Furman 4, Maine 2
DeLAND, Fla. – Andrew MacLatchie went 2-for-4, scored two runs and belted a ninth-inning home to propel Furman past Maine, 4-2, in the opening game of the Stetson Invitational on Friday afternoon at Melching Field.
MacLatchie, a sophomore catcher from Charlotte, N.C., stroked a one-out single in the fifth inning and later scored to help Furman (4-5) rally to tie the game at 2-2. In the ninth, he cracked a leadoff home run, his first of the season, over the left-field fence to give the Paladins a two-run lead.
MacLatchie’s production at the plate, along with that of Greg Harrison, who went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, proved to be the difference for the Paladins, who received four innings of no-hit relief pitching from Ryan Morse and Brant Masters to post the win and snap a four-game losing skid.
Furman starting and winning pitcher Alex Abrams (2-0) surrendered two runs on four hits in the second inning but recovered to shut out the Black Bears over the next three frames.
Abrams watched his teammates tie the game at 2-2 in the fifth on Harrison’s two-out, two-run single through the left side that scored Sky Overton and MacLatchie.
An inning later, Abrams, who also saw action as the designated hitter, drew a leadoff walk and came around to score the go-ahead run on a Griffin Davis pinch-hit RBI double down the left-field line.
Morse pitched a perfect sixth before running into trouble in the seventh with three walks. The junior left-hander recovered, however, by getting Brian Doran on infield pop for the final out to preserve the 3-2 lead.
Morse issued his fourth walk to start the eighth before inducing Maine’s Alex Calbick to hit into a double play and getting Scott Heath on a fly to end the inning.
After MacLatchie’s solo shot gave Furman a 4-2 lead, Masters closed it by retiring the Black Bears in order in the bottom of the ninth for his second save of the year.
Both teams finished with seven hits. Shane Bussey led Maine (1-6), going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Abrams was charged with two runs on seven hits over five innings of work. He fanned three.
Maine starting pitcher Tommy Lawrence (0-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out nine.
Furman plays tournament host Stetson at 7 p.m. Saturday and Iowa at 10 a.m. Sunday.
UNCG 7, Georgetown 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sophomore RHP Ryan Clark pitched eight strong innings and the UNCG baseball team backed him with plenty of run support Friday afternoon as the Spartans picked up a 7-1 victory over Georgetown in the teams’ series opener inside the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The contest marked the first-ever meeting between the programs.
Clark hurled a career-best eight innings, giving up just one unearned run on four hits with five strikeouts and only one walk. Junior LHP Caleb Henley came on to throw the ninth and held the Hoyas off the board to preserve the win.
A pair of Spartans turned in three-hit games in senior infielder Sean Guite and sophomore catcher Jake Hall. Guite was 3-for-4 with an RBI while Hall finished 3-for-3 and also recorded six putouts. Additionally, redshirt freshman infielder Julian Abreu tallied two hits and drove in a pair of runs.
The Blue and Gold out-hit the visitors 13-5 and did not give up an earned run against the Georgetown offense. Both sides made an error, which led to two runs for the Spartans and the Hoyas’ lone tally of the day.
While Clark was busy throwing a perfect three innings to begin his day, the UNCG offense went to work in the bottom of the third inning and plated a run on three hits to forge ahead early. With one away, Hall, junior outfielder Zac MacAneney and redshirt sophomore outfielder Nin Marrero singled to load the bases. Abreu came through in the next at-bat and tallied a sacrifice fly to center that scored Hall.
After a two-out hit for Georgetown, its first of the day, failed to come to fruition on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, the Blue and Gold broke the game open in the bottom of the frame.
Junior infielder Jordan McDonald led off with a bunt single down the third-base line and scored on the very next at-bat, as junior outfielder L.J. Kalawaia blasted a triple over the head of the Hoyas’ left fielder to make the score 2-0. Guite then laced a single up the middle that scored Kalawaia, extending the home team’s advantage to 3-0. After MacAneney was hit to load the bases with one out, Marrero reached on a fielder’s choice to score Guite and Abreu singled through the right side to plate Hall and leave the score at 5-0 after four complete innings.
The Spartans threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, but with two outs and runners at second and third, pinch-hitter and freshman Dillon Stewart grounded out to second to terminate the inning.
The Hoyas broke up the shutout with two outs in the top of the sixth as AC Carter put a ball in play and Guite committed a throwing error to allow Ryan Busch to cross home plate and bring the score to 5-1.
