Elon 12, High Point 5
ELON, N.C. – The Elon baseball team scored six runs in the game's first three innings en route to a 12-5 victory over the visiting High Point Panthers on Wednesday at Latham Park. The game was Elon's annual contest that helps raise funds for The Vs. Cancer Foundation which helps to fund cancer research. This year, the Phoenix raised more than $14,000 – its highest total in three seasons.
Elon's Sebastian Gomez and Tyler McVicar each drove in four runs in the Phoenix victory as the maroon and gold improved to 21-12. HPU fell to 19-14 with the setback.
Gomez went 3-for-4 at the dish, while McVicar finished the night 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Elon's four-run bottom of the third.
The Phoenix plated three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 10-run lead, 12-2, as McVicar's two-run triple to right-center scored two in the fourth and Gomez's double to right in the fifth scored a pair to give Elon a commanding lead.
HPU managed to score three in the ninth to make it a seven-run game, but Matt Harris finished the Panthers off in a six-pitcher effort for the Phoenix. Rookie Mike Krill (1-0) earned the win for Elon, the first of his collegiate career, after going four scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Ryan Cooper ended the day 2-for-4 with three runs scored, while Blaine Bower went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a home run, his first of the season. Quinn Bower had two hits and scored twice for the Phoenix in the win. Casey Jones extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games following a 1-for-2 day at the plate.
The loss went to Will Resnik (0-1), who surrendered nine runs (eight earned) on 11 hits in just four innings.
Elon returns to Southern Conference play this weekend in a three-game set at Wofford.
Samford 8, Alabama State 6
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Samford baseball plated four runs in the top of the ninth inning to come back for an 8-6 win at Alabama State on Wednesday evening at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Entering the ninth inning, Samford trailed, 5-4. Caleb Bryson led the inning off with a solo home run to tie the score at 5-5. Jared Watson and T.J. Dixon followed with back-to-back hits. Frankie Navarrete then reached base on a bunt single and went to second base on an Alabama State error. Watson scored on the error to give Samford a 6-5 lead. Dixon then scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Filliben to make the score 7-5. Drew McWhorter then singled to drive in Navarrete to give Samford an 8-5 lead.
Alabama State plated one final run in the bottom of the ninth, but Samford was able to get out of it with an 8-6 win. With the win, Samford improved to 20-13 on the season. Alabama State dropped to 26-12 with the loss.
Samford was led at the plate by McWhorter, who went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Heath Quinn went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Dixon and Navarrete had two hits each as well. Bryson homered in a 1-for-4 performance.
Mikel Belcher (1-0) pitched one inning in relief, allowing no runs on two hits to earn the win on the mound for Samford. Chase Traffica pitched the final inning, allowing one unearned run on one hit to pick up his first save of the season.
For Alabama State, Cesar Rivera went 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Waldyvan Estrada went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Dillon Cooper went 2-for-3 for the Hornets. Armando Ruiz (1-2) pitched a third of an inning, giving up three runs on four hits to take the loss on the mound for ASU.
Samford jumped on top first with a run in the top of the first inning. Dixon singled to lead off the inning and then moved to second base on an error. Dixon later scored on a single by McWhorter for a 1-0 Samford lead.
The Bulldogs added two runs in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs in the inning, Navarrete singled to right field, and Filliben was hit by a pitch. McWhorter then singled up the middle to drive in Navarrete to make the score 2-0. Quinn then singled to center field to drive in Filliben for a 3-0 Samford lead.
Alabama State came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the score at 3-3. With two outs in the inning, Cooper singled, Einar Muniz was hit by a pitch and Richard Amion walked to load the bases. Rivera then hit a three-run single to right field to tie the score.
The Hornets took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Rivera singled to drive in Joshua Magee for the first run of the inning. Estrada later singled to drive in Rivera for a 5-3 ASU lead.
