Samford 13, Elon 8
Samford 9, Elon 8
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford freshman outfielder Heath Quinn hit a combined three home runs and drove in nine runs in a Southern Conference doubleheader sweep of Elon on Saturday at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The Bulldogs won the first game, 13-8, and took the final game by a score of 9-8.
With the win, Samford earned the series win, two games to one. Samford improved to 19-13 overall and 6-3 in Southern Conference play. Elon dropped to 20-12 overall and 7-5 in league play.
In game one, Quinn went 3-for-3 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and seven RBIs. In the second game, Quinn hit a two-run home run, going 1-for-4 at the plate. Also in game one for Samford, freshman center fielder T.J. Dixon went 5-for-6 at the plate. Brandon Powell went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Also in game two for Samford, Tyler Filliben went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Filliben has now hit safely in 16 consecutive games. Drew McWhorter and Frankie Navarrete had two hits each for Samford in the second game, and Tripp Martin homered and drove in two runs.
Jared Brasher (1-2) got the win on the mound in game one, pitching five innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Andres Gracia earned his ninth save of the season, tossing the final 1 2/3 innings, without allowing a hit. In game two, Alex Milazzo pitched 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing four runs, just three earned. Gracia (2-0) pitched the final inning to pick up the win for the Bulldogs.
In the first game, Samford jumped out to a commanding 6-1 lead in the first three innings. The Bulldogs plated two runs in the first inning and four more in the third inning. The four runs in the third inning were scored on Quinn’s grand slam to center field.
Samford also scored two runs in the fourth inning, one each in the fifth and sixth innings, and three final runs in the seventh inning to pull away for the 13-8 win.
In the second game, the teams entered the ninth inning with Samford leading, 8-4. Elon plated four unearned runs off of Gracia in the top of the ninth to knot the score at 8-8. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs, Caleb Bryson walked and then advanced to second base on a passed ball. Jordan Wren then pinch-ran for Bryson. Wren then advanced to third base on a passed ball, and Elon catcher Chris Hall’s throw to third base sailed into left field, allowing Wren to score and giving Samford the 9-8 win.
Samford plated a run in the first inning, three runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead over Elon. Elon came back with three runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 6-4. Samford answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the score 8-4. Elon then came back with four runs in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for the bottom of the ninth inning.
Elon was led in game one by Tucker Norton, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Quinn Bower went 2-for-5 in game one. In the second game, Chris King went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Ryan Cooper and Tyler McVicar also homered in game two for Elon.
Michael Elefante (5-1) pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits to take the loss in game one. Ryan Pennell (1-1) tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief, giving up one run on one hit to take the loss on game two.
Samford will return to action on Wednesday, when the Bulldogs travel to Montgomery, Ala., to play at Alabama State. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT start.
Elon will return to North Carolina to host High Point on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in its annual Vs. Cancer game. Following the game, players from both teams will have their heads shaved to raise funds to battle childhood cancer. To make a donation in support of Elon's efforts, visit elon.vs-cancer.org.
Georgia Southern 10, The Citadel 1
Georgia Southern 5, The Citadel 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Georgia Southern Eagles won both games of Saturday's doubleheader over The Citadel Bulldogs, taking game one 10-1 and game two 5-2.
Josh Wirsu tossed a complete game in game one for the Eagles (24-10, 7-5).
Wirsu (6-2) equaled his strikeout total from a week ago at Davidson with 13 strikeouts and picked up his Southern Conference-best sixth win of the season. The junior right-hander allowed six hits and one walk on 132 pitches.
A leadoff walk of Ben Morgan sparked a five-run third inning. Kody Adams broke open the scoreless tie with a two-RBI single to center field. Georgia Southern quickly jumped ahead 8-1 after scoring three more runs in the fourth inning on a single by Josh Black and two-RBI base hit from Aaron Mizell.
Austin Livingston tossed two perfect frames but was unable to get out of the third inning. Livingston (1-4) was tagged with his fourth loss of the season after giving up five runs, four hits and a walk over 2 2/3 innings.
The Eagles tallied 13 hits and had three players record two hits in the game. Dalton Busby had two hits, one his eighth double of the season, and scored three times. Josh Black and Aaron Palmer both tallied two hits, while Mizell finished with three RBIs.
Jason Richman tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out six in game two as Georgia Southern completed the doubleheader and series sweep of The Citadel, 5-2.
Richman (5-0) entered in the third inning with a pair of runners on base and struck out Drew DeKerlegand to end the frame. The sophomore left-hander allowed two more base runners in the fifth and sixth innings and took his first career at-bat in the sixth.
Austin Mason threw well for The Citadel, allowing three runs over five frames, but was tagged with the loss. Mason (1-2) limited Georgia Southern to four hits, walked three batters and struck out six over five innings.