With Clark still pitching a gem for UNCG in the seventh, the Blue and Gold put the game away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Guite singled up the middle to lead off and moved to second on a wild pitch. Long then drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Hall put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up a base and Marrero reached on a throwing error at short that enabled both Guite and Long to score unearned and provide the game’s final six-run margin.
Georgetown recorded a hit in each of the eighth and ninth innings, but Clark and Henley closed the door on any comeback attempt in both frames.
The Spartans and Hoyas will meet Saturday at 2 p.m. for game two of the nonconference series at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The Citadel 6, Nebraksa 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Tyler Griffin slammed a three-run homer in the first inning to stake The Citadel to a 4-0 lead, and the Bulldogs never looked back in a 6-3 victory over Nebraska in the opener of a three-game series Friday at Riley Park.
The Citadel has won the first three games of an eight-game homestand to even its record at 5-5, while Nebraska dropped to 4-4. The game was only the second in the all-time between the teams, with the Bulldogs taking both at Riley Park, including an 8-5 victory in 2006 when the Huskers were ranked No. 3 in the nation.
The series with Nebraska continues a difficult opening slate for The Citadel, as the Huskers are already the seventh team from a BCS power conference that the Bulldogs have played in the first three weeks. The Citadel improved to 3-4 in such games, including victories over Virginia Tech and Louisville during the opening weekend.
The first five Bulldogs reached in the opening frame against Nebraska starter Christian DeLeon. Mason Davis singled and stole second, his ninth of the season in as many attempts. Singles by Hughston Armstrong and Bo Thompson followed, with Thompson driving in Davis for his 10th RBI in 10 games.
Griffin, who entered the game struggling at just .179 with two RBIs, connected on the first offering he saw from DeLeon and sent a towering fly ball over the wall in right. The home run was Griffin's first of the season and 18th of his career.
DeLeon (1-1) was solid after the big Citadel first, holding the Bulldogs to only one hit over the next four innings. He allowed a pair of singles in the sixth and worked a 1-2-3 seventh before leaving after Thompson singled to start a two-run eighth.
The trio of Logan Cribb, Zach Sherrill and Skylar Hunter made the early four-run cushion stand up. Cribb (1-1) worked the first 6 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and three runs while tying his career high with eight strikeouts. Nebraska scored twice off Cribb in the second on two doubles and a single before the senior left-hander settled down.
Cribb retired eight in a row and 15 of the next 16 batters, striking out six during that span. He gave way to Sherrill after Austin Darby doubled in a run with two outs in the seventh that trimmed The Citadel lead to 4-3.
Sherrill fanned Michael Pritchard with the tying run in scoring position and then retired the side in order in the eighth, including his second strikeout of the night, to keep The Citadel in front. The appearance was the 84th of Sherrill's career, moving him into a tie for 11th with Drew Mahaffey in school history.
The Bulldogs tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded walk to Johnathan Stokes and a sacrifice fly by Bailey Rush. Hunter then retired all three Huskers he faced in the ninth to record his third save of the year.
The Citadel will look to clinch the series Saturday at 2 p.m. before the teams wrap up the three-game set Sunday at noon.
Western Carolina 6, La Salle 4
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Junior Jacob Hoyle blasted a two-RBI single passed the outstretched glove of his diving counterpart at first base to cap a wild eighth inning on Friday evening as Western Carolina rallied by La Salle, 6-4, in game one of the nonconference series at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Capitalizing on a trio of hits and a pair of WCU miscues in the top of the eighth, La Salle erased a three-run deficit with a four-spot in the top of the frame to pull ahead, 4-3. However, in the home portion of the frame, WCU got a bases-loaded shot to the right side by Hoyle to reclaim the lead, with Taylor Sandefur helping tack on an insurance run with an RBI single through the right side as the Catamounts pulled out the victory – win No. 200 for seventh-year head coach Bobby Moranda.
Seven different Catamounts recorded hits in the winning effort, led by sophomore catcher Danny Bermudez with a 2-for-4, two-runs-scored showing. Both Hoyle and senior Dykota Spiess collected two RBIs apiece, while Spiess had the game’s lone extra-base hit with a double, his team-leading third of the season.
WCU starter Jeremy Null factored in a no-decision after striking out seven hitters in seven innings of scoreless work. The right-hander from Claremont, N.C., worked around a pair of walks and retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced before turning it over to the bullpen going into the eighth.
Freshman reliever Bryan Sammons was tagged with three runs – only one of which was earned – on three hits without retiring a hitter. Sophomore Colton Davis tossed the final two innings, striking out two in the ninth to score his first collegiate victory, one game removed from his first career save.
