Georgia Southern 4, Georgia Tech 3
STATESBORO, Ga. – Matt McCall tossed three scoreless innings to preserve the Georgia Southern Eagles' 4-3 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in front of 3,213 fans, the second-largest crowd in J.I. Clements Stadium history, on Wednesday.
Georgia Southern (3-1) went ahead 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth following a fielding error by first baseman A.J. Murray, which allowed Dalton Busby to score from second base.
Georgia Tech (1-3) struck for two runs in the seventh inning and threatened to tie the game in the top of the seventh before McCall struck out Murray to leave a runner stranded at second base. McCall earned his second save in as many opportunities after retiring all nine batters he faced.
Pitching in relief of the starter Eric Alonzo, Jason Richman earned the win after throwing two scoreless frames. Richman (2-0) worked around a leadoff double in the third inning and a one-out single in the fourth to earn his second win of the season.
Zac Ryan started the game for the Yellow Jackets and gave up three runs over 2 2/3 innings. Ryan (0-2) was saddled with his second loss of the season after allowing two runs on two hits in the third inning.
Alonzo made his first career start for the Eagles and gave up one run over two innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning but allowed a leadoff walk to score in the second inning on a double by Brandon Gold.
The Eagles finished with 11 hits, with three coming from Aaron Mizell. Mizell drove in a run in the third inning with a single to right field and is now 9-for-17 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs in his first four games as an Eagle.
GSU continues a five-game home stand at J.I. Clements Stadium this weekend. The Eagles host Maryland Eastern Shore for four games starting on Friday at 6 p.m. The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Wofford 7, Gardner-Webb 6
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team earned a 7-6 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers scored four runs in the third inning to take the lead and held on for the victory.
Wofford is 1-3 and Gardner-Webb is 1-3. The Terriers were led by Eric Brenk with three hits and two RBIs, while Kody Ruedisili had two hits and three RBIs in his first career game. The Runnin’ Bulldogs had three hits and three RBIs from Scott Johnson.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs opened the game with a double and a single. A sacrifice fly by Scott Coleman made it a 1-0 game. Wofford had singles from Alec Paradowski and James Plaisted in the bottom of the first. A two-out double by Eric Brenk to the left-field wall scored both runners for a 2-1 lead. An RBI single by Matt Ramsay made it a 3-1 game.
In the top of the second, an RBI double by Blair Huggins got one run back. A double by Scott Johnson drove in two runs to give Gardner-Webb a 4-3 lead. Kody Ruedisili had a single in his first career at bat in the bottom of the second, but he was stranded at the end of the inning. The Runnin’ Bulldogs loaded the bases in the top of the third, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance.
Wofford opened the bottom of the third with a walk to Seth Neely and an infield single by Plaisted. A single by Brenk loaded the bases. With two outs, a walk by Derek Hirsch tied the game at 4-4. Ruedisili hit a ball to right field and moved to second on an error as three runs scored for a 7-4 lead.
Gardner-Webb scored one run in the top of the fourth inning to make it a 7-5 game. Wofford loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single and two walks, but a fielder’s choice ended the inning. Scott Johnson hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 7-6.
The Terriers had two runners reach base on balls in the bottom of the sixth, but both were stranded. Neither team was able to add runs in the seventh or eighth innings. Eric Eck entered the game in the top of the ninth and retired the side in order.
Wofford pitcher John Caskey threw two innings and allowed four runs on five hits with two strikeouts in his first career start. Quintin Pile went two innings with one run allowed on two hits and two strikeouts. Jesse Morris (1-0) threw four innings with one run on two hits and three strikeouts. Eck pitched the ninth and earned the save.
Gardner-Webb starter Brad Haymes (0-2) went three innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits, striking out six. Beau Hilton threw three innings and gave up one hit with one strikeout. Mitch Warner was on the mound for the final two innings and did not allow a hit with one strikeout.
The Terriers will host Fordham on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by Butler on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Presbyterian on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Tennessee 5, Appalachian State 3
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in three games, Appalachian State used a late rally to pull within a run but couldn’t get over the hump in a 5-3 loss to unbeaten Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Appalachian State (0-4) trailed 4-1 after seven innings but plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit to 4-3. Dillon Dobson sparked the eighth-inning rally with a single and Michael Pierson followed with an RBI double to deep center field that drove in Dobson and made it 4-2.
