Furman 11, Duke 9
DURHAM, N.C. – Jordan Simpson homered, drove in two runs and scored three times to lead Furman to an 11-9 victory over Duke in baseball action Wednesday afternoon at Jack Coombs field.
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for Furman, which improved to 7-10. Duke, meanwhile, fell to 9-8 on the season.
Simpson, who went 2-for-5 in the contest, led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left field, reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch in a five-run third, and delivered an RBI single and later scored on another wild pitch in a five-run seventh to help the Paladins build an 11-4 lead.
Duke tallied four runs in the eighth to make it 11-8, cut it to 11-9 with a run in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate before Paladin closer Brant Masters struck out the Blue Devils’ Aaron Cohn to end the game and notch his third save of the season.
The Paladins banged out 13 hits in the contest and scored eight of their 11 runs with two outs. Griffin Davis, who went 2-for-4, also knocked in a pair of runs, and Heath Burton (2-for-5), Chris Ohmstede (2-for-4) and Alex Abrams (2-for-4) also registered two hits apiece for Furman.
Matt Berezo went 3-for-5 and scored two runs to lead Duke, which finished with eight hits.
Furman starting pitcher Matthew Quarles surrendered three runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one but did not qualify for the win, which was credited to Jacques de Gruy (1-1), who allowed a run on two hits while working the sixth and seventh innings.
The loss was charged to Blue Devil starter JR Holloway (0-1), who was tagged for six hits and six runs, though only two were earned, over 2 2/3 innings.
Holloway’s teammates gave him an early lead with a pair of runs in the first inning, but it didn’t last long as Simpson’s solo clout to start the second cut it to 2-1. A five-run Paladin third, punctuated by two-out RBI singles by Ohmstede, Davis and Cameron Whitehead, put Furman up, 6-2.
Duke tallied single runs in the fifth and sixth to slice the lead to 6-4, but a five-run Paladin seventh, fueled by five hits and a Blue Devil error, appeared to put the Paladins in control.
The eighth inning, which proved costly to the head coach Ron Smith’s club in pair of losses to Gardner-Webb last weekend, almost again proved to be Furman’s undoing as reliever Ryan Morse issued four walks while hitting a pair of batters, all of which led to four runs for the Blue Devils, who cut the lead to 11-8. Masters, however, got the Paladins out of the two-out, bases-loaded mess by retiring Jay Betts on a fly to end the rally.
Furman opens a three-game series against Hofstra with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon at Latham Stadium.
The Citadel 9, USC Upstate 8
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Freshmen Barrett Charpia and Austin Mapes came through with clutch hits to drive in the tying and winning runs as The Citadel rallied from six runs down for a 9-8 victory over USC Upstate at Riley Park on Wednesday.
The Bulldogs (8-9) gained a split of their home-and-home series with the Spartans (8-11) and avenged a 6-2 loss in Spartanburg, S.C., on Feb. 18. The game was the final one for the Bulldogs before opening Southern Conference play this weekend at Davidson.
Charpia capped a six-run uprising in the sixth when he chopped a double over the head of third baseman AJ Mackey that brought home Jason Smith to tie the game at 7. Two innings later, Bret Hines led off with his second double of the afternoon, was sacrificed to third by Stephen Windham and scored on a pinch-hit single to right by Mapes to put The Citadel in front.
The game-winning hit was Mapes' third pinch-hit RBI single of his freshman campaign.
The Bulldogs added another run in the eighth on a ground out by Hughston Armstrong to take a 9-7 lead into the ninth. Skylar Hunter gave up a run but struck out two, including Zach Krider with the tying run in scoring position, to earn his fourth save of the year.
Hunter also recorded his 17th career save to tie Jay Morgan for seventh on the all-time Citadel list. Zach Sherrill preceded Hunter on the mound and allowed only one hit in two shutout innings to earn his third win of the year without a loss.
Jordan Miller, the fourth of five Upstate pitchers, allowed the two runs in the eighth and took the loss, dropping to 0-1.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the third before the Spartans put up three in the fourth and two in each of the next two frames to build a 7-1 margin behind starter Zach Mitchell, who was working on a three-hitter at that point.