Western Carolina (5-2) broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning as senior Cody Jones and Bermudez reached with consecutive one-out singles. Spiess then delivered the first big two-RBI hit of the day for the Catamounts, doubling to right field to plate two runs before being thrown out at third trying to stretch it to a triple. WCU led 2-0 after two complete.
The lead would stay at a pair until the fifth inning, when Bermudez collected his second hit of the day on an infield bunt single. A ground out and J.D. Long single later, Bermudez was at third, where Aaron Attaway drove him home for the three-run, 3-0, advantage.
The margin would stay at three until La Salle’s rally in the top of the eighth inning, sparked by three consecutive singles by George Smith Jr., Kevin Baron and Justin Korenblatt. A bobbled ball in the outfield on the second single (Baron) allowed La Salle’s first run to come home in the form of Smith, who had stopped at third base prior to the mishandled ball. With two on and no outs, the Explorers’ Cameron Johnson looked to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but the relay from the mound to third for the force play sailed into left field and the WCU bullpen, allowing two runs to come home to knot the game at 3.
La Salle’s rally continued as Johnson advanced two bases thanks to a pair of wild pitches, scoring on the latter to put the Explorers ahead, 4-3.
Senior Luke Gragg started WCU’s eighth-inning rally by drawing a pinch-hit walk before Bradley Strong wore an inside pitch to put two on with one out. Senior Adam Martin loaded the bases by drawing a walk ahead of Hoyle, who drove a 2-0 pitch from Dominic Sgroi past a diving Joey Ravert at first base to bring home the tying and go-ahead runs in Gragg and Strong. Sandefur then drove a 1-0 pitch through the right side at second base to bring Martin home for the two-run cushion.
Davis then worked a perfect ninth inning for the Catamounts on the mound.
La Salle (1-7) secured six hits with three walks in the game but stranded six base runners. Baron paced the squad with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate.
Starting pitcher Shawn O’Neill pitched seven solid innings for the Explorers, striking out four without a walk, surrendering three earned runs on six hits. Reliever Freddy Andujar (0-3) took the loss after plunking Strong in the bottom of the eighth to put the game-winning run aboard.
Game two of the series is scheduled on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Elon 8, Saint Joseph’s 5
ELON, N.C. – In its opener at the Elon Invitational, the Phoenix baseball team raced out to an early 8-1 lead and held off a late push by Saint Joseph's for an 8-5 victory on Friday at Latham Park.
The Hawks (1-3) struck first, scoring one in the top of the first on a ground out only to see Elon (7-2) grab the lead in the second. The Phoenix struck for four second-inning runs. After Danny Lynch walked to start the frame, Ryan Cooper smashed a triple to left-center. He then scored on Andy Moore's double. Once a walk loaded the bases, Sebastian Gomez drove home two with a one-out single to right as the maroon and gold built a 4-1 advantage.
After scoring once in the third, Elon would add another three markers to its total in the fourth thanks to an RBI single from Casey Jones and two-RBI double off the bat of Chris King.
Trailing 8-2 after six innings, Saint Joseph's cut its deficit in half in the seventh on what looked to be a two-RBI double by Tommy Cunningham. On appeal, Cunningham was ruled out for missing first base, but the two runs did count as the Hawks made it 8-4. Cunningham would hit a two-out homer in the top of the ninth for Saint Joseph's final run of the night.
Michael Elefante (3-0) won his third consecutive decision to begin the season. He allowed one run on four hits in five innings of work. Dimitri Lettas went the final 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run, to earn his first career save.
The loss went to starter Joe Manion (1-1), who was charged with four runs on three hits in just 1 1/3 innings of action.
For Elon, Moore's hit extended his hitting streak to seven games, while Gomez ran his hitting streak to six outings. Quinn Bower saw his career-best seven-game hitting streak come to an end.
The Phoenix will continue play in the Elon Invitational on Saturday by hosting High Point at 12:30 p.m. That game will be followed by Saint Joseph's vs. Gardner-Webb at 4 p.m.
Samford 6, Butler 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team overcame an early deficit to earn a 6-2 win over Butler on Friday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
With the win, Samford improved to 4-4. Butler dropped to 1-5 with the loss.
Samford was led at the plate by Tripp Martin, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles. Drew McWhorter drove in three runs, going 1-for-4 with a double.
Alex Ledford (2-0) pitched seven strong innings, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out a career-high 12 batters to earn the win on the mound for Samford. Andres Gracia tossed the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit to earn his second save of the season.
