UNCG 4, Minnesota 1
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Junior RHP Max Povse threw the second complete game of his career Sunday as UNCG topped Minnesota 4-1 at the Chanticleer Classic inside TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.
The Spartans improved to 6-7 overall with the victory, while the Golden Gophers dropped to 7-5.
In going the distance, Povse (2-1) gave up just one run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He retired the final eight batters of the contest and limited Minnesota to just five singles. Povse’s first complete-game effort occurred last season in a 12-0 UNCG victory at College of Charleston in a Southern Conference contest.
Junior infielder Jordan McDonald recorded two RBIs on his only hit, which turned out to be the winning runs in the game. Junior outfielder Zac MacAneney, junior outfielder L.J. Kalawaia and senior infielder Sean Guite each recorded multi-hit games with two hits apiece. Kalawaia rapped out a pair of doubles, while Guite tallied one. Guite and freshman catcher Jake Kusz also chipped in with an RBI each.
With the Spartans acting as the visiting team, MacAneney led off the contest with a single through the left side and moved to second on a ground out by redshirt sophomore outfielder Nin Marrero before reaching third on a passed ball. Redshirt freshman infielder Julian Abreu then drew a walk to put runners on the corners with one away. However, junior infielder Hunter King was robbed of a base hit on a leaping catch by Connor Schaefbauer at second and McDonald hit into a fielder’s choice play to terminate the threat.
Minnesota put on a threat of its own in the bottom of the second, putting runners at second and third after a stolen base by Michael Handel, but Povse fanned David Bettenberg looking to escape any damage.
Kusz lifted a single to left field to start the top of the third and would reach second on a passed ball. MacAneney struck out for the first out before Marrero flew out to right field. Kusz advanced to third base on an infield single by Abreu, but King popped up to second base to end the inning.
Povse recorded a quick two outs in the bottom of the third, but he then walked two consecutive batters. That would come back to bite him, as Mark Tatera singled up the middle and drove in Dan Olinger from second base to make the score 1-0. Povse would pick off Tatera at first to end the inning and keep the Golden Gopher lead at one.
The Spartans tied the game at 1 in the top of the fourth thanks to an RBI single by Guite that scored Kalawaia from second. Kalawaia put himself in scoring position with a one-out double to left field. Guite reached second after a bunt by junior outfielder Nick Chapman, but Kusz struck out swinging to end the frame.
More two-out trouble plagued Povse in the bottom of the fourth, as a walk and base hit put Minnesota runners at the corners, but he induced a groundout by Schaefbauer to end the inning.
UNCG finally forged ahead in the top of the eighth. MacAneney led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Marrero. Abreu then flied out to left field before King drew a walk. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, and that would be critical, as McDonald looped a single into right field, scoring both MacAneney and King to give the Blue and Gold the 3-1 advantage.
The Blue and Gold tacked on a run in the top of the ninth frame when Guite doubled to lead off and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Chapman. Kusz then executed a perfect squeeze bunt that easily scored Guite and pushed the UNCG cushion to 4-1. Povse retired Minnesota in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the victory.
The Spartans will close out their participation in the Chanticleer Classic on Monday with a 4 p.m. contest against host Coastal Carolina.
Davidson 9, Massachusetts 8
Davidson 7, North Carolina A&T 4
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Rain on Friday forced Davidson to play back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday, but the Wildcats answered the challenge. Davidson completed a four-game weekend sweep of Massachusetts and North Carolina A&T with a 9-8 win over the Minutemen and a 7-4 victory over A&T Sunday afternoon at Wilson Field.
Forrest Brandt reached base five times against UMass, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs, and Davidson (7-6) fended off a late rally to complete a two-game series sweep of Massachusetts
As they did the previous night against UMass (1-8), cleanup-hitter Brandt and five-hole batter Nathan Becker led the Davidson offense, accounting for all eight RBIs. Brandt’s four hits included his first home run of the season and two doubles. His lone single came in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and was mishandled in right field, allowing all three runs to score. Becker went 2-for-5 with his fifth home run of the season and three RBIs.