The Citadel struck quickly in the sixth to get back in the game as the first six batters reached against Mitchell and reliever Brian Boocock. Mason Davis doubled, Armstrong walked and Bo Thompson tucked a three-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole to cut the Upstate lead in half.
The round-tripper was Thompson's third of the season and 20th of his career, making him the 17th player in Bulldog history to reach that plateau. The junior slugger also raised his season RBI total to 18.
Boocock entered the game after the Thompson homer and promptly allowed singles to Tyler Griffin and Calvin Orth with a double by Drew DeKerlegand sandwiched in between to make it 7-5. Boocock got Hines to pop into a double play on a bunt, but Ryan Kilgallen and Charpia picked him up with RBI base hits that knotted the game.
Charpia has been in the lineup the past two games as regular shortstop Johnathan Stokes continues to recover from having his wisdom teeth removed on Monday. Charpia had gone hitless in five at-bats in his first two college games before coming through with his two-base hit.
Sherrill entered the game with two on and nobody out in the top of the seventh and worked out of the jam, aided by a double play. The Citadel had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh, but Miller induced a double play of his own when he got Orth to ground into one with the bases loaded.
The Citadel opens its series against Davidson on Friday at 6 p.m., as the Bulldogs begin their quest for their first SoCon regular-season championship since 2010.
Wofford 2, Winthrop 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team earned a 2-1 win over Winthrop on Wednesday night at Winthrop Ballpark. Terrier pitchers Jesse Morris and Will Stillman combined to strike out 14 Winthrop batters in the contest.
Wofford moved to 10-7 on the season and Winthrop fell to 6-10 overall. The Terriers had four players with one hit each, including Seth Neely, who had an RBI. The Eagles had two hits and an RBI from T.J. Olesczuk to lead the team.
In the top of the second, Demetrius Jennings led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by James Plaisted. After stealing third, Jennings scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
Josh Hyman led off the top of the third with a single. A double by Neely scored Hyman for a 2-0 lead.
Winthrop left runners on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
In the sixth inning, Wofford had two runners reach base via walks but both were stranded. After Winthrop stranded one in the bottom of the sixth, Wofford left two on base in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Winthrop had a one-out double but the runner did not advance. The Eagles led off their half of the eighth inning with a walk. After a strikeout, a double by Olesczuk drove in a run to make it 2-1. A strikeout and fly ball ended the inning.
Both teams were retired in order in the ninth inning to give the Terriers the victory.
Morris (4-1) went 6 2/3 innings for the win. He did not allow a run on four hits and struck out nine batters. Will Stillman earned his first career save by going 2 1/3 innings with one hit and one run allowed along with five strikeouts.
Winthrop starter Matt Crohan (0-1) allowed two runs on four hits in three innings on the mound. Zach Sightler worked three innings and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts. Brock Goodling went the final three innings and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts.
The Terriers will return home on Friday night for the start of a three-game weekend series against Alcorn State.
No. 14 Clemson 2, Appalachian State 1
CLEMSON, S.C. – Lack of extra-base hits and bad wind conditions proved to be the difference for Appalachian State as it dropped a close 2-1 game to No. 14 Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Wednesday.
With wind clocked at nearly 25 mph to the west, all balls that were hit to left field floated and all balls hit to right field died in the air and fell, which made outfielders' jobs difficult.
Clemson (10-5) took advantage of the windy conditions to score the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning. Center fielder Tyler Slaton singled through the right side to open the frame and advanced to second base on a fielder’s choice. One batter later, Garrett Boulware's single to left-center floated into the gap and Slaton came home easily to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, Clemson scored in nearly the same way that it did in the first to stretch its lead to 2-0. Tyler Krieger led off the stanza with a single to left field and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. One batter later, right fielder Steven Duggar singled to left field and Krieger scored from second, sliding under the glove of Appalachian State catcher Ozzy Gonzalez on a close play at the plate to double the Tigers' advantage.