For Butler, Marcos Calderon went 3-for-5 with a triple and one RBI. Chris Maranto also drove in a run for Butler, going 1-for-2 at the plate. Eric Stout (0-3) pitched five innings, allowing four runs on four hits to take the loss on the mound for Butler.
Samford struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out in the inning, Tyler Filliben reached base on a Butler error and then advanced to second base on the error. Filliben then stole third base. With two outs, Heath Quinn walked. Filliben then scored on a passed ball for a 1-0 Samford lead.
Butler plated one run in the third inning and another in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. In the third inning, with one out, Drew Small was hit by a pitch. Calderon then tripled down the right-field line to drive in Small to tie the score. In the fourth inning, Nick Bartolone singled up the middle to lead off the inning. With one out, Maranto doubled to drive in Bartolone to give Butler the 2-1 lead.
Samford tied the score with a run in the fifth inning. With two outs in the inning, Jared Watson reached base on an infield single. Watson then advanced to third base on a failed pick-off attempt. Filliben then singled up the middle to drive in Watson to make the score 2-2.
Samford plated two runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good at 4-2. Martin doubled to lead off the inning and then moved to third base when Quinn reached base on a fielder’s choice. Martin later scored from third base when McWhorter reached base on a fielder’s choice. Quinn then advanced to third on an error and Martin scored on the play for a two-run Samford lead.
In the seventh inning, Samford added two more runs to push its lead to 6-2. Fillben was hit by a pitch and Martin doubled to start the inning. Quinn then walked to load the bases. McWhorter then doubled to right-center field to drive in Martin and Filliben for the final two runs of the game.
On Saturday, Butler will take on Purdue at 10:30 a.m. CT. Samford will then play Purdue at 2 p.m., with both games being played at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Youngstown State 2, Appalachian State 1
CARY, N.C. – The Appalachian State University baseball team saw great performances by its pitchers but could not score more than one run, losing the first game of the Notre Dame’s Irish Classic 2-1 to Youngstown State on Friday afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Junior right-handed pitcher Jamie Nunn started the game off strong. After giving up a walk to his first batter of the game, two straight ground outs and a fly out got the Mountaineers out the inning. He continued to pitch strong, giving Appalachian six innings and only giving up six hits, one earned run, four total runs and had five strikeouts.
Appalachian scored the first run of the game. Freshman Brian Bauk sent a hot shot right over the second base bag and into the outfield for a single. After, he stole second base and got on third by way of a wild pitch. Senior Tyler Zupcic doubled down the left-field line to bring Bauk home.
Appalachian gave up the lead in the very next inning.
Back-to-back hits had Youngstown State with runners at first and third and a bunt single brought the first run home. The next run came by a throwing error but the Mountaineers were able to get out of the inning by catching one of Youngstown’s players trying to steal home.
There were only a combined four hits for the rest of the game.
Sophomore Dillon Dobson had two of Appalachian’s six hits. Junior Taylor Thurber took over on the rubber in the seventh inning and gave up only one hit and had four strikeouts.
The Penguins was led by Alex Larivee, who had three hits on four at-bats and one run. Youngstown State’s starting pitcher, Patrick O’Brien, pitched six innings, giving up five hits and two walks. He was charged with the only earned run.
Appalachian State will return to the field on Saturday when it takes on the University of Michigan at the Irish Baseball Classic at the USA Baseball Complex at 4 p.m.
Longwood 7, Wofford 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Friday night at Russell C. King Field, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 7-1 by Longwood. After a scoreless first three innings, Longwood scored at least one run in the next five innings to take the first game of the weekend series.
Wofford moved to 5-4 on the season and Longwood went to 5-5.
The Terriers were led by Seth Neely with two hits and James Plaisted with an RBI. Longwood pitcher Aaron Myers went the complete game with one run allowed, while Matt Dickason was 4-of-5 from the plate.
In the top of the fourth, the leadoff batter reached on an error. With two outs, a double by Mac McCafferty drove in a run for a 1-0 lead. After Wofford was retired in the bottom of the fourth, the Lancers added a run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Alex Owens for a 2-0 lead. A ground out added a run to give Longwood a 3-0 lead. Conor Clancey had a double for Wofford in the bottom of the fifth, but he was left on base.
Longwood added a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single through the left side by Colton Konvicka for a 4-0 lead.
Neely had a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth. He stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. James Plaisted had an infield single to score Neely for a 4-1 score at the end of six innings.