Matt McCall allowed two runs in the ninth inning but struck out Tyler Griffin and got DeKerlegand to pop out to end the game. McCall (7) allowed three hits and walked two batters over two innings.
Georgia Southern tallied just five hits but drew six walks and benefited from two Citadel errors. Adams was one of four Eagles with a hit and the only with a multi-hit game.
The Eagles struck first in the top of the first after Mizell scored from first base on Ryan Cleveland's single and an error by the right fielder.
Busby put GSU ahead 3-0 in the fourth inning after driving in a pair of walks with a double.
The Eagles scored two more in the ninth inning on Adams' single to right field and an error by the catcher.
Georgia Southern remains on the road and will face Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga., on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before returning home for Blue-White Spring Game weekend to host UNCG in a three-game series.
The Citadel plays its lone midweek game at East Tennessee State on Wednesday before heading to Boone, N.C., for its next SoCon series against Appalachian State beginning on Friday.
Western Carolina 13, UNCG 12 (10 innings)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jacob Hoyle blasted a solo home run over the fence in right field in the top half of the 10th inning as Western Carolina claimed its Southern Conference series over UNCG with a 13-12 win Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The two teams combined for 25 runs on 34 hits, including eight for extra bases in the slugfest. Six of WCU’s 16 hits went for extra bases, including four doubles, a triple and the go-ahead home run.
With two one-run wins in the first two games at UNCG – including its first extra-inning win of the year on Saturday – WCU claimed its 10th straight SoCon series dating back to late March 2013. The Catamounts have won 23 of their last 25 SoCon games dating back to last season.
Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Western Carolina (19-9, 7-1 SoCon) lit the scoreboard for 11 runs over the first three frames and led 11-4 after three complete on Saturday. Senior Cody Jones drove home the game’s first run on an RBI double, scoring Bradley Strong, who opened the game with a single before promptly stealing second and taking third on a wild pitch. With Jones at third, Hoyle collected his first RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 for WCU after one.
Jones stretched his current hitting streak to 11 straight games, finishing with four hits while also reaching base for the 20th consecutive game, all career highs.
In the second, back-to-back, one-out walks put two aboard before J.D. Long coaxed a full-count HBP to load the bases. Jones collected his second RBI on an infield single off the UNCG starting pitcher before senior Adam Martin added to his team-leading 41 RBIs with a three-run double off the fence in right to give the visitors the 6-0 advantage.
UNCG (14-15, 2-5 SoCon) rallied back with three runs in the home portion of the second to cut the deficit in half. The Spartans scored on three consecutive singles with a ground out and a WCU error allowing two additional markers to cross to make it 6-3 after two.
The Catamounts seemingly opened things up in the top of the third inning, plating five runs on four hits to make it, 11-3. WCU loaded the bases after a single by Danny Bermudez and walks to Dykota Spiess and pinch-hitter Taylor Sandefur – the latter coming intentionally. Long then doubled to left-center field to drive home two runs before Strong tripled to the same location, plating two more before Jones capped scoring with an RBI single into left field.
For Strong, the triple was the 12th of his career and moved him into sole possession of third in school history, just three shy of the school career record.
However, the Spartans continued to battle, scoring two in the bottom of the fifth to trim the deficit to five, 11-6. The Catamounts added a needed insurance run in the top of the seventh inning to make it 12-6 as Strong drove home Luke Gragg.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, UNCG manufactured six runs on four hits and capitalized on three WCU walks to tie the game at 12 apiece. After Sean Guite singled up the middle with one out, the Spartans drew three straight walks with the third to Eric Kalbfeisch driving in the first run. Jordan McDonald drove a sacrifice fly to deep center field, where Cody Jones made a running, over-the-shoulder catch to limit the Spartans to one run, making it 12-8.
UNCG continued its eighth-inning rally as pinch-hitter Aaron Wright plated two with a single to right-center to make it a two-run game. Nin Marrero singled to make it a one-run game before Zac MacAneney drove in the game-tying run with another single for the Spartans.
After a scoreless ninth inning, WCU pulled back in front in the top of the 10th inning. On the second pitch of the frame, Hoyle belted his seventh home run of the season – and second of the series – to put the Catamounts ahead for good, 13-12.
Reliever Tyler Powell (1-0) picked up the win after tossing an inning and two thirds out of the bullpen, with freshman Bryan Sammons scoring his second career save, retiring the final two batters in extra innings.
WCU starter T.J. Fussell worked three innings, striking out three against two walks while allowing four runs – three earned – on eight hits. He was lifted for Jonathan Waszak in the fourth inning with the Wendell, N.C., product tossing three innings allowing two runs on six hits with a strikeout. Alex Barr (1.2 IP) and Colton Davis (0.1 IP) also threw in relief for WCU in the win.