RHP Nick Neitzel (2-0) allowed just two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings of work, but the Minutemen nearly erased a seven-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning. RHP Michael Goldberg and RHP Matt Saeta earned the final two outs to stop the rally, with third baseman David Daniels (2-for-5, 2 2B, 3 R) making a diving stop to prevent an extra-base hit that would have allowed the tying run to score.
The Wildcats took command in the first inning as Daniels doubled and, later with two outs, Brandt doubled to drive him home. Brandt then walked to lead off the fourth inning, and Becker followed with a home run for a 3-0 advantage. Brandt hit a solo home run the next inning, and then his single and the ensuing fielding error in the sixth inning added three more runs for a 7-0 lead.
Leftfielder Paul Yanakopulos (2-for-5, 4 RBIs) drove in two runs for UMass in the seventh inning on a single to left, but Brandt and Becker restored Davidson’s seven-run advantage in the eighth inning with RBIs.
The Wildcats had to use five pitchers in the top of the ninth inning to secure the win. RHP Clark Beeker, who had pitched the previous two innings, struck out the first batter of the ninth but allowed the next two batters to reach. The ‘Cats’ next two pitchers were unable to record an out as Yanakopulous drove in two more runs with a single, catcher John Jennings (1-for-1) drove in one with a double, first baseman Dylan Begin (1-for-4) drove in two with a single and third baseman Nik Campero drove in one with a double, bringing the Minutemen within one.
Goldberg slowed the rally by inducing a ground out from the lone batter he faced, and then Saeta came on for the final out. He allowed one hit that did not do any damage, as Daniels kept it in the infield at third with a diving play, and then induced a pop up to seal the victory.
RHP Aaron Plunkett (0-2) took the loss for UMass, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in five innings.
The series was the first-ever meeting between UMass and Davidson on the diamond, but the two schools will meet frequently in future years as Davidson will join the Minutemen in the Atlantic 10 Conference next season.
Against the Aggies, right fielder Becker continued a strong weekend at the plate for Davidson, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, including his third home run in as many games. When the Wildcats faced their largest deficit of the game to North Carolina A&T (6-7), 3-1 after the top of the third inning, Becker drove in third baseman Daniels (2-for-4), who had doubled earlier in the inning, with a base hit and also advanced designated hitter Ryan Lowe (1-for-3, BB, RBI) to third, allowing him to score on a wild pitch during the next at-bat and tie the game at 3-3 after three innings.
First baseman Cameron Jergens (1-for-4), homered for the Aggies in the top of the sixth inning, but it was the last lead they would hold, as Becker answered by slugging a home run on to the golf course beyond right field to tie the game at 4-4. Second baseman Andrew Pope (2-for-5, 2 R), then led the seventh inning off with a double to right field, and he scored on an RBI single by Lowe. Lowe later scored on a throwing error for a 6-4 advantage.
First baseman Ben Arkin added a home run in the eighth inning (2-for-4) for the final margin.
Senior LHP Justin Charles (1-0) earned his first career win, yielding just two walks in 2/3 innings pitched, while freshman RHP Westin Whitmire earned his first career save, walking three, but not yielding a hit, over the final 1 2/3 innings. LHP Rob Bain started for Davidson and went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
RHP Mitchell McQueen (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
The Aggies also got a home run from Luke Tendler (2-for-5), who hit a two-run shot to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Davidson halved the advantage in the bottom half when Pope swiped home on a double steal, but the Aggies restored the two-run advantage when Tendler, who had led the third inning off with a double, scored on a double by Brandon Wilkerson (2-for-4).
Davidson will not play a midweek game but will open Southern Conference play with a three-game series against The Citadel on Friday at 6 p.m. at Wilson Field.
Appalachian State 7, UNC Asheville 5
BOONE, N.C. – A five-run third inning proved to be the difference in Appalachian State’s 7-5 win over UNC Asheville on Sunday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
With the victory, Appalachian State (4-11) completed a three-game weekend sweep of UNC Asheville (3-10). The Mountaineers outscored the Bulldogs 23-9 en route to their first series sweep since they took all three games from Wofford on April 28-29, 2012.
UNCA jumped out to a 2-0 advantage on Sam Turner’s two-run home run in the top of the second inning. However, Appalachian responded with five runs in the bottom of the third to grab a lead it would never relinquish.