Back-to-back doubles opened the seventh inning for Longwood. A single to right field by C.J. Roth scored both runners for a 6-1 lead. Wofford went in order in the bottom of the seventh. The Lancers added a run on a single by Matt Dickason for a 7-1 lead in the top of the eighth.
Neely singled in the bottom of the ninth but was left on base to end the game.
Wofford starter Matt Milburn (1-1) went 6 2/3 innings and allowed six runs, four of which were earned, on eight hits with five strikeouts.
Longwood starter Aaron Myers (2-0) threw the complete game and allowed only one unearned run on seven hits with nine strikeouts.
The Terriers will continue the series with Longwood on Saturday at 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Ohio 3, Georgia Southern 2
STATESBORO, Ga. – Jeremy Cronk entered with two on in the ninth inning and recorded a double play and a fly out to preserve a 3-2 Ohio Bobcat win over the homestanding Georgia Southern Eagles on Friday at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Cronk picked up his first save of the season after Ohio's closer, Corey Walls, walked the first two batters in the ninth inning. After Ben Morgan attempted to bunt the first two pitches, Cronk coaxed a double play to retire one base-runner and left the other walk stranded after Chase Griffin flew out to end the ball game.
Georgia Southern (7-2) got a quality start from Sam Howard, but he suffered the loss after giving up three runs – two earned – on eight hits. Howard (2-1) allowed his first runs of the season but walked only one batter and struck out three over six innings. Matt McCall and Jason Richman helped keep it a one-run deficit after combining to allow just two hits over the final three innings.
Jake Roehn picked up his first career win after holding the Eagles to just four hits and one run over six frames. Roehn (1-1) struck out nine batters and walked only two in his third start of the season. The Bobcat bullpen combined to allow only one other Eagle hit over the final three innings.
The Eagles stranded 11 men on base and left the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Ryan Cleveland drew a walk, and Garrett Chapman reached on an error to load the bases with one out. Roehn coaxed a foul out from Stryker Brown, and Tyler Wells made a diving catch in left field to rob Dalton Busby of a hit and end the inning.
Ohio (3-4) took the lead in the second inning after Mitch Longo, who finished 4-for-4 on the day, scored on a fielding error by the shortstop, Busby. The Bobcats added onto the lead after Tyler Wells drove in a run in the third and fifth innings with RBI singles.
GSU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth when Chapman, who extended his hit streak to nine games with a single in the second inning, scored on a fielder's choice by Josh Black. Griffin pulled the Eagles within a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
GSU continues the four-game weekend Saturday. The Eagles will take on SIUE at 5 p.m. following the conclusion of the Ohio vs. SIUE game. Josh Wirsu is set to make his third start of the season and will square off with Evan Martens.
Miami (Ohio) 6, Davidson 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. – LHP Seth Varner carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning as Miami (Ohio) defeated Davidson, 6-0, in nonconference baseball action Friday evening at Wilson Field.
It was announced prior to the game that the series finale between the two teams Sunday has been moved one hour earlier to 1 p.m.
Pinch-hitter Ben Arkin had the lone hit for Davidson (2-4), doubling off the left-field wall with one out in the eighth. Varner (1-1) then loaded the bases on his third walk of the night and a hit batter but ended the threat with a strikeout and a fielder’s choice. RHP Wynston McMartin then retired the side in the bottom of the ninth inning, with two strikeouts.
Davidson had also threatened to score in the third inning after a walk and a throwing error gave the Wildcats runners on the corners with no outs, but Varner was able to induce a fly out and an inning-ending double play.
Miami (2-5) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI single by catcher John Crummy, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk in the game. The Redhawks then added three runs in the fifth inning when an error extended what could have been a 1-2-3 inning for the ‘Cats. Crummy drove in two with a triple and later scored on another error.
In total, Davidson made six errors, resulting in the three unearned runs in the fifth.
Miami added two runs in the ninth inning for the final margin. Second baseman Steve Sada (1-for-3) led the frame off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly, and designated hitter Gary Russo (2-for-3, 2 BB), who reached base four times and was the only other Redhawk with a multi-hit game, hit an RBI double later in the frame.
RHP Danny Mooney (1-1) pitched five innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts. RHP Durin O’Linger pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs on a hit and two walks with one strikeout.
Designated hitter Ryan Lowe continued his streak of reaching base in each game so far this season with a walk, while catcher Chris Dyer was issued two bases on balls.
Lowe is slated to take the mound and face RHP Nathan Williams when the teams continue their three-game series Saturday at 2 p.m.