The Citadel 10, Charleston Southern 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. – For the second time in as many days, The Citadel knocked out an opposing starter pitcher in the first inning, scoring four times in the frame en route to a 10-3 victory over Charleston Southern on Wednesday at Riley Park.
The Bulldogs (12-14) banged out 16 hits, giving them 31 in wins over Coastal Carolina and CSU the past two games after failing to reach double figures the previous four contests. Every Citadel starter had a hit for the second straight game, with Drew DeKerlegand tying his career high with four.
Included in DeKerlegand's output was a triple in the sixth that was the 13th of his career, tying him with Billy Baker and current associate head coach David Beckley for fourth in school history. The senior left fielder also had four hits against UNC Asheville last March.
Bo Thompson slammed a home run in the eighth, his sixth of the year and 23rd of his career. The junior slugger moved into a tie for 11th with Chris Lemonis and Ryan Butler in The Citadel record book.
After spotting CSU a run in the top of the first, the Bulldogs put together four hits against Tyler Pickard in the bottom of the frame, including a two-run double by Tyler Griffin. Another run scored on a wild pitch, and Johnathan Stokes capped the uprising with an RBI single.
Austin Livingston started for The Citadel and blanked the Buccaneers (15-12) over his final three innings, finishing the game allowing three hits and one run with three strikeouts in four innings to pick up his first victory of the season.
The Bulldogs added to their lead with three more in the third on RBI singles by Calvin Orth, Bailey Rush and Mason Davis. Davis drove in another run with a base hit in the fifth, his third safety of the game, and Thompson capped the scoring with his round-tripper.
Alex Tomasovich had three hits, including a home run, and scored three times for the Buccaneers while extending his hitting streak to 20 games, eight shy of the school record.
Brett Tompkins followed Livingston on the mound and allowed one hit in two shutout innings. David Rivera worked the eighth and struck out the side, giving him three strikeouts in each of his last two outings.
The Citadel returns to Southern Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Elon beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
UNCG 8, North Carolina A&T 7
GREENSBORO, N.C. – After spotting North Carolina A&T a 7-1 lead through four and a half innings Wednesday evening, UNCG rallied with seven unanswered runs – including three in the bottom of the ninth – to walk away with an 8-7 victory inside the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The Spartans improved to 13-11 overall, while the Aggies dropped to 11-13. The victory was the sixth straight for the Blue and Gold in the all-time series.
With the score 7-5 in favor of A&T entering the bottom of the ninth inning, senior Sean Guite was hit by a pitch and junior Eric Kalbfleisch singled to center field. Infielder Jordan McDonald filed out to deep right-center, allowing Guite to move to third, before redshirt sophomore Nin Marrero doubled to left field to score Guite with two outs and pull the Blue and Gold within a run. Redshirt freshman Julian Abreu fell behind 1-2 but was able to work a walk and keep the inning alive.
North Carolina A&T went to its bullpen with the bases now loaded and brought on Tyler Boone to try to put out the fire. He was unable to do so, however, as his very first pitch bounced to the backstop and catcher Cameron Jergens was unable to find the ball, allowing Kalbfleisch to score and Marrero to cross the plate all the way from second base to clinch an improbable victory for UNCG.
Kalbfleisch paced the Spartan offense with a 3-for-5 performance while also scoring two runs. McDonald extended his current career-best hitting streak to 17 games with a double and a triple, drove in a run and drew his team-leading 19th walk of the season. Additionally, Abreu recorded two hits in three at-bats, scoring a run and walking twice.
Freshman RHP Adam Swim earned the victory, improving to 2-1 on the season as he threw the final two-thirds of the top of the ninth inning and did not allow a hit or run. DarArmani Swift (1-2) suffered the loss for the Aggies – allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings of work with two walks and two strikeouts. UNCG used six pitchers in the contest and the final four hurlers limited North Carolina A&T to just three hits and no runs in 3 2/3 innings.
The Spartans had a great chance to jump on top in the bottom of the first inning. However, with the bases loaded and one away, junior L.J. Kalawaia hit into a double play to terminate the threat.
In the top of the second, the Aggies struck for four two-out runs on three hits, as the big blow was a two-run triple to deep center by Brandon Mitchell. The other two runs occurred thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI double by Brandon Wilkerson.
UNCG struck back in the bottom of the third, as McDonald tripled down the right-field line with two outs. Kalawaia then singled up the middle to drive home McDonald and slice the A&T advantage to 4-1. The Aggies would get the run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by leadoff man Luke Tendler.
Looking to put the game out of reach, North Carolina A&T plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, again with two outs. Lester Salcedo got the rally going with a single and advanced to second as the Spartans attempted to throw out Jergens, who had reached on a one-out walk, at third. A double by Ryan Hill brought both runners home to give the visitors a 7-1 cushion.
The Blue and Gold put up a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double by McDonald before tallying three in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 7-5. Abreu, sophomore Jake Hall and junior Tyler Long all singled to load the bases with no outs and a passed ball allowed Abreu to score. MacAneney then produced an RBI groundout that plated Hall, and Guite reached on an error at short but was credited an RBI as Long scored on the play.
Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, setting up the dramatics in the ninth. Redshirt junior Blair Betts and Swim combined to throw the final two innings for UNCG without giving up any runs or hits.
The Spartans jump back into conference play this weekend as they head up to the mountains for a three-game Southern Conference series with Appalachian State. UNCG and Appalachian will begin the set Friday at 4 p.m. inside Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Wofford 7, Gardner-Webb 4
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Wednesday night, the Wofford baseball team earned a 7-4 win over Gardner-Webb at John Henry Moss Stadium. The Terriers had a 5-0 lead before the Runnin’ Bulldogs scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Wofford tacked on two runs in the top of the ninth to secure the victory.
Wofford is 16-9 on the season and Gardner-Webb is 9-16 overall. The Terriers were led by Matt Kaskow with three hits and two RBIs, while Alec Paradowski added two RBIs. J.J. Nazzaro had three RBIs for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
In the top of the second, Wofford loaded the bases with three straight walks to Demetrius Jennings, Dylan May and Luke Feisal. A single by Kaskow drove in the first run of the game and Paradowski reached on a fielder’s choice for a 2-0 lead. Gardner-Webb loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, but all three runners were stranded.
Wofford led off the third inning with a single by Eric Brenk. A double by Conor Clancey down the left-field line scored Brenk for a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, two singles gave Gardner-Webb runners at the corners with one out, but a double play ended the scoring chance. Both teams were retired in order in the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth, Brenk walked, moved to second on a failed pick off and reached third on a balk. A double by James Plaisted scored Brenk for a 4-0 game. Gardner-Webb left two runners on base to end the fifth inning. Wofford had runners on the corners after singles by Kaskow and Seth Neely in the top of the sixth inning. A bunt single by Paradowski scored Kaskow from third for a 5-0 lead, but the Terriers left the bases loaded.
Gardner-Webb loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning on a single and two hit batters. A triple by Nazzaro cleared the bases to make it a 5-3 game. A sacrifice fly from Tyler Best cut the score to 5-4 at the end of the sixth.
Wofford had Demetrius Jennings reach on a walk with one out in the top of the ninth. Jennings stole second and moved to third on a single by May. A sacrifice bunt by Feisal drove in Jennings for a 6-4 lead. Kaskow had an RBI single with two outs to make it a 7-4 game.
Wofford pitcher Jordan Accetta (2-1) started and went five innings without allowing a run on five hits. Eric Eck picked up his sixth save of the season and had one strikeout in the ninth inning.
Gardner-Webb starter Beau Hilton (1-1) went two innings and allowed two runs on one hit with one strikeout.
The Terriers will begin a weekend Southern Conference series at Western Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m.
Wake Forest 3, Elon 2 (12 innings)
ELON, N.C. – After tying the game with a dramatic ninth-inning home run, the Elon baseball team was unable to pull out a win as the Phoenix dropped a 3-2 contest in 12 innings to the visiting Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Latham Park on Wednesday night.
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, Elon (14-10) mounted a comeback. Casey Jones led the frame off with a single up the middle before Chris Hall tied the game at two by belting the first pitch he saw from Wake's Aaron Fossas deep to left-center for his first career home run.
The Phoenix threatened to win the game in the ninth, as well. The inning continued with a Demon Deacon error that allowed Nick Zammarelli to reach. Pinch-runner David Lowrey then stole second and headed to third on a wild pitch. With only one out, Fossas struck out the next hitter before issuing a walk and then fanned the next batter in the Elon lineup to snuff out the Phoenix's rally.
The game remained even at 2 into the top of the 12th inning, when Jimmy Redovian was hit by a one-out pitch. A sac bunt advanced the runner to second for Grant Shambley. Shambley hit a grounder to short and beat the throw at first on a bang-bang play for an infield single. Redovian never slowed down and scored what proved to be the winning run from second on the play.
Wake Forest (16-10) scored one run in each of the first two innings. In the first, the Deacons took advantage of an Elon miscue to extend the inning before a bases-loaded walk plated the game's first run. The next inning began with a Jack Carey homer to left.
Jones kept his career-long hitting streak alive by going 2-for-4 on the night. It is now at 10 games.
The loss went to Grant Fisher (1-1), who went three innings and was charged with one run while striking out two. After coming in in the second inning, Dimitri Lettas kept the Phoenix in the game with 6 1/3 scoreless frames. The freshman allowed just three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six hitters.
Matt Pirro (1-1) picked up the win with two scoreless innings in which he gave up one hit and walked two. John McCarren walked one in the 12th but retired the other three hitters he faced to garner his first save of the season.
Elon will be back at home this weekend as the maroon and gold plays host to The Citadel for a three-game Southern Conference series. The 2013 SoCon tournament championship rematch begins at 6 p.m. on Friday evening from Latham Park.
Appalachian State vs. East Tennessee State postponed
BOONE, N.C. – Wednesday's baseball game between Appalachian State and East Tennessee State has been postponed due to inclement weather in the High Country. It will be made up on Wednesday, April 2, at 4 p.m. at Appalachian State's Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Appalachian State returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game weekend series versus Southern Conference rival UNCG. The series opener begins at 4 p.m. at Smith Stadium.