In the fifth inning, it was Appalachian State's turn to take advantage of the wind as Gonzalez lifted a 2-2 pitch from Clemson starting pitcher Zack Erwin into left field and the drive carried over the wall for a two-out solo home run that cut the Mountaineers' deficit to 2-1. The homer was Gonzalez's first as a Mountaineers and broke up a perfect game for Erwin, who had retired Appalachian's first 14 batters of the evening.
Appalachian State's best chance to pull even came in the eighth inning, when it put together its first back-to-back hits of the game on singles by junior Michael Pierson and freshman pinch-hitter Matt Brill, which put the tying run in scoring position with only one out. However, Erwin got Preston Troutman to fly out to right field for the second out of the inning and Clemson closer Matt Campbell came on to strike out William Head for the third out, ending the Mountaineer scoring threat.
Appalachian put the tying run on base again in the ninth when Jaylin Davis poked a two-out single to left, but Campbell struck out Alex Leach to end the game and hand the Mountaineers their fifth one-run loss of the season. Three of App State's five one-run losses have come at the hands of nationally ranked teams.
The story of the game was the pitchers' duel that developed between Clemson's Erwin and Appalachian State freshman Sean Mason. Erwin (1-0) allowed just one run on four hits over 7 2/3 innings and struck out seven en route to the win. Mason nearly matched his adversary pitch-for-pitch, working all eight innings and allowing only two runs on four hits. He needed only 98 pitches to work the complete game but suffered the tough-luck loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.
Campbell struck out three of the five batters he faced to earn the four-out save, his second of the season.
Appalachian outhit Clemson, 5-4, led by two from Davis.
Appalachian State (4-13) continues its South Carolina road trip on Friday when it opens a three-game weekend at the College of Charleston Tournament with its second matchup of the season versus Michigan. First pitch is set for noon at Patriots Point Park in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
UNCW 5, UNCG 2
WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCG mustered just four hits and hit into three double plays Wednesday as UNCW recorded a 5-2 nonconference victory at Brooks Field in the teams’ first meeting since 2005.
The Spartans fell to 7-9 overall, while the Seahawks improved to 7-8.
Junior infielder Jordan McDonald extended his hitting streak to nine games, going 1-for-2 with a single and two walks. Classmate and infielder Hunter King accounted for the lone UNCG RBI.
Freshman LHP Andrew George (0-3) suffered his third loss to begin the season, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and walking three against no strikeouts. Ricky Holden (2-0) was tabbed with the victory after scattering three hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and only one walk.
UNCG scored two runs in the top of the first without the benefit of a base hit. Junior outfielder Zac MacAneney and senior infielder Sean Guite both drew walks before junior outfielder L.J. Kalawaia moved them up a base via a sacrifice bunt. King followed with an RBI groundout to score MacAneney for the first run before McDonald drew a walk and Guite scored on a passed ball. Junior outfielder Nick Chapman would fly out to center to end the half inning.
The bottom half of the frame began in similar fashion, as Casey Golden reached on a throwing error by George and Robbie Thorburn slapped a base hit past the glove of McDonald and into left field. The runners moved up a base thanks to a sac bunt by Ryan LaGrange before Corey Dick poked an RBI ground out to short for UNCW’s first tally. Luke Dunlap then flew out to center to terminate the threat.
The Spartans put up another threat in the top of the second, getting runners on the corners with two outs. However, Guite grounded out on a nice play by Luis Renvil at short for the final out.
In the bottom of the second, the Seahawks scored two runs on just one hit to forge ahead 3-2. UNCW hit into two fielder’s choice plays with runners on third base to account for the runs.
The game settled down from there as both teams were held off the board for the next four innings. The Blue and Gold tried to put something together in the top of the seventh, but after MacAneney drew a walk and Guite was hit by a pitch with one out, Kalawaia grounded into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
UNCW added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth, as the Seahawks received a one-out RBI double from Nick Monroe and took advantage of an error by Abreu at first to score another run and move in front 5-2. The Spartans went down quietly in the top of the ninth to end the contest.