Tyler Stroup, Preston Troutman and William Head kick-started the five-run third with three consecutive singles through right side of UNCA’s infield. Tyler Zupcic was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run, and Dillon Dobson knotted the score at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to left field.
After a ground out, it appeared that the Mountaineers might only get two runs out of the promising inning, but Alex Leach delivered the biggest hit of the game when he drove a full-count pitch into the gap in right-center field for a two-run double that gave Appalachian a 4-2 lead. Ozzy Gonzalez followed with an RBI single that capped the five-run frame.
Appalachian plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to stretch the advantage to 7-2, which was more than enough to endure UNCA scoring two runs in the sixth and one in the eighth. The Bulldogs did bring the tying run to the plate with no outs in the ninth but App State closer Robert Whaley retired the final three batters to seal the win and earn his second save of the season.
In addition to pounding out nine hits, Appalachian State received a fine start on the mound from southpaw Jeffrey Springs. Springs (1-0) worked six innings, scattering four runs on six hits and matching a career high with six strikeouts to earn his first win of the season.
Troutman and Head paced the Mountaineers’ nine-hit attack with two apiece, while Dobson and Leach drove in two runs each. Troutman scored two of Appalachian’s seven runs.
Eli Miller and Kyle Carruthers led UNCA with two hits apiece.
Appalachian State closes a four-game homestand on Tuesday with one of the most anticipated home games in program history, versus Notre Dame. First pitch between the Mountaineers and Fighting Irish is set for 6 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
Georgia Southern 9, Holy Cross 8
STATESBORO, Ga. – Matt McCall got a game-ending double play as the Georgia Southern Eagles held on to complete the four-game sweep of Holy Cross with a 9-8 victory on Sunday at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Stryker Brown hit two home runs and Aaron Mizell added a two-run shot in the fourth inning to help Georgia Southern (14-2) take an early 7-2 lead.
Holy Cross (3-9) pulled within a run late in the ball game, scoring five runs over the final three frames.
McCall, who left a runner stranded at second base after entering in the eighth inning, had the go-ahead run on base after Jack St. Clair's RBI single in the ninth inning. McCall erased St. Clair and ended the game with a double play from Connor Perry.
The save ensured Will Middour his first victory of the season. Middour (1-0) held the Crusaders to three runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The junior right-hander did not allow more than one hit in an inning and exited after St. Clair's two-out single in the sixth inning.
The Eagles finished with their 12th game of 10-plus hits this season. Brown and Mizell led the charge with three hits each. Brown also plated three runs, all coming on his two long balls. Evan Ocello, who homered in the fourth inning, and St. Clair led Holy Cross with two hits each.
Donny Murray allowed just one run over the first two frames but ran into trouble in the third inning. Murray (1-2) took the loss after allowing three two-out hits and a two-run homer to Brown.
The Crusaders took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Brandon Cipolla poked a single over the head of a diving Dalton Busby to score a leadoff hit batter in Nick Lovullo.
Brown quickly tied the game with his first homer of the day in the second inning.
Ryan Cleveland produced the go-ahead run in the third inning with a two-out single.
Georgia Southern remains at home in the mid-week and will face North Florida at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
Wofford 12, Marist 10 (10 innings)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Dylan May homered with one on in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Wofford baseball team defeated Marist in walk-off fashion, 12-10, Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field.
The Terriers improved to 9-6 overall with the win and the Red Foxes fell to 4-10 with the loss.
Josh Hyman and Alec Paradowski got things started with a bang in the first as they hit back-to-back solo home runs to start the Terriers’ six-run inning. Wofford then drew two walks and scored on an error by the second baseman to make it 3-0. Demetrius Jennings then made the score 4-0 as he singled to left with two on, scoring Eric Brenk from second. After a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners and a walk to load the bases, Matt Pelt was walked to score Connor Clancey. Hyman topped off the inning adding his second RBI, as he hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Jennings from third to make the score 6-0.
Marist came back and scored four in the second to cut Wofford’s lead to two. Matt Pagano singled to the right to lead off the inning, Tyler Kirkpatrick doubled down the right-field line, and Pat Welsh singled through the left side, scoring Pagano from third for the first run. Matt Belitz made the score 6-2 as he sacrifice bunted to the first baseman to score Kirkpatrick. With one on and two outs, Joey Aiola smacked a two-run homer to right to make the score 6-4.
