The Citadel 22, Davidson 7
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel established season highs in runs and hits in a 22-7 win over Davidson in the opening game of a Southern Conference series Friday night at Riley Park.
The Bulldogs snapped a brief two-game losing streak and improved to 28-19 overall and 15-7 in the SoCon to maintain a solid hold on second place in the conference. Davidson dropped to 13-30 and 8-17 in the league.
The teams will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The move was made necessary due to the likelihood of rain in the Charleston area most of Sunday.
The run total was The Citadel’s highest since a 25-14 victory at Davidson on April 21, 2007, and the most at Riley Park since a 22-2 victory over Wofford on March 18, 2000. The 22 hits were the most since accumulating 23 against Appalachian State on March 26, 2010. Calvin Orth (five hits) and Mason Davis (four) both set new career highs, while Joe Jackson matched his career best by driving in five runs.
Every Bulldog starter scored a run, seven crossed the plate at least twice and The Citadel also had six players with multiple hits and six with two or more RBIs. The previous high in runs this season was 18 at Wofford on March 17 and the season best in hits was 19 in the first game of a doubleheader at Furman last Saturday.
Orth had two singles, two doubles and a triple to fall a home run shy of the cycle for the second time this season. The junior first baseman extended his hitting streak to a career-long 11 games and has raised his average from .272 to .325 over that stretch. Hughston Armstrong also has an 11-game hitting streak after going 2-for-4 with three runs scored on Friday.
After grounding out in the first, Jackson drove in runs in his next four at-bats, including a two-run single in the fourth and an RBI base hit an inning later. Brett Bullard also starred for the Bulldogs, setting season highs with three hits, including two doubles, and four runs scored, while knocking in a pair to match his season best.
Johnathan Stokes added three hits and put the finishing touches on the victory with a three-run homer as part of a seven-run seventh. Stokes had four RBIs on the night and has 44 on the season, two behind team-leader Jackson, and has driven in at least one run in 14 of the last 18 games with a total of 27 during that time.
Austin Pritcher, named the SoCon Pitcher of the Month earlier Friday, struck out a season-high nine in six innings to raise his record to 6-2 on the year and earn his 20th career win, the most for any active conference pitcher. The senior right-hander allowed six hits and five runs (three earned) in six innings and gave up his first home run of the season when David Daniels left the yard in the third.
Ross White went the final three innings for The Citadel and gave up three hits and two unearned runs, struck out two and did not walk a batter to pick up his first career save. Ryan Lowe (4-7) took the loss for Davidson.
Samford 15, UNCG 9
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team built an 11-run lead and held off a late rally for a 15-9 win over the UNCG Spartans in the first game of a three-game Southern Conference series Friday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
With the win, Samford improved to 25-21 overall and 10-11 in SoCon play, while UNCG dropped to 19-27 overall and 6-16 in league play. The schedule has been changed for Saturday, as the teams will now play a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Central time due to inclement weather predicted for Sunday.
Samford’s Eric Wright (4-3) pitched six innings, allowing just one run on six hits. He struck out two batters and walked two. Patrick McGavin pitched the final 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit to earn his first save of the season.
At the plate for Samford, C.K. Irby went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, while Zeth Stone went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs. Christiaan Durdaller went 2-for-3, and Phillip Ervin hit his 11th home run of the season in a 1-for-4 performance with two RBIs.
For UNCG, Max Povse (3-4) pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs, just five earned, on three hits. Povse struck out eight batters and walked four for the Spartans.
Christian Wolfe, Cole Harrison and Nin Marrero had two hits and an RBI each for UNCG. Trevor Edwards also went 2-for-4 for the Spartans, while T.J. Spina drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 performance at the plate.
Samford took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the third inning and another in the fourth inning. In the third inning, with one out, Austin Allison walked, advanced to second base when Stone walked and to third base when Ervin reached on a fielder’s choice. Allison then scored on an error for the game’s first run. In the fourth, Durdaller singled to lead off the inning. Durdaller then advanced to third base on a two-base error and scored on a groundout by Brandon Haarer for a 2-0 Samford lead.
Samford scored two runs in the fifth inning to make the score 4-0. With one out in the inning, Allison walked. Stone tripled to drive in Allison, and Stone scored on the play on another UNCG error for a four-run Samford lead.