The Bulldogs came back with a run in the top of the eighth inning to cut the ASU lead to 5-4. McWhorter singled and Quinn doubled to start the inning. Brandon Powell then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score McWhorter to bring Samford to within one run.
Samford will return to action Friday when the Bulldogs open a three-game Southern Conference series at Davidson. The first pitch for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 5 p.m. (CT) from Davidson, N.C.
Western Carolina 9, UNC Asheville 3
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jacob Hoyle homered twice and drove in three runs to lead Western Carolina past mountain rival UNC Asheville, 9-3, Wednesday evening under the lights in nonconference action at Greenwood Field.
With the win – WCU’s nation-leading 11th straight – the Catamounts complete the seasonal sweep of UNCA, claiming both ends of the home-and-home against the Bulldogs. Western Carolina improved to 22-9 overall, while UNCA dropped to 11-23.
Five different Catamount batters combined for the team’s seven hits, with two posting two-hit games in the winning effort. Hoyle, who stretched his hit streak to 11 straight, jumpstarted WCU’s three-run fourth inning with the first of his two home runs, adding a second long ball in the top of the ninth. Senior Cody Jones also collected two hits, extending his career-long hitting streak to 14 straight games, reaching safely for a 23rd consecutive game. Jones plated two runs on an eighth-inning double, his team-leading 11th on the year.
Also collecting hits for the Catamounts was J.D. Long, who tallied an RBI on a sacrifice fly, with Bradley Strong recording a double and Dykota Spiess singling up the middle, adding a pair of stolen bases and two runs scored. Danny Bermudez was plunked by a pitch to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 16 straight games.
Ahead 3-1 through four innings, Western Carolina lit the scoreboard for two runs in the top of the seventh inning to make it 5-1. Strong doubled to left before Jones sacrificed him further into scoring position. Senior Adam Martin drew a walk before stealing second base, where Hoyle grounded out to score Strong. Martin was later able to trot home on a balk call, scoring the second run.
In the eighth, the Catamounts stretched their advantage to a game-high six as Jones plated a pair on a double, scoring Taylor Sandefur and Long. However, the Bulldogs got both runs back in the bottom of the inning as Derek Smith drew a bases-loaded walk ahead of Tanner Bush, who drove home a run on a bloop single into shallow right field.
WCU capped scoring in the ninth as Hoyle homered to right for the first run. Spiess then walked before swiping both second and third, taking home on a wild pitch to complete the scoring.
Sophomore right-hander Colton Davis (3-1) earned the victory in the predetermined start, striking out seven of the 11 batters he faced in three innings. The Commerce, Ga., product allowed just two base-runners with one hit and a HBP.
Davis was the first of eight pitchers used by WCU in the victory. Jonathan Waszak tossed two innings with a strikeout before being forced out after taking a line drive off the back of his arm, with Alex Barr fanning one in an inning and a third with two hits allowed. Also pitching for the Catamounts were Korey Anderson, John McClure and Hoyle.
Junior Tyler Powell tossed the final two innings to secure his sixth save of the season, taking the mound with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 7-2 score. The Charlotte, N.C., native faced seven batters, surrendering just one hit while striking out three. Penciled into the DH position in the lineup, Powell also recorded his first collegiate at bat.
UNCA starter Brian Connolly (2-2) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on just three hits with two strikeouts against a walk and two hit batters. Offensively, leadoff hitter Tanner Bush finished 3-for5.
Western Carolina returns home to Childress Field / Hennon Stadium for a three-game Southern Conference series against the Furman Paladins this weekend. Game one is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday with a special 4 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, preceded by a special Baseball BBQ at 3 p.m. following the football Spring Game, presented by Wells Fargo. The baseball series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Old Dominion 15, Wofford 2
NORFOLK, Va. – On Wednesday afternoon, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 15-2 by Old Dominion at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. The Monarchs scored six runs on seven hits in the second inning to put the game out of reach and earn a split of the series.