The Terriers extended their lead in the third 7-4 as Paradowski added his second RBI of the afternoon, scoring Pelt with two on and two outs.
Wofford then put up a two-run fourth inning, pushing its lead to 9-4. Clancey hit a double and Jennings singled to put two runners on base with one out. May then hit a two-RBI double over the center fielder to score Clancey and Jennings.
Marist cut the lead to 9-7 as it scored two runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth to bring the deficit within two again. Pagano’s RBI double with two on and none out, and Kirkpatrick’s sacrifice fly to right field gave the Red Foxes two runs in the fifth. Marist knocked home its only run in the sixth as Nick McQuail doubled down the left-field line, scoring Graham McIntire from third with one out.
Jennings then scored for the Terriers in the bottom of the sixth as he made it home on a wild pitch to make the score 10-7.
The Red Foxes made a three-run comeback in the top of the ninth to force extra innings. With one out, Marist scored as five batters were walked and another was hit by a pitch to make the score 10-10.
Clancey led off the 10th inning with a single to center field, and Derek Hirsch pinch-ran and stole a base to advance to second. With one out, May hit a bomb over the left-field wall to give the Terriers the 12-10 victory in walk-off fashion.
Wofford starter Connell Anderson went five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Jordan Accetta (1-0) entered the game in the 10th inning earning the victory, as he faced two batters and did not allow a hit.
For the Red Foxes, Ryan Thomas (0-3) took the loss as he pitched 2 1/3innings, giving up two runs on four hits. He struck out two batters.
The Wofford baseball team will be back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Savannah State at Russell C. King Field at 6 p.m.
Samford 6, ULM 5 (10 inn.)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford first baseman Caleb Bryson doubled to right field to drive in Frankie Navarrete in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Samford baseball team its ninth straight win with a 6-5 victory over ULM on Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
The teams entered the 10th inning tied at 5-5. In the top of the 10th, ULM loaded the bases with one out, but Samford turned a double play to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Drew McWhorter was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Navarrete pinch-ran for McWhorter. Navarrete then advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Rodriguez before Bryson hit an 0-1 pitch to right field to drive in Navarrete for the 6-5 win.
The win is Samford’s ninth victory in a row. The streak is Samford’s longest since 1960. The Bulldogs improve to 11-4 with the win. ULM dropped to 7-9 with the loss.
Samford’s Mark Donham (1-0) pitched the final inning, allowing just one hit to earn the win. After falling behind 5-2 in the top of the third inning, five Samford pitchers combined to hold the Warhawks scoreless over the final seven innings of the game. Jared Brasher, Patrick Maronde, Mikel Belcher, Andres Gracia and Donham all had solid outings in the win.
For Samford at the plate, Heath Quinn went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Tyler Filliben went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Brandon Powell also went 2-for-5 for the Bulldogs.
ULM was led at the plate by Jeff Fuller, who went 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Keelin Rasch went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Tyler Bray (1-2) pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up one run on one hit to take the loss on the mound for the Warhawks.
The scoring started early, as ULM plated a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the inning, Rasch hit a solo home run to left field for a 1-0 ULM lead.
Samford came back with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead. Powell doubled to lead off the inning. With two outs, Quinn doubled to drive in Powell to tie the score. Quinn later scored on a wild pitch to give Samford the lead.
ULM tied the score with a run in the top of the second inning. Fuller doubled to drive in Chet Simoneaux, who had walked earlier, to knot the score at 2-2.
The Warhawks took the lead again with three runs in the top of the third inning. Kodie Tidwell singled to lead off the inning and then moved to third base on a single by Anthony Herrera. Tidwell then scored when Herrera stole second base. Herrera later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-2. Dalton Herrington then walked and later scored on a double by Fuller for a 5-2 ULM lead.
Samford plated a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the ULM lead to 5-3. Filliben led the inning off with a solo home run to left-center field to bring Samford to within two runs.
The Bulldogs added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 5-4. Hunter Swilling walked to lead off the inning. After moving to second base on a ground out, Swilling scored on a single by T.J. Dixon to cut the Warhawks’ lead to one run.