UNCG put its first run on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning to cut the Samford lead to 4-1. With one out, Spina walked and then stole second base. Spina moved to third base on a groundout, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Lloyd Enzor to bring UNCG to within three runs.
Samford broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 10-1. Irby drove in three runs in the inning with a double. Tommy Corbin and Stone also drove in a run each in the inning, and Corbin scored on a wild pitch for a nine-run Samford lead.
The Bulldogs added two runs in the seventh inning to push their lead to 12-1. Drew McWhorter doubled to center field to drive in Caleb Bryson and Durdaller to stretch the Bulldogs’ lead to 11 runs.
UNCG came back with eight runs in the top of the eighth inning to cut the Samford lead to just three runs at 12-9. Spina drove in two runs in the inning, while Eric Kalbfleisch, Jake Hall, Zac MacAneney, Harrison, Marrero and Wolfe drove in a run each for the Spartans.
Samford added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the final score 15-9. The first two runs in the inning were scored on Ervin’s two-run homer with Stone on base. Irby scored the game’s final run on a groundout by Brandon Powell.
Appalachian State 9, Elon 1
BOONE, N.C. – Highlighted by a seven-run sixth inning, Appalachian State jumped out to a 9-0 lead and cruised to a 9-1 win over Elon in the clubs’ Southern Conference series opener on Friday evening at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Appalachian State (25-17, 12-11 SoCon) banged out 13 hits, its most in three weeks, en route to only its second win in its last 12 meetings with Elon (23-26, 15-10 SoCon). The victory vaulted the Mountaineers into fifth place in the SoCon standings, a game ahead of Georgia Southern (24-22, 12-13 SoCon), which dropped a 13-5 home decision to Furman on Friday.
With starting pitchers Jamie Nunn and Spencer Medick locked in a pitchers’ duel early on, the game was scoreless until Appalachian put the first run on the board on Dillon Dobson’s RBI groundout in the fourth. The Mountaineers added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Will Callaway before exploding for seven runs in the sixth to turn the slim 2-0 lead into a commanding 9-0 advantage.
Jaylin Davis opened the floodgates in the seven-run sixth when he snapped a personal 2-for-31 skid with a two-run triple to right-center field. Preston Troutman, William Head and Callaway also drove in runs in the big inning, while two Elon errors allowed the Mountaineers to plate the final two runs of the stanza.
That would be more than enough for Nunn to earn his SoCon-best ninth win of the season. The right-handed sophomore retired 16 straight batters at one point and surrendered Elon’s only run of the evening on an RBI groundout by Antonio Alvarez in the seventh. The quality start (six or more innings pitched, three or fewer runs allowed) was Nunn’s 10th in 12 outings this season.
Callaway led the Mountaineer charge by going 3-for-3 with a pair of sacrifice flies. In the process, the senior shortstop extended his hitting streak to 17 games (the longest by a Mountaineer this season) and upped his batting average to a lofty .356.
Hector Crespo also had three hits to raise his average to .351. Josh Zumbrook went 2-for-4 to round out three Appalachian batters with multiple hits.
Niko Fraser went 2-for-3 with a double to lead Elon, which managed just five hits. After the strong start, Medick (5-5) fizzled and was lifted from the game after allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Phoenix lost for the 13th time in its last 16 games.
Appalachian State and Elon continue their three-game SoCon series on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
Furman 13, Georgia Southern 5
STATESBORO, Ga. – Chris Ohmstede went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs and Furman erupted for a season-high 10 runs in the eighth inning en route to a 13-5 win over Georgia Southern in the opening game of a three-game Southern Conference baseball series Friday evening at Clements Stadium.
The Paladins trailed 5-3 after seven frames before sending 14 batters to plate and banging out eight hits in the eighth to take control of the contest.
The win was the third straight for Furman (25-19, 11-14 SoCon), which improved to 7-6 in league road games this year, and third triumph in the last four clashes against Georgia Southern (24-22, 12-13 SoCon).
The Paladins out-hit the Eagles 16-9 and continued their offensive onslaught that has produced 33 runs and 45 hits in the three-game winning streak. The 10-run inning was the most productive frame of the season for Furman.
Greg Harrison continued his recent torrid work at the plate with a 3-for-4, three-RBI performance that included a double and his fourth home run of the season, and Will Muzika also drove in three runs with a pair of hits.
Ben Carlson (5-2), who came on in the seventh with his team down two runs, was the beneficiary of the eighth-inning fireworks, earning the win after working the final three innings.