Wofford is 19-15 on the season. Old Dominion is 20-14 overall in its first season as a member of Conference USA. The Terriers were led by Carson Waln with a double that drove in two runs. Connor Myers had four hits for the Monarchs and P.J. Higgins had three RBIs.
In the first inning, the Monarchs had two runners on base after a single and double. A triple by Josh Eldridge drove in both runners for a 2-0 lead. A sacrifice fly brought home Eldridge for a 3-0 advantage at the end of the first.
Old Dominion had runners on the corners after a pair of singles to lead off the bottom of the second. Back-to-back RBI singles pushed the lead to 5-0. An RBI single by P.J. Higgins made it 6-0 and with the bases loaded, a single by Jordan Negrini drove in two runs for an 8-0 lead. An RBI single by Taylor Ostrich gave the Monarchs a 9-0 lead at the end of the second inning.
The Terriers left one runner on base in the top of the third after Alec Paradowski had a two-out single. Old Dominion opened the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles. An RBI double by Ben Slaton pushed the score to 10-0. Another single, along with a Wofford fielding error, made it a 12-0 game. With two outs, another error allowed a run to cross the plate for a 13-0 score after three innings.
Wofford’s Matt Ramsay walked with two outs in the top of the fourth and advanced on a single by James Plaisted. A double to right field by Waln scored both runners for a 13-2 game.
The Monarchs led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and a double. A single by Kurt Sinnen drove in both runners for a 15-2 lead before a double play ended the fourth inning.
Old Dominion loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with nobody out but failed to score. The Terriers led off the seventh with Waln reaching on an error, but Wofford left one on base at the stretch. The Monarchs left one on base in the bottom of the seventh.
The Terriers were retired in order in the top of the eighth and the Monarchs left one runner on base in the bottom half of the eighth. In the ninth inning, Wofford left one runner on base before a strikeout ended the game.
Wofford pitcher Jordan Accetta (3-2) went 1 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs on eight hits with one strikeout.
Old Dominion starting pitcher Greg Tomchick went four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Turner Bishop (3-0) threw an inning with one strikeout.
The Terriers return home to host Elon on Friday at 6 p.m. in the first game of a weekend Southern Conference series.
East Tennessee State 12, The Citadel 4
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – East Tennessee State wiped out an early four-run deficit in a 12-4 win over The Citadel in a nonconference game Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs are 13-21 heading into a Southern Conference series this weekend at Appalachian State. The Buccaneers, coached by former Citadel baseball and football star and athletic hall of fame member Tony Skole, are 15-17.
The Citadel jumped all over East Tennessee starter Logan Rice for four runs on four hits in the top of the first, including a run-scoring double by Tyler Griffin, a two-run single off the bat of Johnathan Stokes and an RBI single by Ryan Kilgallen.
Drew DeKerlegand got the inning started when he was hit by a pitch for the 48th time in his career, moving him within three of catching Daryl Byrd for the top spot in school history.
East Tennessee wasted little time getting right back in the game. Facing Johnson City native Kevin Connell, the Buccaneers scored three times in the bottom of the first, including a two-run homer by Chris Riopedre.
Neither team scored over the next two frames before East Tennessee went in front in the fourth against Brett Tompkins. Trey York and Kevin Phillips opened the inning with consecutive triples, and a double by Gage Downey put the Buccaneers ahead to stay, 5-4.
The Citadel piled up eight hits over the first four innings but left six runners on base during that span, giving East Tennessee the opportunity to take the lead. After DeKerlegand and Bo Thompson had two-out singles in the fourth, Buccaneer pitchers retired the final 16 batters.
The Buccaneers steadily pulled away in the later innings, scoring seven runs in their final four times at bat, including three in the seventh and two in the eighth, which featured a solo home run by Dylan Tritsch.
Thompson had three hits for The Citadel, while East Tennessee knocked out 17 hits, including three doubles, four triples and the two home runs.