the first, keyed a four-run Paladin second with a two-run double to center field that bounced off the fence after Catamount center fielder Julian Ridings fell down while collecting himself to make the catch.
The Greer, S.C., product, who homered and drove in three runs in Wednesday’s 6-5 win over 11th-ranked South Carolina, hit his second home run in as many games in the fourth, when he drilled a solo shot onto the hill beyond the left-field fence to stretch Furman’s lead to 9-0.
Western Carolina (17-15, 7-6 SoCon) broke up the shutout with a Tyler White two-run double in the eighth, but Paladin reliever Drake Browne came on for Smith and doused the rally by retiring the three batters he faced, including the last two on strikeouts, to strand a pair of runners.
Johnson finished the game going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and scoring two runs.
Designated hitter Jake Jones, making only his second start in over a month after being sidelined with a stress fracture in his foot, had two hits for the Paladins, who finished with 10 hits.
Julian Ridings had two of the Catamounts’ six hits.
Null (3-2) was charged with the loss after working 5 1/3 innings and allowing nine runs, eight of which were earned, on 10 hits. He walked two and fanned seven.
Ohmstede’s clout was his fourth in the last four games and team leading-eighth round-tripper of the season. The sophomore third baseman has batted .406 (28-for-69) with eight home runs and 19 RBIs over the last 17 games.
The Paladins and Catamounts play game two of the three-game series Saturday at 4 p.m.
Elon 8, The Citadel 5
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ryan Kinsella matched a career high with five RBIs as the Elon Phoenix out-foxed The Citadel for an 8-5 Southern Conference victory in game one of a three-game set on Friday night at Riley Park.
Trailing 5-2 entering the eighth inning, Elon's bats came alive. Blaine Bower was plunked to start the inning and moved to second when his twin brother, Quinn Bower, reached on an error. Sebastian Gomez singled through the right side to drive home Blaine Bower. On the play, the throw home went to the backstop and Quinn Bower raced home as Gomez headed to second. An Alex Swim single put runners on the corners before Kinsella connected for his 10th home run of the season as he drove a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right to put the Phoenix on top 7-5.
Antonio Alvarez kept the rally going with a single that bounced off of the bag at first. He then went to second on a Wil Leathers single, and, after a balk, scored on a Casey Jones groundout.
Elon (19-12, 11-5 SoCon) was the first to strike in the contest, scoring once in the first when a Kinsella fielder's choice plated Quinn Bower, who had led off the game with a single to center.
The Citadel (16-15, 5-5) tied the game in the last of the second as Bo Thompson homered to left.
The game remained even at 1 until the sixth, when Gomez led off the inning with a walk and headed to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout. He then came in on a Kinsella groundout.
The Bulldogs rallied to take the lead thanks to a four-run seventh. Thompson led off with a single just out of reach of a diving Alvarez at short. Tyler Griffin followed with a single to center before a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. Johnathan Stokes then tied the game at 2 with a single up the middle.
A sacrifice fly put The Citadel ahead 3-2 before a Hughston Armstrong single to put two aboard for Mason Davis, who lined a 3-2 pitch to the wall in left-center to drive in two and set up Elon's eighth-inning heroics.
Dylan Clark (4-2) picked up the win for Elon after allowing five runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked just one and struck out three. Andrew MacDonald tossed the final two scoreless innings and fanned two to claim his second save of the season.
The loss went to Bulldog reliever Zach Sherrill (1-1). Sherrill failed to record an out and was charged with four runs (three earned) on two hits. Starter Austin Pritcher allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings of work.
At the plate for Elon, Gomez's 4-for-4 night equaled his best hit output of his career.
Game two of this three-game league series is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Samford 3, Wofford 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford junior outfielder Phillip Ervin singled to center field to drive in Zeth Stone in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Samford a 3-2 win over Wofford in the first game of a three-game Southern Conference series Friday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Ervin went 1-for-4 with an RBI on the night. He was playing his first game since missing the last three games with an injury.
Austin Allison, who was also coming back after missing a few games, went 2-for-3, while Richard Greene went 2-for-2 for the Bulldogs. C.K. Irby drove in a run in a 1-for-4 performance while serving as both the designated hitter and pitcher. Stone also drove in a run, going 1-for-3.
Irby (5-2) pitched eight innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out seven batters to earn the win on the mound for Samford. Arthur Strauss came in to pitch the ninth inning, striking out the side to earn his fifth save of the season.
For Wofford, Matthew Ramsay went 2-for-4 with home run and an RBI. Seth Neely also drove in a run, going 1-for-4 at the plate. Eric Eck (1-3) pitched one inning in relief, allowing one run on two hits to take the loss on the mound for the Terriers. Brandon Yarusi started the game on the mound for Wofford, pitching seven innings and giving up two runs on eight hits.
Wofford jumped on top early with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out in the inning, Matthew Kaskow reached base on an infield single. After moving to second base on a groundout, Kaskow scored on a single by Neely to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
Samford came back with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. Allison singled to left field to lead off the inning. Allison then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Greene and scored on a double by Stone to tie the game. Stone later scored on a triple by Irby to put Samford on top.
