Georgia Southern 3, Holy Cross 1
STATESBORO, Ga. – Sam Howard allowed one run and struck out eight batters as the Georgia Southern Eagles won the opener of a four-game series with Holy Cross 3-1 Friday night to tie their best start since 2009.
Dalton Busby scored the tying run in the third inning on a balk and plated Georgia Southern's other two runs on a single in the fourth inning. Busby had two of the Eagles’ five hits on the day and extended his reached-base streak to 11 games with a single in the third.
Howard (3-1) settled in after allowing two hits to start the first inning and a sacrifice fly to Brandon Cipolla. The junior left-hander held Holy Cross to just the one run on six hits over seven innings. Howard retired 12 straight batters from the first inning on before allowing a double to Jack St. Clair in the sixth inning.
St. Clair tallied three doubles to lead Holy Cross (3-6), which finished with eight hits.
After the first inning, the Crusaders did not have a leadoff batter reach base until the ninth, when Connor Perry walked. Anthony Critelli later doubled before Matt McCall got Bobby Indeglia to line out to end the game. McCall tossed two scoreless innings and struck out four for his third save of the season.
Making his second start of the season, Nate Walker held the Eagles (11-2) in check through two innings but left in the fourth after allowing three runs on four hits. Walker (0-2) was able to emerge unscathed after loading the bases without a hit in the second inning. Indeglia saved a second run from scoring in the third inning with a diving catch near the left-field line.
Garrett Chapman singled in the fourth inning to extend his hit streak to 13 games.
The four-game series continues Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. Josh Wirsu and Ryan Frederick are scheduled to take the mound for GSU. They will be opposed by Ben White and Phil Reese.
Samford 9, ULM 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford junior pitcher Alex Ledford pitched eight strong innings to lead the Bulldog baseball team to a 9-3 win over ULM in the first game of a three-game series Friday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
The win was the seventh straight for the Bulldogs. Samford improved to 9-4 with the win, while ULM fell to 7-7.
Ledford (3-0) allowed three runs, just one earned, on seven hits while striking out nine batters to earn the win. Andres Gracia pitched the final inning, recording two strikeouts, to seal the win.
For Samford at the plate, Brandon Powell went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Tripp Martin went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Damon Waller went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Heath Quinn and Drew McWhorter had two hits each.
For ULM, Kodie Tidwell went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Josh Leone (1-2) took the loss on the mound for ULM, pitching 4 1/3 innings in relief, giving up six runs, four earned, on seven hits.
ULM jumped on top first with two runs in the top of the third inning. Tidwell singled to left field to drive in Jeff Fuller for the game’s first run. Dalton Herrington scored the inning’s second run when Chet Simoneaux reached base on a fielder’s choice for a 2-0 Warhawk lead.
Samford tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Powell singled up the middle to start the rally. With one out, Martin hit a home run to right-center field to tie the score at 2-2.
The Bulldogs took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Caleb Bryson singled with one out and later scored when Powell singled to right field for a 3-2 Samford lead.
The Warhawks tied the score with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Keelin Rasch scored when Cody Stone was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the score again at 3-3.
Samford took the lead again with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Quinn singled to drive in Martin for the first run of the inning. Waller later doubled down the left-field line to drive in Hunter Swilling and McWhorter for a 6-3 Samford lead.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Samford added three runs to push its lead to 9-3. Powell doubled to right field to drive in Waller for the inning’s first run. Powell and T.J. Dixon later scored on an error for a six-run Samford lead.
Samford and ULM will continue their series with a game Saturday afternoon. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. CT start from Joe Lee Griffin Field.
North Florida 4, Western Carolina 2 (10 innings)
ATHENS, Ga. – North Florida's Alex Merritt drove home two runs on a single to center field in the top of the 10th inning as the Ospreys outlasted Western Carolina 4-2 Friday afternoon in tournament action at Foley Field.
Western Carolina returns to action in the Bulldog Invitational against the Buffalo Bulls with first pitch scheduled 5 p.m.
Two Catamounts finished with multi-hit games, as senior Dykota Spiess went 3-for-5 with his second home run of the season while Danny Bermudez, who was pressed into service after starting catcher Adam Martin left the game with an injury in the top of the fifth inning, finishing 2-for-3.
Denoted as the designated home team, Western Carolina (8-3) broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. Martin led off the frame by being hit by a pitch before taking second on a wild pitch. Spiess singled to right field to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Taylor Sandefur drew a walk to load the bases ahead of Luke Gragg, who drove in the game's first run on an RBI ground out to the right side.
Half an inning later, North Florida responded by putting two markers on the board. Shortstop Kyle Brooks led off with a single to center ahead of Alex Bacon, who delivered a run-scoring double to knot the game at 1 apiece, taking third on WCU's throw to the plate. The next batter, Peyton Walsh, pushed the Ospreys ahead with an RBI ground out to make it 2-1.
The North Florida lead remained until the home portion of the sixth inning, as Spiess led off with a solo home run to right field, tying the game at 2, which stood until the top of the 10th inning.
Sophomore Colton Davis (0-1) took the loss for the Catamounts after issuing a one-out walk in the top of the 10th that represented the game-winning run. Davis, one of four Catamount pitchers to toe the rubber, surrendered two runs on one hit with a walk and a strikeout in an inning of work out of the bullpen. Relievers Tyler Powell and Alex Barr also pitched in extra innings.
Catamount starter Jeremy Null factored in the no-decision for a second straight start. The Claremont, N.C., native held North Florida to two runs on seven hits through 8 1/3 innings, striking out five against one walk.
UNF reliever Dan Vansickle (2-1) picked up the victory, tossing 4 2/3 innings of scoreless, three-hit baseball with three strikeouts. Starter David Trexler allowed both WCU runs on seven hits with a walk and three Ks.
Patrick Ervin finished 2-for-5 to lead North Florida, as eight different Ospreys hitters combined for their nine hits. Bacon scored two of the four runs in the winning effort.
Appalachian vs. UNC Asheville postponed
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State's 2014 home opener versus UNC Asheville, originally scheduled for Friday, has been postponed due to several inches of snow that fell overnight in the High Country.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Saturday's twinbill will consist of two seven-inning games. The three-game series between Appalachian State and UNCA will conclude as scheduled with a nine-inning game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Davidson vs. UMass postponed
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Friday night’s Davidson baseball game against Massachusetts at Wilson Field has been postponed to Saturday night at 7 p.m. due to heavy rains, head coach Dick Cooke announced Friday.
The Wildcats were set to host five games at Wilson Field, featuring North Carolina A&T and UMass, over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but the schedule has now been condensed to two days. A&T and UMass will start the action at the originally scheduled time of 1 p.m. Saturday, and then Davidson will take on the Aggies 45 minutes after that game concludes, but not before 4 p.m. Massachusetts will then return to the diamond to take on the Wildcats, 45 minutes after the second game concludes, but not before 7 p.m.
The schedule for Sunday remains unchanged. Davidson is set to start at noon against UMass and conclude with a game 45 minutes after against A&T.
Wofford vs. Marist postponed
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Due to rain in the area, the Wofford College baseball schedule for this weekend has been changed. The game scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. against Marist has been postponed.
The Terriers and Red Foxes will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. Both games will be nine innings.
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. as originally scheduled.