Sam Howard (6-7), the second of four Eagle pitchers to get knocked around in the decisive eighth inning, took the loss, failing to record an out while yielding five runs on a pair of hits and three walks.
Harrison’s leadoff solo home run off of GSU reliever Chris Myers in the eighth cut the Eagles’ lead to 5-4. Paul Nitto followed with double down the left-field line, and an Alex Abrams single put runners at second and third for Chris Ohmstede, whose two-run double to center field off of Howard drove home Nitto and Abrams to give the Paladins a 6-5 lead.
Three straight walks by Howard forced in another run, and Muzika greeted Howard’s replacement, Clint Taylor, with a two-run single to stretch the advantage to 9-5.
Harrison and Nitto added to the outburst with their second hits of the frame with a run-scoring single and double, respectively. The Paladins closed out the inning with an Abrams sacrifice fly and an Ohmstede RBI single — his second base hit of the inning.
Furman took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Muzika RBI double and Harrison sacrifice fly.
Georgia Southern countered with in the second with a bases-clearing triple off the bat of Kyle Streicher.
Ben Morgan’s solo home run in the sixth put Georgia Southern up 5-3.
Furman starter Nate Smith worked six innings, allowing five runs on six hits. He walked five struck out six.
Saturday’s game is scheduled to get under way at 10:30 a.m. to allow Furman’s seven seniors the opportunity to travel to Greenville, S.C., in time for graduation exercises.
College of Charleston 10, Wofford 6 (game one)
Wofford 6, College of Charleston 3 (game two)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Friday, the Wofford baseball team split a doubleheader with the College of Charleston at Russell C. King Field. In the first game, the Cougars took a 6-0 lead after two innings on the way to a 10-6 victory. The second game was tied at 3 when the Terriers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 6-3 win.
Wofford is now 20-29 on the season and 10-16 in the Southern Conference. The College of Charleston is 25-20 overall and 13-9 in conference play. The 10 wins in Southern Conference play are the most by the Terriers since the 2002 season. The win over the Cougars in game two was the first win in the series by Wofford since 2007, a stretch of 16 games.
In the first game, the Cougars loaded the bases in the top of the first on a walk and two batters hit by pitches. A groundout scored one run and a double by Carl Wise drove in two runs for a 3-0 lead. College of Charleston opened the second inning with a solo homer by Ryan Welke for a 4-0 lead. A two-run homer by Gunnar Heidt pushed the advantage to 6-0.
Wofford opened the bottom of the third with a double by Matthew Kaskow. A single by Clark Wise scored Kaskow for a 6-1 score. Wise moved to third after a wild pitch and stolen base. A double off the wall by Josh Hyman drove in Wise to make it 6-2. The Cougars added a solo home run by Morgan Phillips for a 7-2 lead in the top of the fourth.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Cougars had an RBI double by Morgan Phillips and a groundout by Blake Butler for a 9-2 lead. Hyman led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to left field to make it a 9-3 game. In the seventh, CofC’s Gunnar Heidt tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Murray for a 10-3 score.
Wofford added a solo home run by Kaskow in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 10-4. The Terriers began the bottom of the eight with a solo home run by Matt Ramsay to make it a 10-5 game. After the Cougars went in order in the top of the ninth, Matthew Pelt had a single and moved to second on an error to open the bottom of the inning. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout by Matt Moore for the 10-6 final score.
Wofford starter Tanner Hawley (0-4) threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed nine runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Dominick Del Monte went 2 2/3 innings with one run allowed on four hits with two strikeouts. Bradley Evsich retired the side in order in the ninth.
College of Charleston starter Jake Zokan (3-1) went six innings and gave up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Drew Freie picked up the save by going three innings and allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
In the second game, Wofford had a single by Alec Paradowski and he scored on a triple by Hyman for a 1-0 lead after the first inning. The Cougars tied the game in the top of the second when Cody Martin hit an RBI double for a 1-1 score.
In the top of the fourth, the Cougars had runners on first and second when a single by Jimmy Holton drove in a run for a 2-1 lead. Wofford loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with nobody out. An RBI single by Moore tied the game at 2-2 and a fielder’s choice by Clark Wise added a run for a 3-2 lead.