Wofford tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth inning. With one out in the inning, Ramsay hit a solo home run to left field to make the score 2-2.
Samford took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Stone walked to lead off the inning and then moved to second base on a bunt single by Tommy Corbin. With one out in the inning, Ervin singled to center field to drive in Stone to put Samford ahead, 3-2.
Strauss came in to pitch the ninth inning. Strauss struck out Kaskow, Alec Paradowski and Josh Hyman in order to secure the win for the Bulldogs.
With the win, Samford improved to 16-14 overall and 6-7 in Southern Conference play. Wofford fell to 13-19 overall and 4-9 in league play.
The teams will continue their series with a game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Appalachian State 9, Georgia Southern 5
BOONE, N.C. – Will Callaway and Jaylin Davis combined to go 6-for-8 with eight RBIs and five runs scored to lead Appalachian State to a 9-5 win over first-place Georgia Southern in Friday afternoon’s Southern Conference series opener at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Callaway went 2-for-3 with a career-high five RBIs and Davis (4-for-5) matched career highs with his four hits and three RBIs in the victory. Paced by the duo, Appalachian State (16-9, 7-5 SoCon) won its fourth-straight game, good for its longest winning streak of the season.
Thanks to an RBI triple by Davis and a sacrifice fly by Callaway, Appalachian jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Georgia Southern turned the Mountaineers’ early advantage into a 4-2 deficit in the top of the third, when, aided by an Appalachian State error, the Eagles plated four runs (three of them unearned).
GSU’s only lead was short-lived, however, as Davis, Callaway and Noah Holmes strung together three consecutive RBI singles with two outs in the bottom of the third to put the Mountaineers ahead for good at 5-4.
Two innings later, Callaway broke the game wide open when he belted a 1-2 pitch from Georgia Southern reliever Chris Myers over the left-field wall for a three-run home run. The senior’s first homer of the season gave Appalachian State a commanding 8-4 lead.
Davis capped the scoring in the sixth with a two-out RBI single that brought Gabe Dimock, who doubled down the right-field line to lead off the frame, home from third with the Mountaineers’ ninth run.
Callaway and Davis were two of six Mountaineers to finish with multiple hits, as Holmes, Dimock, Dillon Dobson and William Head had two apiece. As a team, Appalachian’s 15 hits matched its second-highest total of the season.
The offensive explosion somewhat overshadowed a terrific outing by starting pitcher Jamie Nunn. Appalachian State’s ace bounced back from last Friday’s 9-1 loss to Wofford by allowing just one earned run on five hits over seven solid innings for his conference-leading sixth win of the season. Nunn (6-2) struck out six in the winning effort.
Appalachian hammered GSU starter Sam Howard for seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings of work. The left-hander, who came into the contest tied with Nunn atop the SoCon in wins, dropped to 5-3 with the loss.
T.D. Davis (2-for-4) was the only player with multiple hits for Georgia Southern (19-10, 9-4 SoCon).
The clubs continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
Davidson 2, UNCW 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Michael Zeblo pulled Davidson out of a pair bases-loaded jams, starting an inning-ending double play in the eighth at shortstop and earning the save on the mound in the ninth, as the Wildcats defeated UNCW, 2-1, in nonconference baseball action Friday night in Wilson Field.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for Davidson (9-19). All of the scoring took place in the first half of the game, as the Wildcats scored a run each in the second and third innings, while UNCW’s lone run came in the fourth on a solo home run by left fielder Luke Dunlap, who reached base five times by going 2-for-2 with three walks.
The Seahawks (21-10), who received top-25 votes in the USA Today and NCBWA polls earlier in the week, went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding 12 on the bases, as the ‘Cats came up with key pitches and great defensive plays.
For Davidson, Andrew Barna (1-for-4) led off the second inning with a solo home run, matching his career high with seven on the season, and second baseman Sam Foy (0-for-3) drove in center fielder Andrew Pope (1-for-3), who had tripled on a misplayed ball in right field, on a groundout in the third.
The ‘Cats spoiled a strong outing by LHP Mat Batts (4-2) who struck out a career-high 11 batters and allowed the two runs on just five hits and two walks in a complete game. RHP Ryan Lowe (3-4) scattered six hits and five walks in seven innings of work, yielding just the home run, while striking out four.
UNCW loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning, but Nathan Becker (0-for-1, BB, HBP) threw out the tagging runner at home from right field on a fly out for an inning-ending double play. Lowe cruised through the seventh inning but allowed the first two batters to reach in the eighth and was relieved by RHP Michael Goldberg.
Goldberg yielded a sacrifice bunt and intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases in hopes of getting an inning-ending double play, and the defense delivered. Zeblo cleanly fielded a grounder on the second hop and made a snap throw to second to Foy, who threw to Barna at first to end the frame.
Zeblo took the mound in the ninth and allowed his third walk of the inning with two outs to load the bases, but he was able to strike out the next batter looking for his second save of the season.
Davidson and UNCW will continue the series in Wilmington on Saturday at 4 p.m. and conclude it Sunday starting at 2 p.m.