UNCG returns home Saturday to begin an eight-game homestand against Ivy League member Princeton. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Kennesaw State 4, Western Carolina 3 (12 innings)
KENNESAW, Ga. – Owl catcher Brennan Morgan rolled a walk-off single through the right side to score Jacob Bruce from second base as Kennesaw State outlasted Western Carolina, 4-3, in 12 innings Wednesday night in nonconference action at Stillwell Stadium.
Bruce opened the home portion of the decisive frame with an infield single to first base, foreshadowing what was to come. A wild pitch moved the game-winning run to second base, prompting WCU to intentionally walk Max Pentecost, who finished the game 3-for-5 with two singles and a double. After a strikeout for the first out of the inning, Morgan dribbled the first pitch of his at-bat to the right side, just beyond the infield dirt, to allow Bruce to scamper home for the winning run.
Western Carolina, which dropped its fifth straight game, had a golden opportunity in the top of what proved to be the final frame after loading the bases with just one out. However, the Catamounts were unable to push across the go-ahead marker, stranding three of their 15 runners left on base in the 12th.
Kennesaw State’s walk-off win spoiled two solid pitching performances for WCU. Sophomore Alex Barr factored in a no-decision, tossing a career-long 6 1/3 innings in his first collegiate start. The Hamptonville, N.C., native struck out a career-best six against three walks, surrendering two unearned runs on three hits. At one point, Barr retired 12 Owls consecutively.
Barr gave way to senior T.J. Fussell (0-2), who took the tough-luck loss. Fussell tossed the final five frames, allowing two runs – one unearned – on five hits while matching Barr’s six Ks with three walks.
Kennesaw State (11-9) was opportunistic in the win, cashing in on two WCU errors. In the first inning, a one-out throwing error allowed center fielder Justin Motely to reach while also witnessing Kal Simmons score the game’s first run from second base on the overthrow. The Owls’ second run of the inning scored after what would have been the third out, leading to a 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs.
Western Carolina answered in the top of the fifth inning. Bradley Strong led off with a single to left field before promptly stealing both second and third base to move himself into scoring position. Dykota Spiess drew a walk to put runners at the corners ahead of Adam Martin. Playing close to his hometown of Marietta, Ga., Martin sent a shot off the side of the mound, reaching on a fielder’s choice as Spiess was retired on a force at second, but driving home Strong, who scored easily on the play.
The Catamount fifth-inning rally continued as Jacob Hoyle singled to right center, moving Martin to third before Dale Urquhart Jr. drew one of his two walks to load the bases. Senior Cody Jones then delivered a two-RBI single to left-center field to push Western Carolina ahead, 3-2.
KSU again struck on a WCU error in the eighth inning, plating the game-tying run after a ball bounced over Hoyle’s glove at first base on what would have been the inning-ending out. Pentecost, who opened the frame with a double down the left-field line, scored from third base to tie the game at 3 and ultimately force extra innings and set up the 12th-inning heroics for the home squad.
Three Catamounts finished with two-hit games, as Spiess (2-for-5), Hoyle (2-for-5) and Jones (2-for-4) each tallied two base knocks with Jones driving in two. Martin and Urquhart Jr. legged out WCU’s lone extra-base hits, both with a double.
KSU reliever James Connell (2-1) scored the win out of the bullpen, tossing the final four shutout innings for the Owls. The last of six pitchers used by Kennesaw State, Connell scattered four hits and worked around two walks with three strikeouts. Starter Kendall Hawkins tossed the first four frames of three-hit, scoreless baseball, with WCU tagging reliever Mason Ward for three runs on two hits, taking advantage of two walks in just a third of an inning of work.
Pentecost (3-for-5) accounted for three of Kennesaw State’s eight hits, while Morgan collected two hits in six plate appearances, including the game-winning tally, with two RBIs.
Western Carolina (8-7) returns home to open a stretch of four straight home games, beginning with a three-game nonconference set against Rider on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.