UNCG 12, Elon 3
GREENSBORO, N.C. – After Elon scored twice in the top of the first inning Saturday, UNCG roared back and plated 12 of the last 13 runs to down the Phoenix 12-3 and clinch the Southern Conference series at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The victory produced the first Spartan series win over Elon since the 2011 campaign.
The Blue and Gold pounded out 17 hits in the contest, just two short of its season-high mark. Additionally, eight of the nine UNCG batters recorded a hit, with six going for multiple base knocks.
Junior Hunter King had a monster day offensively, going 4-for-4 while scoring three runs and driving in three, as well. Classmate Jordan McDonald also notched three hits and a trio of RBIs. Rounding out the offensive efforts was senior Sean Guite, who produced two hits, scored two runs and drove in a pair.
Earning the win on the mound for the Spartans and improving to 5-3 overall was junior Max Povse, as he threw a quality start. In six innings, Povse gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters. He allowed just one run after the first inning of play. Matt Harris suffered his first loss of the campaign, falling to 3-1 after giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Junior Brennen James and freshman Adam Swim threw the final three innings for UNCG and gave up just two hits between them. Swim had four strikeouts in his two innings pitched.
After the Phoenix struck for two runs in the top of the first, the Spartans answered with a three-spot in the bottom of the frame. Junior Zac MacAneney led off with a single to right field before Guite laced an RBI double down the left-field line. King and McDonald added RBI singles in the inning to leave UNCG with a 3-2 advantage after the one complete.
The Spartans moved even further ahead in the bottom of the third, notching four hits in the stanza. UNCG loaded the bases with no outs for redshirt freshman Julian Abreu, who delivered with an RBI single up the middle that scored McDonald. After Elon switched pitchers, bringing in Matt Elefante, the new Phoenix thrower was victimized by a pair of passed balls, leading to a pair of UNCG runs. The Spartans would lead 6-2 after three innings.
Elon drew within three runs in the top of the fifth thanks to an RBI triple by Ryan Cooper, but Chris King struck out to end the frame.
UNCG would cruise to the end of the contest, scoring six runs on six hits and two Phoenix errors in the seventh and eighth innings to account for the final score.
The Blue and Gold will go for the series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. The Spartans will shave their heads after the contest and take donations throughout the day in support of the Vs. Cancer fund.
The Citadel 10, Furman 9
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Hughston Armstrong capped a seesaw game with a two-run homer in the eighth, giving The Citadel a 10-9 victory over Furman and its first Southern Conference series win of the year.
The Bulldogs (18-25, 4-15 SoCon) won their third in a row but had to overcome deficits of 4-1, 6-5 and 9-8 in their final four times at bat. The game saw five lead changes between the fifth and eighth innings before Skylar Hunter slammed the door shut in the ninth to secure the victory.
The Paladins (16-25, 6-10) scored three times in the seventh and took a 9-8 lead on a two-run single by Hunter Burton. Still trailing by one in the eighth, Ryan Kilgallen drew a leadoff walk from Elliott Warford and was at second with two outs when Armstrong launched his second career home run over the wall in right.
Hunter issued a two-out walk to Cameron Whitehead but induced Burton to pop out to short. The sophomore closer has saved all three games of the current winning streak and increased his season total to 10 and career mark to 23, the fifth-most in Citadel history.
The Armstrong homer, his first since going deep against East Tennessee State on April 17, 2013, made a winner of David Rivera, the seventh of eight Bulldog pitchers. Rivera earned his first win of the year with a scoreless eighth, while Warford took his second loss in as many days and dropped to 2-4.
Mason Davis had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three runs for The Citadel, while Bo Thompson joined Armstrong with two RBIs. Thompson knocked in a pair with a double that capped a four-run fifth, which erased a 4-1 Furman lead.
The Paladins answered with two in the sixth but a line drive to center resulted in a double play at third when Burton was retired trying to advance just before Griffin Davis crossed the plate to keep it just a one-run game.