The Cougars tied the game on a solo home run by Carl Wise in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Wofford loaded the bases with one out. A single by Seth Neely up the middle scored two runs as the Terriers took a 5-3 lead. A groundout by James Plaisted added a run for a 6-3 score.
In the top of the eighth the Cougars had a single but the runner was left on base. Wofford stranded one runner in the bottom of the eighth and the College of Charleston was retired in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.
Wofford starter Luke Leftwich went five innings with two runs allowed on five hits. He struck out a career-high 11 batters. Will Stillman (2-1) threw two innings and gave up one run on one hit with three strikeouts. Eric Eck went two innings and allowed one hit with three strikeouts. Eck set the school single-season mark with his 10th save.
College of Charleston starter Ryan West threw six innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. Jimmy Revan (1-3) walked two batters and gave up two runs. Michael Hanzlik went a third of an inning and gave up one run on one hit with a strikeout. Blake Ross threw the final 1 2/3 innings and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
The Terriers will conclude the series with the College of Charleston on Saturday at 1 p.m. Wofford will face South Carolina on Wednesday.
Western Carolina 18, Tennessee Tech 7
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina scored runs in all but two innings in which it took swings on Friday night, powering past visiting Tennessee Tech, 18-7, in nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts pounded out 17 hits, including eight for extra bases, with eight different players recording RBIs in stretching their current winning streak to four.
Playing most of Friday night’s game amidst a gusting wind and sporadic rain showers, officials at WCU have altered Saturday’s schedule, moving first pitch of game two of the two-game set to 11 a.m.
Entering the weekend leading the nation in doubles, the Catamounts added to their seasonal totals with six two-bag hits in the winning effort. Sophomore Jacob Hoyle was one of five Catamounts with a multiple-hit game – and one of three to collect three hits on the night. The Hickory, N.C., native legged out a career-high three doubles, driving in two runs in the process in a 3-for-4 showing.
Senior Tyler White doubled once in his 3-for-6 performance, while junior Aaron Attaway was a home run shy of the cycle in a 3-for-6 outing. Attaway singled in the first inning, hit a triple in the fourth and doubled in the eighth inning, finishing with three runs scored.
In the bottom two spots in the lineup on Friday, juniors Luke Gragg and Cody Jones combined to hit 4-for-8 with three runs scored and eight runs driven in. Gragg recorded his third double of the season and finished with three RBIs, while Jones eradicated some of his recent offensive woes by belting his third home run of the season – a three-run shot in the eighth inning – in amassing a career-high five RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing at the dish.
Also, junior catcher Adam Martin drove in three runs for the Catamounts, finishing 1-for-2 with a walk.
On the mound, sophomore starter Jeremy Null (6-2) worked around seven hits in his six-inning outing, striking out eight without a walk to score the victory. The Claremont, N.C., native stranded five Golden Eagle base runners during his time on the hill. Relievers Bryce Danielson and Colton Davis each tossed an inning out of the bullpen, with Danielson walking and striking out one in hitless, scoreless relief, while Davis struck out the side in allowing one run on a hit.
WCU used four relievers in the ninth inning alone as four walks, five wild pitches and two throwing errors led to five Tennessee Tech runs. Dylan Bosheers tallied the only hit in the late-inning rally with Austin Wulf driving home one of the Golden Eagle runs on a sacrifice fly to left field.
All told, four of the five runs scored were unearned.
Right-handers Danny Schneider and Thomas Young both recorded a strikeout among the three batters they faced before senior Jon Nadale came on to secure the final out, striking out left fielder Tevis Sherfield looking to end the game.
Western Carolina (32-17) jumped out with two runs in the home half of the first inning, marking the 21st time this season the Catamounts have scored in the opening frame. The home squad added to its lead with runs in four consecutive frames, including three in the third, two in both the fourth and fifth and a four-spot in the bottom of the sixth inning. WCU capped its scoring with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, all scoring after a throwing error that would have ended the inning.
The Golden Eagles answered WCU’s five-run bottom of the eighth with five of their own in the top of the ninth, capitalizing on Catamount miscues.
Tennessee Tech starter Tristan Archer (7-4) took the loss, surrendering six runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts – all coming when he fanned the side in the second inning. Jacob Honea struck out one against one walk in two innings of work, giving up three earned runs on three hits, with Justin Alexander and Byron Skinner combining for the final three innings of work. Skinner struck out two and allowed five unearned runs on four hits.