Samford tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out in the inning, Powell singled. After advancing to second on a single by Filliben, Powell scored on a single by Quinn to knot the score at 5-5.
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, when the Bulldogs play at Alabama. The game is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. CT start from Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Coastal Carolina 13, Elon 4
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Elon baseball team wrapped up its weekend at the Chanticleer Classic by facing host Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The Phoenix jumped out to an early lead but fell by a 13-4 margin.
Elon (10-5) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, when Casey Jones doubled home Quinn Bower.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Coastal (5-8) came back with two in the bottom half of the first. With runners on the corners, Zach Remillard singled home one. After an error, the Chants then took the lead on a ground out to second.
Coastal would score one run in the third, sixth and seventh along with three in the fourth and five in the eighth to round out its scoring.
Elon plated one in the seventh on a Sebastian Gomez single and two in the ninth on Danny Lynch's triple.
Phoenix starter Jake Stalzer (3-1) saw his streak of not allowing an earned run end at 23 1/3 innings. The lefty was charged with six runs (three earned) on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.
The win went to Tyler Herb (1-3), who gave up just one run on four hits in 5 2/3 frames.
Elon will be back in action on Monday as the maroon and gold will host UMBC in a 4 p.m. game at Latham Park.
College of Charleston 11, The Citadel 5
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Brandon Murray and Brandon Glazer hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run College of Charleston fifth inning, breaking open a close game and sending the Cougars on their way to an 11-5 victory over The Citadel to even the weekend series.
The rubber game will take place Monday at 6 p.m. at Riley Park with junior left-hander Kevin Connell on the mound for the Bulldogs and freshman righty Bailey Ober taking the hill for the Cougars.
The Citadel (7-8) scored its first run of the game in the top of the fifth on a single by Ryan Kilgallen and a pair of errors to pull within 2-1 before the fateful bottom of the frame. College of Charleston (11-3) loaded the bases with two outs on an error, bunt single and walk off of Bulldog starter James Reeves.
Murray followed with a grand slam to right center, and Glazer took the next offering from Reeves over the short fence in left to make it 7-1. All five Cougar runs in the inning were unearned but enough to hand Reeves his first loss of the season after wins over Virginia Tech and Nebraska.
Two-run singles by College of Charleston's Gunnar Heidt in the sixth and The Citadel's Tyler Griffin in the seventh kept it a six-run margin. The hit was Griffin's fifth of the series, and he has also driven in five runs.
After the Cougars boosted their lead to 11-3 in the eighth, the Bulldogs tacked on a pair in the ninth on an RBI single by Hughston Armstrong and sacrifice fly by Bo Thompson. Thompson now has a team-leading 15 RBIs in 15 games on the year.
Taylor Clarke threw 6 1/3 solid innings for College of Charleston, allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out six to win his third game of the season. The Bulldogs out-hit the Cougars, 12-9, including three each by Mason Davis and Drew DeKerlegand, but left 10 runners on base.
Davis, who returned to the lineup after sitting out the first game of his career in Saturday's 5-4, 11-inning Bulldog win, added his 11th stolen base of the year. The junior second baseman entered the week leading the nation in thefts.
Gardner-Webb 3, Furman 2 (10 innings)
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Scott Coleman drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Ryan Hodge for the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Gardner-Webb at 3-2 victory over visiting Furman on Sunday afternoon at John Henry Moss Stadium.
The loss was the third straight for Furman (6-9) and second consecutive defeat in which the Paladins failed to hold an eighth-inning lead. On Saturday, Furman led 4-1 before surrendering five runs in the eighth inning in an eventual 7-6 loss to the Bulldogs.
Coleman’s game-winning RBI came after Paladin reliever Ryan Morse issued a leadoff walk and bunt single to JJ Nazzaro. Hodge, who entered the game as a pinch-runner, then stole third and, after the Paladins loaded the bases, covered the final 90 feet to home plate when a full-count offering from Paladin reliever Tyler Wood missed the strike zone.
Furman missed a prime chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th after Greg Harrison doubled to lead off and Chris Ohmstede followed with a single to left field to move pinch-runner Kyle Simmons to third. Alex Abrams then grounded to Bulldog third baseman Henry Rundio, who fielded the ball and tagged Simmons before he could return safely to the base. Gardner-Webb pitcher Scott Hunter struck out Andrew MacLatchie and got Griffin Davis on a fly ball to keep the game tied.