Four Catamount hitters recorded multi-hit games, led by Jones with a career-best 4-for-5 day with three RBIs – one in each of the first three innings. Junior Bradley Strong finished 3-for-6 with a triple and three RBIs, while Hoyle (2-for-5) and sophomore Danny Bermudez (2-for-6) tallied two hits apiece. Martin drove in three to add to his team-leading RBI count on a bases-loaded double in the four-run second inning.
For the Spartans, five players recorded multi-hit games, including three – MacAneney, L.J. Kalawaia, and McDonald – tallying three hits apiece. Reliever Tyler Frazier (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing just one run on the one hit to Hoyle, walking two against two strikeouts.
Davidson 10, Furman 5
GREENVILLE, S.C. – A second-inning grand slam by Forrest Brandt led Davidson past Furman, 10-5, for a series-clinching victory in Southern Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon in Latham Stadium.
Winner of 17 of its last 20 games, Davidson improved to 19-8 overall for its most wins in a season since 2010. The Wildcats also improved to 9-2 in SoCon play to continue their best start ever in the league. Dating back to last season, the ‘Cats also extended their record of consecutive SoCon series victories to six. They first broke the record last week against Georgia Southern, as the previous standard was four, set in 1963.
Brandt drove in five of Davidson’s nine runs, finishing the day going 1-for-3 with sacrifice fly and a walk. Second baseman and leadoff batter Andrew Pope (3-for-4) scored four of the Wildcats’ runs after reaching base five times on three singles and two walks.
The Wildcats entered the second inning in a 2-2 tie with Furman (11-20, 2-6 SoCon) but took control of the game with five runs. Left fielder Lee Miller (0-for-3, SB) led off the frame with a walk and later scored from third base on a wild pitch, and then, with the bases loaded and two outs, Brandt slugged his fifth home run of the season and second career grand slam over the fence in left-center field for a 7-2 lead.
Brandt’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning gave Davidson an 8-2 advantage, and the Paladins would come no closer than five runs throughout the remainder of the game. They added a run each in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Designated hitter Ryan Lowe (2-for-5), who had an RBI double in the sixth inning, extended his reached-base streak to 30 games, dating back to last season, and his hitting streak to 10.
RHP Clark Beeker (2-0), who also started Tuesday and earned the win over Winthrop, earned his second win of the week, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts in a season-high five innings of work.
RHP Jacques de Gruy (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on five hits and three walks in two innings. He struck out three. Third baseman Chris Ohmstede paced the Paladin offense, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a triple.
Davidson will look to complete the three-game sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.
Appalachian State 13, Wofford 4
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 13-4 by Appalachian State at Russell C. King Field. The game was tied after four innings, but the Mountaineers scored five runs in the fifth inning and added five runs in the eighth inning on the way to the victory.
Wofford is 17-14 on the season and 1-7 in the Southern Conference. Appalachian State is 11-19 overall and 5-2 in the league. The Terriers were led by Seth Neely and Derek Hirsch, both with two hits. Dillon Dobson had seven RBIs on three hits to lead the Mountaineers.
Josh Hyman led off the bottom of the first with a triple down the right line. A single up the middle by Alec Paradowski gave Wofford a 1-0 lead.
Appalachian State loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second inning. An infield single with two outs tied the game at 1-1, but a fly ball left the bases loaded.
In the top of the fifth, the Mountaineers had three straight singles and scored one run for a 2-1 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded, a grand slam home run by Dobson pushed the lead to 6-1.
The Mountaineers led off the sixth with a triple. An RBI single up the middle by Jaylin Davis made it a 7-1 game. Wofford got one run back on a leadoff solo home run by Neely for a 7-2 score after six complete innings.
The Mountaineers added a run on an RBI double in the top of the eighth. Dobson hit a single that scored two runners as Appalachian State took a 10-2 lead. A double from William Head drove in two more runs for a 12-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the eighth, Dylan May led off with a double and Matt Pelt singled. A fielder’s choice by Kody Ruedisili scored May to make it a 12-3 score.
Appalachian State added one run in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Dobson to take a 13-3 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, the Terriers had runners on the corners when a fielder’s choice by Matt Kaskow drove in a run for a 13-4 game. A strikeout ended the game.
Wofford pitcher Luke Leftwich (3-3) went 4 2/3 innings and allowed six runs, two of them earned, on nine hits. He struck out three and issued two walks.
Appalachian State starter Tyler Moore (6-2) threw seven innings and allowed two runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts. Dallas DeVrieze went the final two innings and gave up one run on one hit with two strikeouts.
The Terriers complete the series against Appalachian State on Sunday at 1 p.m.