After a Tyler Zupcic walk gave Appalachian runners on first and second with only one out, Alex Leach ripped a line drive down the first-base line for what looked to be a sure double. However, Tennessee first baseman Nathaniel Maggio made what may have been a game-saving play for Tennessee (4-0) when he dove to his left and snagged the liner just inches from the ground for the second out of the inning.
Maggio’s diving play became even bigger one batter later when William Head looped an RBI single into left-center field to drive in Pierson and cut the Vols’ advantage to 4-3. Had Leach’s shot gotten past Maggio for an RBI double one batter earlier, Head’s base hit likely would have given the Mountaineers a 5-4 lead.
After Tennessee added an insurance run in the eighth, Appalachian State brought the tying run to the plate with just one out in the top of the ninth. However, UT closer Drake Owenby induced a pair of groundouts to end the game and snap the Mountaineers’ two-game winning streak over the Vols.
Head paced Appalachian’s seven-hit attack by going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Dobson hit safely for the fourth straight game to open the season and finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Pierson and Ozzy Gonzalez also drove in runs for the Mountaineers.
Blake Burkett allowed four runs over 4 1/3 innings in the first start of his career to suffer the loss. Right-hander Andy Cox (4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K) earned his first win of the season for UT, while Owenby worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his second save.
Appalachian State continues its grueling early season schedule this weekend when it travels to No. 6 NC State for a three-game set. The series opener is slated for Friday at 3 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN3.
UNC Asheville 7, UNCG 4
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Asheville scored five times in the top of the sixth inning Wednesday night en route to a 7-4 nonconference victory over UNCG at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. It was the season opener for the Bulldogs (1-0) and just the second contest of the campaign for the Spartans (1-1).
The Blue and Gold issued 14 walks in the contest, spread out over nine different pitchers, and left 11 men on base while also striking out 10 times. The Spartans out-hit Asheville 12-6 but could only manage the four runs. Additionally, the Bulldogs made a pair of errors while UNCG committed just one.
Despite throwing a team-high three innings, freshman LHP Andrew George was saddled with his first loss of the season as he allowed three runs on one hit with five walks and five strikeouts. Dean Roland picked up his first victory of the year, throwing five complete innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Freshman RHP Adam Swim was effective for the second consecutive evening, going 1 1/3 innings and giving up no hits with two strikeouts.
A total of four Spartans recorded two hits in the contest as junior infielder Hunter King was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Junior outfielder Nick Chapman, junior infielder Aaron Wright and junior outfielder Zac MacAneney also drove in a run each.
After both teams left runners at second and third in the first inning, UNCG was the first to break onto the scoreboard. Junior outfielder L.J. Kalawaia and senior infielder Sean Guite singled and Kalawaia reached third after the right fielder bobbled the ball, putting runners on the corners with no outs. MacAneney followed with a single up the middle, which scored Kalawaia, and would steal second when redshirt sophomore infielder Nin Marrero struck out swinging. Chapman then grounded out to second base, allowing Guite to cross the plate and make it a 2-0 ballgame in favor of the Spartans.
UNCG cruised right along until the top of the fifth inning. George, who had pitched a solid third and fourth innings, walked the bases loaded with no outs bringing on junior RHP Brennen James. The first batter he faced, Erik Connolly, laced a two-run single to center field to tie the game. After James struck out Phillip Treadway looking, Sam Turner doubled to right-center, allowing Justin Woods to score and give UNC Asheville a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs would score two more runs on wild pitches to take a 5-2 advantage after the half inning.
The visitors plated two more runs in the top of the eighth on bases-loaded walks to forge ahead 7-2. The Blue and Gold would then attempt to walk off to a win for the second straight evening. After MacAneney led off and struck out swinging, Marrero sent a ball to the left-field fence for a one-out double. Chapman then reached on an error at shortstop, which allowed Marrero to advance to third. An RBI single by King would score Marrero to make it 7-3 before redshirt freshman outfielder Julian Abreu and Wright also singled to bring home Chapman. With the bases still loaded and with one away, freshman catcher Jake Kusz and Kalawaia struck out swinging to end the game.
UNCG returns to action this weekend with a three-game series in Atlanta, Ga., against Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech. The Spartans and Yellow Jackets will begin the set Friday at 4 p.m. inside Russ Chandler Stadium.