Gardner-Webb (6-9) rallied from a 2-0 deficit with two runs in the eighth on Scott Johnson’s two-out, two-run double off Paladin reliever Jacques de Gruy that bounced off the wall in left field, scoring Nazzaro and Tyler Best.
Furman starting pitcher Elliott Warford put the Paladins in position to claim the final game of the three-game series by blanking the Bulldogs on just two hits over the first seven innings. The junior right-hander retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth before issuing a walk and throwing two balls to the next hitter. At that point, he was lifted for de Gruy, who completed the walk and then served up Johnson’s game-tying, two-run double.
Beginning in the second inning, Warford retired 21 of 22 Bulldog hitters before yielding the two-out walk in the eighth.
The Paladins took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on a MacLatchie two-out, two-run double down the left-field line off Bulldog starter Erik Heiligenstadt.
Smith (2-0) claimed the win in relief, while Morse (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing a run on one hit and walking three in one inning of work.
Furman posted a 10-4 hit differential and was paced at the plate by Harrison, who went 3-for-5. Ohmstede had two hits and scored one run.
Nazzaro had two of the Bulldogs’ hits.
Furman plays at South Carolina on Tuesday in a 7 p.m. game.
Georgia 6, Western Carolina 2
ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia Bulldogs pushed across five runs in the home half of the fourth inning as they handed Western Carolina its third straight defeat, downing the Catamounts, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Bulldog Invitational at Foley Field.
Georgia (10-6) extended its winning streak to eight games, while WCU suffered its third straight defeat on the heels of a seven-game win streak which included upsetting No. 15 Clemson last Tuesday.
Seven different Catamounts combined to record eight hits in the game, led by junior Jacob Hoyle, who was 2-for-4 with his second home run of the season on a solo blast to center field in the sixth inning. J.D. Long went 1-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter, Dale Urquhart Jr., who singled in his lone at-bat.
Senior Jordan Smith (1-2) took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings in the start. He walked four with just one strikeout. Reliever Bryce Danielson retired the one batter he was charged with getting, while Colton Davis tossed an inning and a third of one-hit, scoreless relief out of the bullpen.
Western Carolina (8-5) took its lone lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning only to see back-to-back extra-base hits by Georgia ignite the five-run bottom of the frame. Aaron Attaway led off with a bunt single with a ground out to the right side, advancing him to second base. Attaway swiped his team-leading fifth base of the season as he stole third before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Adam Martin, who returned to the lineup after missing Saturday due to concussion-like symptoms from a HBP to the helmet on Friday.
However, Georgia's Nelson Ward doubled to open the bottom of the fourth ahead of Connor Welton, who belted a two-run home run to right field for the Bulldog advantage, 2-1. The home squad capitalized on two walks and an error, scoring three more runs in the frame on a Zack Bowers double, an infield ground out and sacrifice fly by Heath Holder.
The Bulldogs tacked on an insurance run in the fifth as Ward again doubled to center before being driven home on an RBI double by Hunter Cole to make it 6-1 through five complete.
Ward finished 3-for-3 with three doubles and two runs scored, with Welton finishing with a team-high two RBIs.
Hoyle belted a solo home run in the top of the sixth to pull the Catamounts back to within four at 6-2, but it was as close as WCU would get. The Purple & Gold threatened in the seventh inning as Danny Bermudez reached on an error before a pinch-hit single by Urquhart put two aboard. Cody Jones laid down a bunt single to load the bases, but the Catamounts weren't able to score. WCU again put two on with one out in the eighth but were unable to move runners past second base.
Georgia starter Patrick Boling (2-1) tossed a career-long 7 1/3 innings to earn the victory, scattering eight base hits, and limited the potent Catamount offense to two earned runs. Relievers Dylan Cole (2/3 IP) and Robert Tyler (1.0 IP) pitched in the final two innings for the Bulldogs.
Western Carolina returns to action with a pair of midweek games back in Georgia. The Catamounts travel to Georgia Tech (8-7) on Tuesday before facing Kennesaw State (10-8) on the road on Wednesday.