Singles by Kilgallen and Davis drove in runs in the bottom of the sixth helped put The Citadel back ahead 8-6 before Furman took its final lead of the afternoon an inning later. Every Paladin starter had at least one hit, with Heath Burton pacing a 14-hit attack with three singles and three runs scored.
Both teams scored a run in the third, and Charleston native Alex Abrams hit a two-run homer off Bulldog starter Austin Mason in the fourth. A bases-loaded walk in the fifth upped the Furman lead to 4-1, setting the stage for the wild second half of the game.
The teams will play the final game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
Davidson 12, Appalachian State 0
BOONE, N.C. – RHP Danny Mooney threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout while the Davidson offense pounded out 18 hits in a 12-0 victory over Appalachian State in Southern Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon in Smith Stadium.
It was Mooney’s (4-3) second complete game of the season and the first shutout of his career. He struck out six and allowed just three hits and two walks, carrying a perfect game into the fourth inning and a no-hitter into the fifth.
Every Davidson (24-12, 14-4 SoCon) starter had a hit, as the Wildcats totaled 18 for the game. Left fielder Miller paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with his third home run of the season and four RBIs. Center fielder Forrest Brandt went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, hitting his seventh home run of the season for his 100th career RBI. Right fielder Nathan Becker went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while second baseman Andrew Pope went 3-for-6 with a run scored.
It was yet another milestone victory, as Davidson matched its record for SoCon wins in a season of 14 (2000, 14-15). It was also the ‘Cats’ first victory at Appalachian State (16-25, 9-7 SoCon) since May 20, 2006, as the Mountaineers had prevailed in the previous 10 games in Boone.
The Wildcats took the lead in the first inning, as Becker hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to drive in first baseman David Daniels (2-for-5, RBI) from third. The lead grew to 3-0 in the third inning on an RBI groundout by Daniels and Brandt’s solo home run to left-center field.
Miller’s first RBI came on a single in the fourth, and then his two-run home run over the bullpen in right field gave the ‘Cats a 6-0 lead.
Davidson batted around in the seventh inning, scoring six runs for the final margin. Catcher Daniel Gerow (1-for-5) capped the scoring by driving in two with a base hit.
RHP Tyler Moore (8-3) suffered the loss, surrendering nine runs on 11 hits and striking out four. Third baseman Michael Pierson, right fielder Preston Troutman and catcher Josh Zumbrook had the lone Mountaineer hits.
Davidson and Appalachian State will play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. RHP Nick Neitzel (6-0, 2.58 ERA) is slated to start for the Wildcats, while LHP Jeffrey Springs (2-2, 3.76 ERA) is expected to start for the Mountaineers.
Western Carolina 10, Samford 7
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Adam Martin drove in four runs and Danny Bermudez plated two with a pair of two-out singles as Western Carolina rallied past Samford on Saturday afternoon, 10-7, to even the best-of-three Southern Conference series at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
The series rubber match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET.
Senior right-hander T.J. Fussell (4-2) tossed the final 4 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to earn the win for the Catamounts. The Asheville, N.C., native struck out six batters and only allowed a walk and just one hit until surrendering four base knocks in the ninth inning as Samford put four runs on the board in the final frame to provide the final tally.
Freshman RHP Bryan Sammons struck out five in 4 1/3 in the starting role, limiting the Bulldogs to three runs - two earned - on seven hits with five strikeouts.
WCU (27-14, 12-4 SoCon) trailed 2-0 after two complete before scratching the scoreboard with a single run in the top of the third despite loading the bases twice in the inning. Then, the opportunistic Catamounts took advantage of a leadoff walk and an error in the four-run fifth inning. J.D. Long, who finished 1-for-4 with a double in the third inning, drew a leadoff walk before Cody Jones doubled to left field to put runners at second and third. Martin then laced a 0-1 pitch to the gap in right-center field to plate the two runners, handing the Catamounts a one-run lead, 3-2.
The rally continued as junior Jacob Hoyle sharply singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. Senior Dykota Spiess reached on a ball hit up the middle that deflected off the glove of relief pitcher Parker Curry, allowing Martin to score and giving the Morganton, N.C., native an RBI. Bermudez capped scoring with a two-out single up the middle to make it 5-2 Catamounts going to the bottom of the fifth.
Samford (26-17, 10-7 SoCon) tallied a run in the bottom of the fifth on a RBI single by Caleb Bryson to trim the deficit to two, 5-3, where it stayed until the seventh inning.
The Catamounts pushed across five runs over the final three frames to lead 10-3 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Bermudez drove home Luke Gragg, who doubled in the seventh inning, with Martin and Jacob Hoyle driving in runs in the top of the eighth. In the ninth, a Bulldog throwing error allowed one run to score, with Bradley Strong plating WCU's 10th run on a sacrifice fly to end the Catamount scoring.
Samford plated four in the ninth including a two-out, three-run home run by Bryson to provide the final tally, 10-7.
Four Catamounts recorded two-hit games, led by Martin, who finished 2-for-6 with a single and a double and four RBIs, while Jones was 2-for-4 with a pair of walks and a double. Hoyle and Bermudez also collected two hits in the win.
Bulldog starter Jared Brasher (2-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Curry finished with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven Catamount hits and four runs, only one of which was earned.
Bryson led Samford offensively with two hits and four RBIs, including the Bulldogs' third home run of the series on the three-run shot in the ninth inning. Drew McWhorter started the game 3-for-3 for Samford before striking out twice to finish 3-for-5, while Heath Quinn doubled twice as a part of a 3-for-5 showing at the plate.
Wofford 6, Georgia Southern 4
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team took the second game of the weekend series against Georgia Southern 6-4 on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Eagles tied the game in the top of the seventh, but the Terriers answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the series win.
Wofford is 23-20 on the season and 5-11 in the Southern Conference. Georgia Southern is 27-18 overall and 9-11 in league play. Five of the six runs scored by the Terriers were unearned, as the Eagles made five errors in the game. Conor Clancey led Wofford with three hits and an RBI. Ben Morgan led Georgia Southern with three hits and three RBIs.
The Eagles were retired in order in the top of the first inning. Wofford led off with a single by Eric Brenk but he was then put out on a fielder’s choice by James Plaisted. Plaisted then took advantage of a throwing error and a fielding error on the same play to score a run. With two outs in the top of the second, the Eagles had back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 1-1.
The Terriers had back-to-back singles by Seth Neely and Josh Hyman to lead off the bottom of the fourth. A hit-and-run single through the left side by Conor Clancey drove in a run. With two outs and runners at second and third after a double steal, Kody Ruedisili reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and a throwing error on the play allowed both runners to score for a 4-1 lead.
The Eagles loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on two hits and a walk. A double by Ben Morgan cleared the bases and tied the game at 4-4. In the bottom of the seventh, Matt Ramsay singled but was caught stealing second. Plaisted added a double and back-to-back walks to Neely and Hyman loaded the bases with one out. Matt Kaskow reached first on a fielder’s choice, but an error on the play at the plate allowed two runs to score and Wofford had a 6-4 lead at the end of the seventh inning.
The Eagles led off the ninth with a walk and single. A fly ball, strikeout and intentional walk loaded the bases for Georgia Southern with two out. A fly ball to right field ended the scoring chance and the game.
Wofford starting pitcher Matt Milburn went six innings and allowed just one run on five hits with six strikeouts. Eric Eck (1-2) worked an inning and gave up three runs on three hits with one strikeout. Jacob Condra-Bogan went 2/3 of an inning and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts. Will Stillman earned his third save of the season by going the final 1 1/3 innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
Josh Wirsu (8-3) started for Georgia Southern and went 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. Eric Alonzo gave up one run. Jason Richman threw the final 1 2/3 innings and did not allow a hit with one strikeout.
The three-game series against Georgia Southern will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m., with Wofford going for the sweep. The Terriers are back at home on Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Charleston Southern.